LaSorsa & Associates - Executive Protection - Training - Consulting - Investigations » driving

Road Information Websites

webmaster — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:14:31 +0000

When hurricanes, tropical storms, or even major winter weather threaten the Gulf and East Coast, one of the biggest challenges people face is staying mobile and safe on the roads.

Road closures due to flooding, debris, accidents, or emergency management can quickly turn a normal commute or evacuation into a dangerous situation. Fortunately, every state from Texas to Maine has an official Department of Transportation (DOT) or 511 travel system that provides real-time updates.

These sites aren’t just for hurricanes — they’re also valuable for tracking construction closures, accidents, winter storms, and general travel planning. Each portal offers live maps, traffic speeds, and alerts that help drivers make informed decisions before hitting the road.

Here are the official sites by state:

Texas – DriveTexas.org
Louisiana – 511LA
Mississippi – MDOTtraffic
Florida – FL511
Georgia – 511GA
South Carolina – SCDOT 511
North Carolina – DriveNC
Virginia – 511 Virginia
Maryland – MD CHART / 511
Delaware – DelDOT Travel Advisories
New Jersey – 511NJ
New York – 511NY
Connecticut – CTDOT Alerts
Massachusetts – Mass511
Maine – Maine DOT

Why It Matters

Evacuation Planning – Quickly check which roads are closed or heavily congested before heading out.
Emergency Response – First responders and essential workers use these same tools to plan safe and fast routes.
Daily Use – Even outside of emergencies, these resources are the most reliable way to avoid delays from construction and accidents.

Final Note

Whether you live on the Gulf Coast, the Eastern Seaboard, or simply travel through these regions, bookmarking your state’s official road information site is a must. In a crisis like a hurricane, having real-time information can be the difference between getting stuck and getting out safely.

DMV Websites by State

webmaster — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 15:40:02 +0000

All 50 states and Washington, DC have websites for motor vehicle operators and general information on relevant requirements. Click your state below:

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Does my client’s insurance cover me as a driver of their vehicle?

webmaster — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 02:05:18 +0000

A question you should be asking: Does my client’s insurance cover me as a driver of their vehicle?

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Here is something not often talked about, especially when compared to discussions like Glock vs Sig, etc. However, you should never use social media popularity as a barometer of importance. That being said – have you ever thought about this issue?

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For more info on our Defensive / Evasive Driving Course:
/evasive-driving-course/

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IMPE, I have only seen it addressed by actual chauffeurs, and at the time of this posting, I have never seen it addressed by any other EP provider. (That is not to say no other EP company does, my statement is limited to my own direct experience)

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So how can we make sure we are covered when driving the client’s vehicle?

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Some that I have asked this question to mention their own insurance covers them when driving other vehicles. However, for most major insurance companies, this is not exactly correct – in general, insurance may follow the car, and does not necessarily follow the driver. Also… your coverage is likely based on your driving habits and your vehicle, not the client’s, which is likely different and their vehicle likely much more expensive. This being the case, I would not offer this as a viable solution.

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See our training schedule and locations here:
/training-schedule-registration/

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There are two primary ways we can ensure we are insured – permissive use and commercial coverage.

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Commercial coverage is rare, expensive, and dependent on the insurance company and state. If your client has commercial coverage, you will have to review the policy details.

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Permissive use is the most practical way for you to ensure you are covered by the client’s insurance. Permissive use varies between insurance companies, so make sure to check with your client’s insurance provider on how to ensure your compliance. In general, there are two ways to ensure compliance with permissive use – verbal/written authorization from the policy holder, or being added to their policy as an insured driver. Naturally, verbal authorization means that if there is a claim, the policy holder mist attest to giving verbal authorization. Written authorization can be anything that clearly states (name) driver has (policy holder’s) permission to drive (year, make, model) car. Obviously being added to the policy is the best way, but this seemingly easy task will be more difficult to accomplish than you think, especially if you have a rotation of drivers, turnover, etc.

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Informative links:

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General info on permissive use: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/permissive-use-car-insurance-coverage.html

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Allstate: https://www.allstate.com/resources/car-insurance/my-friend-wrecked-my-car

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Progressive: https://www.progressive.com/answers/insurance-for-borrowed-cars/

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Geico: https://living.geico.com/driving/auto/car-safety-insurance/hey-can-i-borrow-your-car/

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USAA: https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/faq_PC_general_auto_policy_index

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State Farm: https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/auto-and-vehicles/ever-lend-your-car-to-a-friend-read-this-first

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Nationwide: https://www.nationwide.com/lc/resources/auto-insurance/articles/what-does-car-insurance-cover

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Joseph M. LaSorsa, CPP® is currently a senior partner managing and conducting: Protective Operations Training Courses, Executive Protection & Bodyguard Services, Risk Management Consultations & Seminars, Security Expert Witness Testimony, Workplace Violence Prevention Seminars & Intervention Services, Security Consultations & Seminars, Private Investigations and Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures with LaSorsa & Associates – an International Protection, Investigations & Consulting Firm.

