meaning of commercial travelling

What is Commercial Travelling Car Insurance?

Written by, Marija Petkova

Updated April, 12, 2022

If you live in the UK and own any type of vehicle, you’re legally required to have car insurance. 

What’s also important is having the right type of car insurance – not only will the wrong type void your insurance but you could also end up with a criminal record.

So, what is commercial travelling car insurance and how does it differ from other types of car insurance? 

Let’s find out.

This type of car insurance protects business owners and individuals who use their vehicles for business purposes and whose job depends on the vehicle itself , like taxi drivers or driving instructors. 

Commercial vehicle insurance usually features extra perks and provides a higher level of protection and is thus more expensive than other types of car insurance, which typically costs around £500 .

Business Car Insurance vs Commercial Car Insurance

The main difference between business car insurance and commercial travelling insurance is that the latter is used for a specific type of work. 

If you use your car for work, other than driving to a fixed workplace, then you’ll need business car insurance. However, if your vehicle is an integral part of your job, you’re required to get commercial vehicle insurance.

Keep in mind that different insurers might have a different commercial travelling definition and might use the two terms interchangeably, so it’s best to check with them what exactly the policy covers before you purchase insurance from them.

Typically, commercial vehicle insurance includes minibus, taxi, truck, haulage, and fleet insurance.

For more information on car insurance and the current state of the market, read through this insightful article .

What Does ‘Class of use’ Mean With Car Insurance?

Class of use in car insurance refers to what you intend to use the vehicle for and how often you’ll use it. Insurers partly rely on the class of use to determine how much you’ll need to pay for insurance.

For instance, commuters who use their car to drive to work daily are statistically more likely to be involved in an accident, which translates to high premiums. According to road accidents stats and facts, there were close to 15,000 car accidents with people travelling to work. On the other hand, those who work from home don’t necessarily drive their vehicles every day and thus, have more significant insurance premiums.

What Are the Different Classes of Use?

There are four main car insurance classes.

SPD (Social, Domestic, and Pleasure)

 This class is for people who don’t use their cars for business purposes but rather for shopping, visiting friends and family, driving to school, or driving holidays. It doesn’t cover driving to work or commuting.

SDP+C (Social+ commuting) 

This class covers everything under SDP, plus commuting to work, including in situations where you change means of transportation, such as driving your car to the train station and taking the train to get to work. This type of insurance also covers driving others to work.

Business Classes

Business classes cover work-related travel and include driving to more than your fixed office space (which is covered by SDP+C).

There are a total of three subclasses for this class, including: 

This class covers driving to several places of work, such as on-site visits and external meetings. For example, a care worker who sometimes travels to patients’ homes would be covered by Class 1 insurance.

Class 2 allows policyholders to add a second driver that works for the same business. This type of insurance is suitable for small businesses that don’t have more than two vehicles.

Class 3 insurance includes everything that class 2 covers, plus unlimited long-distance driving and door-to-door selling, with no set destinations.

Commercial Travel Insurance

The insurance for commercial travel is similar to a class 3 business insurance, but is generally more flexible and comes with extra options. For example, some commercial policies allow policyholders to insure items they carry in the vehicle.

Note : Regardless of the type of insurance you pick (including commercial vehicle travel), you can choose from three cover levels: comprehensive, fire and theft, and third-party only.

What if I Have the Wrong Class of Use Insurance?

Having the wrong class of use is illegal (ex. driving to work without commuting insurance) and might result in criminal charges. What’s more, if you pick car insurance that doesn’t match your needs, you risk voiding your insurance altogether.

Therefore, if your class of use changes for any reason, you should contact your insurer to change your cover.

Bottom Line

Commercial car insurance is a must for businesses and individuals who use their vehicles for business-related purposes. It specifically covers those whose job depends on the car, like delivery drivers, and often comes with a few extra perks, since these people have little choice but to spend a lot of their time on the road.

Frequently Asked Questions And Their Answers

What does commercial travelling mean.

Commercial travelling refers to work-related travelling, specifically business travels where driving is an integral part of the job, like delivery drivers.  

What does commuting mean on car insurance?

This means you can use the vehicle to commute to a fixed workplace or take someone else to work. It doesn’t cover driving between different work locations or visiting clients.

