When Online Really is Not Adequate.

• Author: Acunto, Steve

WE begin this issue with an old plea: to NYS Legislators: please do not do away with the PIRP programs as they now exist. Current law mandates that these courses may only be taken in-person in the classroom and that an applicant must provide proof of satisfactory completion of this course before a driver's license can be issued. The purpose of this course is to educate applicants who are seeking to take their road test for a first-time driver's license. The course, which teaches the rules of the road, basic driving skills, and defensive driving skills, has proven to be successful largely because of its live nature and the interaction between students and the teachers administering the course. A new law is afoot that, if enacted into law, would create a new section 12-D of the Vehicle and Traffic Law requiring the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles to establish and implement an on-line pre-licensing course pilot program. On line is a bad idea for educating and focusing the attention of errant drivers. Period. We oppose this concept on several grounds and urge the Governor to veto any such bill.... OPTIS reports that there were 490 announced insurance agency mergers and acquisitions during the first three quarters of the year, the highest nine-month total ever, beating the 481 deals announced in 2018.

The data covers U.S. and Canadian agencies selling primarily property-and-casualty insurance, agencies selling both P&C and employee benefits, and those selling only employee benefits.

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