October 2013
OUR OFFICE IS NOW OPEN UNTIL 7:00PM ON THURSDAYS!
Improved Safety For Teen Drivers
Auto crashes are the main cause of death for teens, running
four times the level of fatal crashes for adults and claiming
the lives of over 5,000 young people aged 15 to 19 every
year. With the aim of cutting that number, the week of
October 20 to 26 is designated National Teen Driver
Safety Week. It'll be the seventh annual event since the
campaign was introduced by Congress in 2007. A key
component of the event and a great source of information
is the schools initiative Ride Like A Friend, Drive Like
You Care (www.ridelikeafriend.org). This puts a focus on
the relationship between teen drivers and teen passengers,
since many accidents happen when young drivers are
accompanied by their friends. The Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia, which was one of the founding partners of
the campaign, offers the following key recommendations
for teens, to reduce the risk of accidents:
1. They should continue to have driving lessons even
after they get their license because the first few months
of independent driving are deemed the most risky.
Ongoing training should include different times of day
and different weather conditions.
2. They should not transport or drive teen passengers for
the first 1,000 miles or 6 months after they get their
license. And during this time, they shouldn't drive
without adult supervision after 10pm -- night driving is
the most risky.
3. After this point, they should then only transport a
single child or teen passenger for another six months.
4. Parents should play their part by not allowing their
teen to ride with inexperienced drivers. And, whether
they're drivers or passengers, parents should talk to
them about the dangers -- especially of passenger
distraction.
One thing you might want to do is set a parent/teen
driving agreement, which has a list of rules, some of
which can be modified as the driver become more
experienced. You can also get more info on this year's
Teen Driver Safety campaign and what teen
organizations and schools can do to participate at:
www.teendriversource.org
Help the children have a safe and fun filled
Halloween....
Although Halloween is intended to be fun for kids of all
ages, without some special consideration and preparation,
Halloween can also be a real scare. We would like to help
you keep your little ghosts and goblins safe. Below are a few
safety tips to follow this Halloween season:
DRIVING SAFETY...
Motorists traveling on Halloween night should remember
that children are everywhere: streets, sidewalks, crosswalks
and parking lots. You will need to be on the highest alert
while driving. Many of the costumes children wear are dark
and difficult to see, be sure to have your headlights on. Be
alert at all times and please drive with caution.
ADVICE TO PARENTS...
Children under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an
adult. Know the route your children will be taking if you are
not going with them. Set a curfew for children who are not
being supervised by an adult. Safety is in numbers, older
children should stay together in groups. Assure your child is
not tempted to eat their "unchecked" treats. Be careful about
homemade treats or damaged wrappers.
COSTUME SAFETY...
Costumes should be of bright material, visible in the dark or
have reflective tape. Consider using face paint, masks can
hinder a child's visibility. Wear a well fitted costume. Loose
costumes may cause the child to trip and fall. Tape child's
name, address and telephone number to inside of costume.
TRICK-OR-TREATING SAFETY...
Carry a flash light. Walk on a sidewalk. If a sidewalk is not
available, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
Avoid taking shortcuts across backyards or alleys. Walk on
well light streets. Obey all traffic signals and rules of the
road. Trick-or-treat in well known neighborhoods.
Approach only homes that have their front porch light on.
Accept treats only at the front door. Never enter the home of
a stranger. Never eat treats before getting home. Allow your
parents to inspect all candy first.
SECURE YOUR HOME...
Prepare for trick-or-treaters by lighting the house well.
Restrain dogs and other animals. Remove obstacles from the
front yard.
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Allan M. Walker Insurance Agency
120 High Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Tel# 508-824-5875 Fax# 508-880-5056 Toll Free# 1-877-824-6670
[email protected] www.allanwalker.com
Generation X falls seriously short on
life insurance needs.
USA TODAY REPORT
A 2011 study by the Center for Work-Life Policy stated that Generation X (or Gen Xers) who were born between 1965
and 1978 are “Overlooked and Extremely Important” however a recent USA Today report stated Generation X falls
“seriously short on life insurance.”
Many times in The Town Crier we have preached the importance of buying life insurance to protect your family but the
USA Today article brings-up an equally important issue: buying enough life insurance. The article cites a New York Life
survey where Gen Xers self report that they have a gap of over $400,000.00 in coverage. With mortgages, student loans,
automobiles and the desire to support families and their education and plus other expenses it’s easy to underestimate what
we need for life insurance.
Many people have a life insurance policy through their employer but the coverage usually won’t be enough to meet all
your expectations. If you add your current bills with what you want to provide for the future you need to verify you have
the protection amounts you need. Paying for housing so your family can maintain their current residence or paying for
2education is not a one-time payment you want to include items that are going to continue on in time in calculating what
your insurance needs are beyond just your outstanding mortgage or loans.