It’s a type of car insurance that covers work-related travels where you can’t do your job without a vehicle. For example, driving instructors and Uber delivery drivers need this type of insurance.

by Marija Petkova

My name is Marija, and I'm a financial writer at DontDisappointMe. Although finance might not be everyone's cup of tea, my 10+ years of working in one of the biggest banks in my country, and my interest in extensive research on everything finance/investment-related, have made me somewhat of an expert in the field (if I do say so myself). No longer having the passion to work in a corporate setting, I decided that I couldn't let all of this knowledge go to waste so I started writing. And, here I am! Today I try to share my knowledge with my audience in the hopes of making this topic as simple and interesting as possible. In my leisure time, I like spending time with my family and travelling to new locations.

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Table of Contents

What is business travel insurance?

Why should business travelers get a business travel insurance policy, does travel insurance cover business trips, what is business travel accident insurance, do credit cards offer business travel insurance, business travel insurance, recapped.

Imagine the following scenarios. You’re meeting potential clients in their city in the morning, but your checked back, including your suit, didn’t make it. You’re giving a presentation, but some equipment has been stolen out of the hotel conference room. You got food poisoning from a restaurant where you had a business lunch and now require medical attention.

When going on the road for business, the last thing you want is to worry about these types of situations.

Business travel insurance provides coverage for the trips you take as part of your business or for a company that employs you. Knowing that some things don’t always go as planned during travel, you might find yourself benefitting from a business travel insurance policy.

Just like personal trip insurance , business travel insurance covers the unexpected during a business trip. A business travel insurance policy can help get reimbursements for travel expenses caused by trip delay and interruption , baggage delay, business equipment theft, emergency medical care, emergency medical evacuation and collision damage insurance for a rental car.

Depending on how often you travel, it's possible to get an annual insurance plan that will cover multiple trips or insure select travel on a trip-by-trip basis. An annual travel insurance plan is more cost-effective, but it might have lower limits than a single-trip policy.

The short answer is because you can never predict anything. The long answer is that it’s good for the following:

Reducing out-of-pocket expenses: One thing gone wrong, and you’re on the hook for unforeseen travel expenses. For example, medical evacuation can cost tens of thousands of dollars, so it’s important to keep those potential financial losses at bay when possible.

Increasing existing coverage: If you have a personal medical insurance plan, it’s important to note that most private insurance providers don’t provide medical coverage abroad. A credit card with travel protections can be a good start, but these benefits typically offer lower coverage limits.

Providing peace of mind: Having insurance can take some of the anxiety out of traveling. Even if the business trip is going according to plan, you'll know that you have safety nets in place should anything go awry.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

It depends. Some corporations offer travel insurance plans for their employees on the road. You should double-check with the human resources manager of your company as to whether business trips are covered.

It gets tricky if you’re an independent contractor or a freelancer since you don’t have a corporation behind you. As a sole proprietor, make sure to consult with your insurance provider, but be aware that a personal travel insurance policy might not cover business travel.

Instead, we recommend looking into business travel insurance that will cover your personal trips as well.

For example, the annual AllTrips Executive insurance plan from Allianz covers all trips for the year — personal and business — for a one-time fee. This becomes especially handy when you decide to mix business with pleasure and extend a work trip by adding on a few vacation days.

This policy covers trip emergency medical coverage for up to $50,000 and emergency medical transportation for up to $250,000. Travel delay is covered up to $1,600 and baggage loss or delay is covered up to $1,000 each.

An important feature offered by the AllTrips Executive plan is business equipment coverage. If it’s lost, stolen or delayed by the airline, equipment rental or replacement will be covered up to $1,000 each.

AIG Travel Guard , IMG Global and Zurich all offer business travel insurance, too.

Business travel accident insurance covers you in the event of the unthinkable — death or dismemberment. If it sounds like life insurance, it’s because it provides similar coverage but for when you’re traveling on a common carrier, such as an aircraft, a train, a bus or a cruise ship.

If you or someone in your family holds a life insurance policy for you, business travel accident insurance is going to pay out on top of it.

Some travel rewards credit cards offer travel coverage , but it isn’t always on par with a dedicated business travel insurance plan.

For example, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and the United℠ Business Card offer primary auto rental collision damage waiver on cars rented for business purposes. To receive coverage up to the cash value of the car, you must decline the rental company’s own collision damage insurance and pay for the rental with one of these credit cards.

Note that trip cancellation and trip interruption are covered up to $5,000 with the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card , but trip delay maxes out at $500. Although the United℠ Business Card comes with the same trip delay coverage limit, trip cancellation and trip interruption top out at up to $1,500 per ticket. Baggage delay is limited to $100 per day under both cards’ coverage.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers the same secondary coverage for trip interruptions and trip cancellations: up to $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. For trip delay, the card covers up to $500 per covered trip up to two times per 12 consecutive month period. Terms apply.