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The ROI of Secure Transportation

webmaster — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 16:18:49 +0000

Risk for executives in United States is on the rise. Therefore, hiring executive protection professionals has become the rule instead of the exception over the past decade. The need for security and driver services are highlighted by incidents such as the kidnapping and murder of tech CEO Tushar Atre and most recently the brutal shooting of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan. Tushar Atre was kidnapped from his residence and killed by disgruntled employees. He was then left in his personal vehicle to be found on another one of his nearby properties. No security team was present at the residence which enabled easy access to his home for the intruders.

Security, Safety, Reputation, Convenience & Productivity

Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan was shot multiple times outside of his vehicle while his 2-year-old daughter remained strapped in her car seat. Police reports indicate that Mr. Bridegan may have been lured out of his vehicle by a wheel and tire that was blocking his driving lane before he was ambushed. Police have not yet determined if this was a random act of violence or a targeted assassination. However, both incidents would have likely been prevented by the presence and expertise of an experienced executive protection team. Although the need for security is generally the initiating factor for hiring protection, this is only a small piece of the wholistic approach used by savvy protection industry leaders.

Protection experts additionally prioritize the safety of their assigned protectees. Many times, this will consist of supplying a trained professional driver to enable the productivity and preferred lifestyle of their clients. The Tiger Woods car crash of 2021 is one example of a recent and preventable safety and reputational incident. The physical injuries sustained from the crash removed Tiger from PGA competition for over a year. The Indiana car crash of involving US representative Jackie Walorski is another very recent example of a preventable vehicular death. Mrs.Walorski was being escorted to an engagement by a local political chairman when he crossed the center line hitting another vehicle. This resulted in the death of all four of the occupants of the vehicle. It is likely that a professional driver supplied by an executive protection team could have easily prevented both incidents.

Reputational protection is a crucial part of modern protection programs. Because of the perceived negligence surrounding the Tiger Woods crash, formal apologies were needed to retain sponsors and to minimize the monetary loss associated with his absence from the tour. Another example is the Bill Gates “pie incident” during the early years of his success. Mr. Gates did not have a protection team at the time and was hit in the face with a pie by 3 different assailants after exiting his vehicle to attend a meeting in Brussels. Although a pie to the face may seem like a minor incident this caused the Microsoft executive team and board of directors to reassess the Chairman’s need for proper security.

A few of the most overlooked reasons to hire a trained protection team are simply that it increases the executive’s productivity, prioritizes their convenience, and offers a solid the return on investment. The more that an executive can focus on their job and outsource tasks such as booking flights and hotels and driving during their commute, the more productive they will likely be.

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The top 350 CEOs in the United States earn a median salary of 15.6 million dollars per year with the top 10% currently earning around 100 million dollars each year. A Harvard study recently indicated that CEOs average 62.5 labor hours each work week. By extrapolating the data above, we find that on average, CEOs earn about $4,800 per hour or $80 per minute. Imagine what a 30-minute one way commute 275 days per year is worth to the company. A trained protection team will understand what increases executive productivity and will handle certain tasks or arrange to ease the burden on the executive’s schedule.

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Also, many protection services come with attractive tax benefits to companies and high net worth individuals. The IRS code 132.5 – Fringe Benefits: Outlines that fringe benefits are to be treated as compensation to be included as income under section 61 unless there is a specific statutory exclusion that applies to the benefit. This benefit applies to Executive Security programs if an overall security program will be deemed to exist in situations where the employer conducts and implements an “independent security study” with respect to the at-risk employee. Industry leading executive protection companies provide these independent security studies and recommend courses of action that are feasible, desirable, and effective for executives and their companies.

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David Hobson, MBA is a former soldier that served in the following roles during his time in the U.S. Army’s 82^nd Airborne Division: Airborne Infantry Team Leader, Small Unit Tactics Instructor, Training Budget Manager and Procurement Manager. He is currently working in private security as a Project Manager and Close Protection Specialist with LaSorsa & Associates.