Life insurance rates have decreased over recent years so give us a call today to so we can help calculate the protection
you want to provide to your family today.
508-824-5875
Doctors Call For New
Cheerleader Safeguards
Things are never as simple as they used
to be – and you can certainly say that about
cheerleading. With its pyramids, acrobatics and
tumbling, it's now recognized as an official sport
in many schools. But along with the sport's
enhanced status has come a surge in accidents and
injuries and a corresponding call from the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for more
safeguards. Cheerleading accounts for most
catastrophic injuries in female high school sports.
Safety guidelines have been developed by
official cheerleading and high school
organizations but AAP wants to go further,
suggesting, for example, pyramids should not be
more than two people high and performed only
with spotters monitoring them. It also says that
coaches, parents and athletes should have access
to a written emergency plan and that, whenever
possible, a certified athletics trainer or physician
should attend practices and competitions.
Technical skills should not be performed on hard,
wet or uneven surfaces, it says, and anyone
showing signs of head injury should be removed
from taking part until she gets written clearance
from a health professional.
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Recipe
1 1/2 cups pumpkin
seeds
 2 teaspoons melted
butter (olive oil or vegetable oil work
well) or 2 teaspoons melted oil (olive oil
or vegetable oil work well)
 salt
 garlic powder (optional)
 cayenne pepper (optional)
 seasoning salt (optional)
 Cajun seasoning (optional)
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2.While it's OK to leave some strings
and pulp on your seeds (it adds flavor)
clean off any major chunks.
3.Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the
melted butter or oil and seasonings of
your choice.
4.Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer
on baking sheet.
5.Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until golden brown.

CLIENT OF THE MONTH
Allan Walker is nothing without our clients trust. That is why we would like to thank Paul
Veradt, owner of Figueredo’s Catering & the Lafayette Function Hall, for trusting us with his
personal and business insurance needs.
City / Town you live in? Taunton
Family? Single
School? Bristol Plymouth and I received a Culinary degree from
Johnson & Wales University
Most unexpected or surprising thing about your job? “ I worked for a
caterer when I was 15 and I said I would never want to do this job and
now I own a catering business! Working as a caterer makes your job
unique, depending on the customer that is always changing there is a different menu every day, a
different location and a variety of different types of functions. We do everything from traditional
weddings to golf tournaments and fundraisers to functions on cruise ships which can be interesting
depending on rough the seas are that day.”
First paying job? Newspaper boy in the Oakland area of Taunton
First car you owned? My first mode of transportation that I owned was a Yamaha motorcycle, the first
car I owned was a 1955 Ford Crestline.
What radio station is dialed in or what’s in your CD player? Outlaw Country on Sirius Radio
Hobbies? Camping, Motorcycles, Fishing and Hunting
The Lafayette Club is a function hall which offers two rooms for your events. The Lafayette also offers
the popular Prime Rib Thursdays, which is known for its huge cuts of prime rib as well as many other
menu items. They also host live music outdoors on Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 7:00pm. Figuredo’s
Classic Catering is a full service caterer offering their services on and off premises.
The Lafayette Club 508-822-5155 * Figuredo’s Classic Catering -508-823-7455
18 Lakeview Ave. Taunton Ma 02780
Four Rules For Safer Cutting
Board Use
Cutting boards are a key source of bacterial
infection during food preparation.
Here are four tips for avoiding the risks:
1. Use 3 separate boards – one each for fresh
produce, meats and ready-to-eat food.
2. Wash your boards with hot soapy water after
each use, or put them in the dishwasher.
3. Replace plastic and wood boards regularly. If
you can't clean the indentations and grooves,
throw them away.
4. Sanitize boards by soaking in a solution of 1
gallon of water to one tablespoon of chlorine
bleach. Allow to air dry.
Tips from Michigan State University Extension
SPOTTED!
Our sticker on Gregg P.’s car. He
received a $25.00 gas card! You
could be next if we see your
vehicle with our sticker. Do you
have your sticker on?”
Allan M. Walker Insurance Agency
120 High Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Tel# 508-824-5875 
Fax# 508-880-5056
Toll Free# 1-877-824-6670
[email protected]
PET OF THE MONTH
Congratulations to Bill T. and Derek
H. for winning our 2013 Referral
Contest! Both Bill and Derek won
Boston Red Sox Tickets!
Congratulations!
Thank you to Brian Q. of Mansfield for
sending us a pic of Pumpkin T. Cat
(The T stands for "the") Pumpkin likes to
find small places to sleep, one hot July day
she decided, what better place to sleep than in
the cooler! Hobbies: Pumpkin likes to sleep
and eat
Please send us a pic of your pet and you may be featured in our next
newsletter! [email protected]
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