Although some insurance coverage offered by your travel rewards credit card is good to have, as you can see above, the coverage limits are typically lower than if you were to buy an annual policy or a single-trip business travel insurance policy.

Credit cards also offer common carrier travel accident insurance and cover costs in case of accidental death and dismemberment. In this case, the first two of the aforementioned cards include coverage for up to $500,000, which is higher than what some annual or single-trip business travel insurance policies usually cover.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Business travel accident insurance covers costs accrued in the course of business travel related to medical emergencies, accidental death and dismemberment and emergency evacuations. Specific coverage will vary by insurer.

Given that business travel is typically undertaken with specific business goals in mind and requires companies to take on overhead, travel insurance is likely worth the fraction of trip expenses that it costs to ensure that a company doesn't lose both cash and opportunity at the same time should things not go as planned.

Business travel insurance costs will vary based on the destination, duration of the trip, age of the traveler and the amount of money spent on the trip, among other factors. Some insurers offer annual plans, while others provide coverage on a trip-by-trip basis.

While specific coverage will vary from insurer to insurer, a business travel accident policy typically covers expenses related to medical incidents that occur in the course of the covered business travel.

If you have a personal travel insurance policy, check the terms to see how much applies to business travel. If none, consider purchasing an annual insurance plan for frequent business trips or a single-trip policy for occasional business travel and check with your company to see if the cost of the travel insurance is something you can expense.

Remember that some credit cards offer travel insurance for your business, but note the low payout limits if you choose not to purchase additional coverage.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Definition of commercial traveller noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

commercial traveller

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Before You Fly + Travel Updates

15 Sep Private vs. Commercial Travel – what’s the difference?

There is no shortage of wanderlust these days. In fact, there might be a surge in daydreaming since people have been cooped up waiting for the pandemic to pass. It’s like waiting for a tornado siren to stop before coming out of your basement. You think it will be quick, but it persists for months on end. We can’t wait to see what’s outside the proverbial basement. During this time, our minds have been storing ideas and cravings that we are eager to manifest.

However, the way we travel has changed. The way we analyze travel options has changed. The options once labeled only for the wealthy are now being viewed as preferred methods over traditional ones. Who would have predicted that qualities like social-distancing and sanitizing would have sprung to the top of the list of considerations? I know it certainly took me by surprise.

This is abundantly apparent in air travel. Commercial air travel consists of busy airports, multiple touch points from check-in, security, lounges, public restrooms, waiting areas, boarding ramps and the planes themselves with passengers packed in tight. Not ideal in the best of circumstances, this is certainly off-putting amid a pandemic.

I know this firsthand. I just returned from a two-leg, one way journey on a commercial carrier and was astounded at the lack of safety and health precautions being taken. From all the media coverage, I was under the impression that there would be some sort of precaution…nope! Same old cattle herding and sardine packed planes. It was so unnerving that when I arrived home, I shed my clothes, threw them in a hot wash cycle and jumped straight into the shower to disinfect myself. In short, this was a far cry from desirable and eons away from luxury.

That brings me to private air travel.  Long reserved for the select few, it is actually more accessible than most would think. It has inherent benefits like small groups of people who typically know each other on charter flights, private airport terminals for uncrowded check-in, waiting and boarding, minimal touch points in public spaces, personalized attention and customized itineraries. Now, private carriers like Tropic Ocean Airways have increased their safety and cleaning procedures to offer an experience that allows guests to travel with the ease and comfort. Also, while many large hotels and resorts remain closed, private carriers are able to bring guests directly to smaller resorts, private villas and private yachts, making for a completely socially distanced getaway.

If you have yet to fly private, take a look. If this is your preferred method of travel, well, then you already are in the know!

We look forward to seeing you on a Tropic Ocean Airways flight soon!

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commercial traveller

• another name for travelling salesman

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Example sentences.

And the man, who had the pasty face of a clerk or a commercial traveller, raised his whip to heaven in a gesture of fierce anger.

He is not interested in the romance of the road, like an English commercial traveller; only in its ever-changing end.

The commercial traveller who sells books has no fault to find with the people with whom he deals.

A commercial traveller was waiting to see her, presenting an account for twenty-five pounds.

"Once upon a time she thought me and my comrades good enough for a flirtation," said the commercial traveller.

