The idea upsets privacy advocates in a state whose plates bear the nickname  “The Constitution State.”

A Connecticut Senate committee recently approved a bill to explore putting  radio frequency identification tags, known as RFIDs, in the state’s license  plates so cars can be tracked and tickets automatically generated for drivers  with lapsed vehicle registration, emissions or insurance. A lobbyist for the  program estimates the state would collect $29 million per year by fining  uninsured drivers and other lawbreakers.

Former astronaut Paul Scully-Power, now representing the RFID industry, also  envisions a future in which the same technology could be used to more easily  identify those who break speed limits and run red lights.

Electromagnetic radio waves from an RFID tag give up data to an electronic  reader. The data can include registration, insurance and emissions information,  along with make, model and color of the vehicle.

One in 10 drivers uninsured

Like every other state except New Hampshire, Connecticut  requires insurance or some other proof of financial responsibility. About 10  percent of Connecticut’s 2.5 million licensed drivers were uninsured as of 2009,  according to the Insurance  Research Council, somewhat better than the national average of nearly 14  percent. The minimum fine for driving without insurance is $100.

Proponents say RFIDs would help increase the number of people caught  violating the law. From 2005 to 2007, only 68,232 drivers were cited for not  having insurance, and only a fraction of those actually paid the fine, according  to data gathered by Scully-Power.

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) used to require license  plates or windshields  carry colored stickers that identified the vehicles as  being registered or having had updated smog testing. But the DMV no longer has  that requirement. RFID tags would instantly identify cars that weren’t insured  or emissions-tested and issue a citation automatically.

Of course, states already verify insurance information. Police can ask for  proof of insurance during a traffic stop and write a ticket if the driver  doesn’t have it. In some states, where insurance companies report policy  information to the DMV, officers can check plates of suspicious vehicles against  a state database, or an automated scanner can look up every plate in a parking  lot. (See “Do  you look like you have car insurance?“)

Your data, up for grabs

With a $200 RFID reader, a car with an RFID license plate could be scanned  from about 10 feet away to get the driver’s address, driving record or other  information, says Robert Ellis Smith, a privacy expert and publisher of The Privacy Journal.

“A lot of people couldn’t resist using it to keep track of people,” Smith  says of the tags that work like a barcode. Smith says he hasn’t heard of any  state tracking vehicles through license plates and worries it’s a dangerous  road.

“It would mark the first time that the identity of a vehicle or its owners  could be known outside of the vehicle,” he says.

Smith says Connecticut’s plan has the potential to allow stalkers to track  victims.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut also thinks the bill is a  bad idea.

“Using RFID technology to track the movements of drivers and their cars is so  incredibly invasive that we don’t see how it could fail to violate the right to  privacy,” says Andrew Schneider, the organization’s executive director, in a  written statement. “The chips broadcast individually identifiable information to  anyone with a receiver, and the potential for abuse, by the government or by  private industry, is staggering.”

“The loss of privacy for every driver for a few million dollars for the state  is absurd,” says Birny Birnbaum, executive director of the Center for Economic Justice.

OK, you’ve got insurance — how about a pizza?

RFIDs came into broad use helping stores to keep track of their  inventories.

Today, it’s likely you’re already carrying one.

They are used in passports, in corporate ID and access badges, in hospitals  to track patient records and in libraries to ease self-service checkouts. The  U.S. military has used them to verify identification of vehicles that approach  its bases. Many cities use RFIDs for contactless payment of transit fares and  highway tolls.

If all cars had RFID chips in their license plates, a business owner could  scan the tags of customers in his parking lot and send ads or coupons to them,  says privacy expert Smith.

“That would be a dream come true to many businesses and many marketers,” he  says. “That’s the holy grail — to get information about your customers.”

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/04/03/license-plate-could-broadcast-your-insurance-data/#ixzz1r0Fh1Y75

If you don’t like knowyourstuff.org, there are a few other phone apps out there. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ site, insureuonline.org, has an app called scr.APP.book. MyHome Lite is another free app you can use. No matter which you choose, having a comprehensive list of your belongings will make it much easier determine how much personality property coverage you need.

-Have your furnace inspected and change the filter. Then set your minimum temperature to 55 degrees to keep your pipes from freezing while you are gone.

-If you are going to be gone for more than a week, you should consider turning off your water supply lines. This will further reduce the likelihood of your pipes freezing.

-Make sure your doors and windows are securely locked. This will keep cold air (and intruders) from getting into your home.

-Have a neighbor collect your mail. Seeing mail pile up outside your house will tip off possible intruders that you are not home. You can also take the added precaution of putting your lights on timers.

-If you have an alarm company, let them know the dates you will be out of town. If not, contact the police department and give them the information.

• Clear the snow off of your entire vehicle, not just the front windshield. All that extra snow weight can really affect your vehicle’s balance and gas mileage. You also do not want all that snow on your roof to fall on your windshield when you stop.
• Maintain proper tire inflation and change your tires if your tread is worn down. This will help you get the best traction on slippery roads
• Accelerate and break slowly. A quick change in momentum can cause your tires to lose their grip of the road.
• Maintain a lower average speed and put more space between you and other vehicles. This will give you more response time in case something unexpected happens in the snow.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to keep your gas line from freezing.
• Be extra aware of cyclists. The pile of snow in the bike lane will force them closer to the middle of the road.
• Don’t drive if you don’t have to. Chicago has great public transit options. Use them and save yourself the risk.

Stay safe out there!

Enjoy the snow and stay safe out there.