What’s New: In Brief (October 02, 2009)

The CIP Society has announced eight leaders to be recognized in the inaugural awarding of the National Leadership Awards.
The recipients have been recognized by their peers for their contribution and affect on the property and casualty community.
Established Leaders recipients are Andrew Janzen, Carla Blackmore, H. Ross Totten and Patrick McNally.
Emerging leaders are Thomas Newby, Patrick Bouchard, Phillip Robichaud and Jonathan Stone.

Ontario’s ban on hand-held devices while driving will now take effect on Oct. 26 and not Oct. 1 as originally scheduled.
Tickets will not be issued until Feb. 1, 2010, following a three-month education period for drivers, according to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
Under the new law, it is illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices, the release notes.
Drivers who are distracted while typing, emailing, dialing, or talking can receive fines of up to $500.
When using a cell phone, a driver is four times more likely to be in a crash than one who is focused on the road, studies show.
Further studies show that dialing and texting carries the highest degree of risk of all cell phone-related activities, the Ministry notes.