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How to find commercial travellers in your family history

Jad Adams looks at the colourful lives of our ancestors who worked as travelling salesmen, as featured in the Whitehalls’ Who Do You Think You Are? episode

When Joseph Brown started selling drapery goods to tailors in 1858, he was “provided with a complete set of new patterns, and a smart horse and trap” and told to “go and prosper”.

“I went out as far as a cold piercing head wind would let me,” he added.

This anecdote gives an insight into the determination of the early commercial travellers.

Commercial travellers developed along with a century in which there was more and more manufacturing, and more shops selling the goods being made.

Another factor was the increase in public wealth from the middle of the 19th century: the public wanted to buy.

Travellers sold exclusively to shops, whose owners had previously gone to warehouses to pick up supplies.

The rise of the trade of commercial traveller therefore corresponded with a decline in that of the warehouseman: when a commercial traveller sold goods, they were delivered to the shop directly.

The occupation column in the census might not simply say “commercial traveller”. The job title given here would often relate to a particular product: for example a commercial timber traveller could be selling lumber or actual standing trees, waiting to be processed when they were bought.

Sometimes they thought it more classy to call themselves ‘representatives,’ so someone could style himself a commercial brewer’s traveller or brewery representative.

The commercial traveller might carry the Commercial Traveller’s Pocket Companion , giving all the counties with the towns and populations of each, their market days and the distance from the main county town.

Travel took so long in the 19th century that a salesman could be away “ten months out of twelve”. He worked one of nine circuits: the South Coast; the Eastern Counties; the Midlands; the Northern Counties; Bristol and the West of England; South Wales ; North Wales; Ireland ; and Scotland .

Many commercial travellers got started working in a shop . Commercial traveller was a final destination as a job: people did not gain levels of seniority, they just moved on to better companies that dealt in higher-quality (and higher-priced) goods, meaning the commission would be greater when they made a sale. A seller of china dinner services or pharmaceuticals would be on a higher rate than a man seeking orders for buckets and coal scuttles.

Everyone had to have a line in patter, with one salesman quoted as saying: “I am the ambassador, plenipotentiary, envoy extraordinary, from P.B. & Co. The object of my mission to your highness’s court is to settle, in an amicable and equitable basis, the great cotton and linen question.”

Between 1871 and 1881 the number of commercial travellers doubled to 40,000; it was almost 50,000 in 1891.

They would earn £100–200 basic salary a year, but their real income came as commission. This would be on a sliding scale, so there was 2.5 per cent commission on sales from £3,000 to £5,000; 5 per cent on sales up to £10,000; and 7.5 per cent above that. The incentive was great to obtain big orders.

Life on the road

With commercial travellers representing so much money in salary and expenses they were well treated by the hotel trade, who set aside ‘commercial rooms’ where they would write up their order books and dine.

Charles Dickens noted the “hotel-room tapestried with greatcoats and railway wrappers” for commercial travellers. These were effectively club rooms with fellow feeling, in addition to rituals of dining that were almost masonic.

The pretensions of some were mocked by George Formby senior in his music hall song 'The Commercial Traveller': “Everyone says I shine, the fellows in Lockhart’s commercial room say I’m the smartest in my line… I look just like a prize rabbit, I’ve got a wrist watch on and all, I’ll have earrings in next week and you can call me sissy.”

Over the 19th century the traveller on foot or in horse-drawn van became the railway traveller then, in the 20th century, the car driver.

As travel became easier, fewer ate in commercial rooms as more restaurants were available. Travellers returned home more frequently rather than engaging in extended road trips.

There was a temptation to ‘treat’ or buy a drink for a compliant buyer, to ‘baptise the business’. This made heavy drinking one of the dangers of the commercial traveller’s life.

With their self-assured manner, itinerant lifestyle and good income, commercial travellers had a reputation of being popular with the ladies. Certainly a sophisticated man with a car, slick patter and time on his hands in the evenings could play fast and loose with provincial women.

Alfred Rouse was one such commercial traveller and made the news in the 1930s, although he did not become famous so much as notorious.

He worked for a Leicester firm dealing in garters and braces (men wore sock suspenders or garters, and braces for trousers). When his love life started getting on top of him (with two wives and a number of maintenance orders against him) he decided to disappear and start again by killing a tramp who looked like him, putting the unfortunate victim in his car and setting light to it. He was spotted leaving the scene, and was soon arrested.

His trial gives details of the lives of travelling salesmen: he was earning £10 a week; paying £1 12s a week on his car, £1 7s 6d to the building society for his house, and £2 10s a week to his wives for housekeeping.

