Introducing AAA Accident Assist

You get into an accident at night and your car isn’t drivable. How do you get your damaged car taken care of by someone you can trust and then get to your destination quickly? With auto insurance through AAA, you now have access to an insurance service called AAA Accident Assist, which provides world-class roadside assistance, minimizes the hassle associated with a collision and helps get you back on the road fast.

Here’s how it works. If your car is insured through AAA and you get into a serious enough crash that you need a tow, just call one toll-free number, (866) AAA-BEST (866-222-2378). AAA will take care of the rest.

We’ll send a AAA roadside assistance provider to the scene promptly, start the claims process for you, arrange for a rental vehicle for those with rental coverage, and tow your car to the repair shop of your choice. If you like, we can tow your car to a shop in our Immediate Repair Program, which can save you time by scheduling a repair without having to wait for an adjuster, and which offers a lifetime warranty on workmanship for as long as you own your car. Some or all of these services may be covered under your policy or membership, depending on the insurance coverage and membership benefits you have.

To learn more about AAA insurance, call (877) 222-7095.

Bill targets bus safety in Mississippi

Every state has a law making it illegal to pass a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, but Mississippi is considering amplifying its penalties for violating the law to send a loud message to motorists to stop when children are entering or exiting a bus.

Prompting the legislation was the recent death of 5-year-old Nathan Key of Laurel, who was struck by a vehicle as he was getting off a bus near his home. Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville, introduced “Nathan’s Law” to penalize those who break the law and to help tighten school bus safety with more restrictions for both motorists and school bus drivers.

The existing law states that if drivers pass a stopped school bus while children are present, they could face $200 to $500 in fines and up to one year in prison.

Under the proposed law, first-time offenders would face fines of $500 to $5,000, license suspension for 30 days and up to a year in prison. Subsequent offenses would result in sanctions up to $800 or imprisonment not more than one year or both, and license suspension for 90 days.

In addition, a violation resulting in the death or injury of a child would be a felony, and the offender could be sentenced up to five years in prison and fined up to $5,000.

The bill also creates a 30-foot buffer zone when a school bus is stopped with its stop arm extended and lights flashing to keep motorists far from children. Motorists would not be allowed to use a wireless communication device within a school crossing zone unless their vehicle is stopped or they use hands-free accessories. And the bill would ban school bus drivers from using cell phones while driving.

As of press time for this issue, the Senate had approved the bill and it was sent to the House for consideration.