He had all of the traits useful to a commercial traveller: confidence, talkativeness, social skills and good mechanical knowledge, essential for maintaining the Morris Minor.

But none of these helped him, and he was hanged at Bedford on 10 March 1931.

Where to find commercial travellers

You will see “commercial traveller”, or one of its many variants, in the occupation column of the census, but remember that on census night a commercial traveller would be more likely to be in a hotel or lodging house than at home.

Commercial travellers were a branch of the company for which they worked, and their contact details were included in advertisements in trade magazines.

Willing’s British and Irish Press Guide (which you should find in a county library) will supply the name and date of the relevant trade magazine.

In addition, the Royal Commercial Travellers’ Schools in Pinner, Harrow, educated the children of impoverished commercial travellers and orphans between 1847 and 1967.

Among the resources on their website are a timeline, photographs and memorabilia, while the schools’ surviving records are held at the London Metropolitan Archives .

Finally you can find a range of informative conversations about commercial travellers on the forum RootsChat .

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Definition of commercial

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of commercial  (Entry 2 of 2)

• mass-market
• saleable

Examples of commercial in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commercial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

see commerce entry 1

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

1935, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing commercial

• anti - commercial
• commercial announcement
• commercial bank
• commercial break
• commercial paper
• commercial traveler
• ultra - commercial

Dictionary Entries Near commercial

commercia belli

commercial agency

Cite this Entry

“Commercial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commercial. Accessed 7 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of commercial.

Kids Definition of commercial  (Entry 2 of 2)

Legal Definition

Legal definition of commercial, more from merriam-webster on commercial.

Nglish: Translation of commercial for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of commercial for Arabic Speakers

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Caitlin Clark, welcome to WNBA... and commercial flights. 'Will definitely be an adjustment.'

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark is used to having a security detail by her side.

The basketball superstar has had a personal security guard ever since she started gaining nationwide attention in 2022. The Iowa women’s program as a whole amped up its security for her senior season, as well as her personal detail.

Even now, as a member of the Indiana Fever , she always has someone by her side.

“Steve follows me around, he’s over there in the corner,” Clark said, laughing, on the first day of Fever training camp. “Don’t mess with Steve.”

'Indiana is the new Hollywood.' Caitlin Clark draws a crowd. Fever teammates embrace it.

More: Caitlin Clark, Maya Moore and a 10-second interaction that changed Fever star's life

Other than on the court, Clark has mainly been able to stay out of the public eye while in season — Iowa solely took charter flights to away games and tournaments, and no one other than players and staff were on that plane.

In the WNBA, that will change.

Unlike other major sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, NFL, and MLB, the WNBA relies on commercial flights to away games.

Flying commercial is part of the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement with the WNBPA. The two sides agreed to the CBA in 2020, and either party has the opportunity to opt out after the 2025 season. The WNBA’s current media rights deal with ESPN and ABC will also end after the 2025 season. 

“It will definitely be an adjustment, but, you know, it is what it is,” Clark said Wednesday. “I think the CBA is up for renegotiation after the season, we can opt out of it, and certainly the new media rights deal will have a big impact on that too. So, at this point of my career, and across the WNBA, it is what it is. I'm sure certainly everybody would say they would love to be flying charter all the time. It would definitely help a lot of problems, but I think the Fever organization has done a really good job of getting out ahead of things; there's gonna be a lot of security traveling with us.”

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has consistently said the league does not have enough money for every team to fly charter , which would cost about $25 million per season, according to ESPN. 

Teams are not able to fund charter flights themselves, either, because the league sees it as a competitive advantage. The WNBA fined the New York Liberty $500,000 in 2022 because the team’s owner, Joe Tsai, bought charter flights for the team for the second half of the 2021 season. 

The WNBA has had minimal expansion on charter flights in the past few seasons — teams will fly charter for all playoff series, as well as back-to-backs and the Commissioner's Cup Championship Game. The Fever only have one back-to-back with the Los Angeles Sparks on May 24 and Las Vegas Aces on May 25.

“It’s not like we're the odd man out here,” Clark said. “Everybody has to navigate it. And I think it's gonna, you know, cause some problems, maybe, because the popularity of our league is continuing to grow. Having to navigate travel with that, but at the same time, as you know, that's a positive thing; you want people to be excited about our game. So, hopefully it changes in the near future, but for now, it's just what it is.”

The Fever can’t do anything about the commercial flights — that’s a league-wide issue that will need to be resolved through the collective bargaining agreement. But the growing fame of Clark and her teammates, including 2023 No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston, 2022 No. 2 pick NaLyssa Smith, and 2018 No. 2 pick Kelsey Mitchell, has spurred Pacers Sports and Entertainment to amp up its security detail.

“We've talked a lot about security, and how they're going to be traveling with us this year, and just being sure there's someone with us,” Boston said. “I think that's great just because of how we travel, and how many people recognize us and the energy that's around the WNBA, even just just thinking about the Fever itself. I think it's really great progress.”

The Fever will also have increased security on the court because of Clark’s prior experiences with opposing fans.

Following an Ohio State upset win over Iowa in Columbus in January, Clark was knocked to the ground by a fan who was storming the court. She had the wind knocked out of her, and was immediately helped off the court by her teammates and security guards.

While Clark didn’t have any lasting injuries from the hit, the Fever will exhaust every resource to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

“We’re certainly aware of what took place at Iowa and when she traveled to away arenas, and certainly we’re aware of what happened at Ohio State,” general manager Lin Dunn said. “We’re going to take all the precautions we can to not only make sure she’s safe, but that I’m safe, that we’re all safe, that all the players are prepared to be safe and secure.”

Commercial flights are more than a slight security hazard — they can also be unpredictable.

It’s a big change for rookies coming from their college programs. But for now, they’ll have to deal with it. 

“I feel bad for rookies, because when you're used to something, you’re like, ‘Are you joking? Are you serious?’” said Mitchell, a seven-year WNBA veteran. “It's important to have that experience as a WNBA player, because not a lot of people can recognize and understand what we do from a day-to-day basis, especially when you travel day-in and day-out to go play other great teams and what you have to do to get there. It’ll be eye-opening, it’ll be funny in a way, but we’ll be supportive along the way for sure.”

These flights don’t usually conform to WNBA teams’ schedules, meaning they usually have to fly out a day before and fly back a day later to get there on time. There’s also the possibility of delays and cancellations, as well as connections to places across the country.

These flights mean players usually have less rest than they did during the college season. They can’t walk on to a flight directly after the game and stretch out in the seat or have a full row to themselves. The general discomfort and little leg room a commercial flight brings — especially for tall people — prevents them from resting up to the fullest, especially with a packed WNBA schedule.

Follow IndyStar Fever Insider Chloe Peterson on X at @chloepeterson67.

Historic aircraft engine completes major flight using innovative new fuel — here's what it could mean for future air travel

F or the first time, a widely used commercial jet engine just completed a flight powered solely by plant-based fuel, according to Interesting Engineering .

This exciting milestone brings us a big step closer to more sustainable air travel .

The V2500 engine , which powers many Airbus, McDonnell Douglas, and Embraer aircraft, has been in service for over 30 years. Running it on 100% sustainable aviation fuel made from renewable sources demonstrates the potential to lower the carbon footprint of flying with current technologies.

Sustainable aviation fuel has been years in the making. It reduces CO2 pollution by up to 80% compared to regular jet fuel, according to Airbus . And the best part? It can be produced from waste oils, fats, and even by capturing carbon directly from the air.

This breakthrough test proves that SAF works in the real world, not just in a lab.

During the successful one-hour test flight in Germany, the V2500 engine performed flawlessly using only synthetic fuel derived from renewable raw materials such as vegetable oils and animal fats.

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"MTU Maintenance Hannover is the first maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility worldwide to carry out a 100% SAF test on a V2500," Michael Schreyögg, chief program officer at MTU Aero Engines, stated.

Air travel accounts for over 2% of global carbon pollution, according to the International Energy Agency . If the aviation industry were a country, it would be a top-10 polluter .

As more people take to the skies each year, finding sustainable flight solutions becomes increasingly urgent. In the United States, transportation is the largest source of planet-overheating gas pollution, which fuels more frequent extreme weather events that threaten our communities and food supply.

But SAF gives us a powerful tool to cut those emissions while still connecting humanity across distances. The less pollution we release, the more we protect our health and planet. Plus, who wouldn't feel better jet-setting on flights powered by French fry oil instead of dirty gases?

The International Air Transport Association, which represents 290 airlines, aims to reach net-zero carbon pollution by 2050 . To get there, the industry is working to ensure all aircraft engines and fuel systems can run on 100% sustainable fuel.

With this successful V2500 test and the 3,000 aircraft it powers, International Aero Engines AG is gearing up most of its facilities for wider use of SAF within the next few years.

So, next time you board a plane, know that your aircraft may soon be powered by cleaner, greener fuel — a small change that will make a world of difference at 35,000 feet.

Historic aircraft engine completes major flight using innovative new fuel — here's what it could mean for future air travel first appeared on The Cool Down .

Florida's 6-week abortion ban takes effect, and impact takes a quick toll

Inside a one-story clinic about 40 miles from the Georgia border, Kelly Flynn’s staff has provided abortions to women from across the Southeast since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

But on Tuesday, A Woman’s Choice clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, was seeing its last patients who fell outside of Florida’s strict new abortion law taking effect on Wednesday. The legislation prohibits most abortions after about six weeks – before many people know they’re pregnant. 

Some arrived from Mississippi and Louisiana. One client was a college student who had learned last week that she was pregnant, said Flynn, fueling a quick decision as she and others scrambled to get care ahead of the new law. 

"‘You know, I'm a college student. I'm not ready for this,’” Flynn recounted the student telling her. 

Florida’s Supreme Court gave the state's new restrictions the greenlight in April. Now, those who are seeking an abortion beyond about six weeks of pregnancy are being redirected to clinics in North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, or other states – often setting up a daunting struggle to get time off work, obtain child care and afford costly travel. 

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Florida's court last month also cleared the way for a constitutional amendment protecting abortion access up to viability, often around 24 weeks, to be on November’s ballot.  

While the outcome of that measure could override the state's current restrictions, abortion advocates and providers told USA TODAY the law's impact in the meantime is expected to ripple well beyond the state to other parts of the South.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has celebrated legislation that bars a wide swath of abortions , saying last month that his home state is "proud to support life and family."

Florida residents face immediate effects

Abortions have been limited in Florida after 15 weeks, a cutoff DeSantis signed into law in 2022 when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and almost 50 years of national abortion access. While more restrictive than the limits established by Roe, Florida’s 15-week ban was more than what many neighboring Southeastern states allowed, making it a common access point for out-of-state patients. 

This new law includes exceptions for rape or incest if a person can provide documentation, such as a restraining order or police report. The ban also prohibits abortion drugs by mail.

In 2023, state data shows there were around 84,000 abortions performed in Florida and more than 4,200 abortions in Duval County, where the Jacksonville A Woman's Choice clinic is located. Flynn expects that number to tumble, and experts now anticipate an increase in women in Florida traveling for the procedure. 

For patients who measure past six weeks in the coming days, Flynn said, “We’ll help them figure out – what do you want to do at this point? Your options are going to North Carolina or going to Virginia.” 

The process will be burdensome for many , said Dr. Katherine Farris, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which covers North and South Carolina, West Virginia and the western half of Virginia. 

“Patients are going to have to jump over the states with total bans, like Alabama, jump over Georgia and South Carolina that have similar bans to Florida, and come up to North Carolina, Virginia, and areas to the northeast where there are fewer restrictions to abortion,” she said.

Abortion funds have worked to help women across the U.S. afford airfare, gas, time off work or child care to travel for an abortion. But Flynn worries that limited funds will quickly become overstretched. 

However, while Florida’s law bans doctors from prescribing abortion pills through telehealth and mailing them to people, many residents will likely be able to use out-of-state telehealth to receive pills by mail. That's something that has been seen as difficult to stop, said Cheyenne Drews, deputy communications director for the nonprofit group Progress Florida.

Florida joins rest of South with abortion ban

Farris said abortion restrictions in the South since Roe was overturned have been “absolutely devastating.” 

“The bans are creating chaos,” she said .  

Abortion opponents, though, are celebrating the Sunshine State’s new law going into effect and what it means for the region, said Caitlin Connor, southern regional director for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. 

“I don't think that that's what the voters of Florida wanted to see their state be known for, as an abortion destination, if you will,” Connors said. “Now, the state of Florida will join the rest of the Southeast, but also states across the country who have put this protection in place.” 

With Florida’s law going into effect, only two Southern states will allow abortion after six weeks of pregnancy: North Carolina, which permits the procedure through 12 weeks with exceptions, and Virginia, where abortion is banned in the third trimester or around 27 weeks. 

Ahead of Florida's new law taking effect on Wednesday, Connors told USA TODAY that mothers and families − and American voters − "understand the humanity of the unborn.” 

Voters will decide on abortion limits in 2024

Anna Hochkammer, executive director of Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition, one of many groups behind the state’s upcoming abortion ballot measure, said she believes the new ban goes beyond what most Floridians want, alleging it's "out of line."

A USA TODAY/Ipsos poll last month found 50% of Florida voters said they would favor an amendment protecting abortions – the measure will need a 60% majority to pass. 

Voters will have the chance to weigh in this fall when the state’s proposed constitutional amendment appears on the ballot. 

Effects of the six-week ban could tip the scales in abortion rights advocates’ favor, Hochkammer predicted, though the issue remains divisive among many Floridians.

"This is no longer trying to talk to people about the hypothetical outcomes of really bad policy. They will be living with the consequences of a near total abortion ban,” she argued. 

Even if Florida voters do opt to protect abortion rights in their state constitution, the law in the state will not reverse immediately, said Florida state Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, a Democrat. 

“Come November, if, when this amendment passes, that is not going to turn the spigot on or change things overnight,” Book told reporters Tuesday. “This is a reality that women and girls will have to live under for quite some time before a change is made.” 

Taj Mahal? Empire State Building? Nope! See why travelers rank Dollywood the No. 1 attraction

Maybe they'll always have Paris. Some indeed have left their hearts in San Francisco. And others might agree that Disneyland is "The Happiest Place on Earth." But apparently most world travelers are more partial to down-home Appalachian fun, naming Dollywood as the No. 1 attraction to which they most want to return.

A report conducted by UK-based travel insurance specialists InsureandGo found Dollywood earned the highest “Come Back” score of more than 450 landmarks worldwide. InsureandGo also ranked countries and cities as part of their report; Japan was the top-ranked country and London the top-ranked city.

To determine the attractions list, the company reviewed thousands of online reviews for content, attraction rating and noted reviews from guests saying they hoped to return again. Using a weighted scoring system, they assigned “Come Back” scores to the attractions on a scale of 1-100. Dollywood scored a 94 out of 100 to top the list.

“Dollywood is both a theme park and a nod to the local Appalachian culture as well as living legend herself, Dolly Parton," the website noted. "Online reviews praise the park for its fantastic food and decorations during the Christmas period, while many visitors recommend getting the two-day pass, so you can explore everything there is to offer.”

Disneyland, Yosemite and the Empire State Building are just some attractions that ranked below Dollywood

The top global attractions people most want to return to, according to the study:

• Disneyland in Anaheim, California
• Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia
• Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London
• Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom/Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona (tie)
• Crazy Horse Memorial in Crazy Horse, South Dakota/Hampton Court Palace in London (tie)
• Tokyo Disneyland in Tokyo
• Yosemite National Park in California/Universal Studios Florida in Orlando/Busch Gardens Tampa (tie)

By comparison, the Empire State Building ranked No. 41, while the Taj Mahal was No. 31. The Las Vegas Strip was No. 36 in travelers' hearts.

Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email  [email protected] .

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Do cicadas destroy crops? What farmers in Illinois need to know

The emergence of two broods of periodical cicadas in Illinois this spring will be an event that has not occurred since 1803 and will not happen again until 2245.

What does this rare event mean for Peoria-area farmers?

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Do cicadas destroy crops?

The short answer is, not much.

“Periodical cicadas don’t pose a risk to any of the major crops in Illinois,” said Illinois State Entomologist Christopher Dietrich. “They are restricted to areas with mature natural forest, and they don’t move around much so we’ll see few, if any, in areas dominated by row crops.”

The Peoria area’s corn and soybeans are safe from a dual emergence of the Northern Illinois Brood and the Great Southern Brood. But the billions of insects whose song will begin to fill Illinois evenings later this month can still pose an agricultural threat statewide.

Do cicadas destroy trees?

University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Ken Johnson wrote female cicadas will cut open tree branches, resulting in a scar that can be several inches long. While the damage will not kill mature, healthy trees; it can kill small trees and shrubs.

“Newly-planted small trees and shrubs may have trunk diameters small enough for female cicadas to lay their eggs in,” Johnson wrote. “If this happens, the trees can be killed. These smaller plants also have fewer branches on them, and egg-laying can cause significant damage to the trees.”

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The female cicada’s affinity for trees means the primary risk is to commercial tree fruit growers. Richard Tanner, the father of Tanner’s Orchard owner Craig Tanner, still helps out at the Speer, Ill., farm, and said 3,000 new trees were planted there last spring. To make up losses from last year, Tanner’s also plans to replant trees this spring.

“Due to the warm and dry conditions of spring 2023, we lost about 15% of the trees and will be replanting them,” Tanner said.

How to protect young trees from cicadas

The Illinois Department of Agriculture said the best way to protect small trees from cicada damage is to surround the trunks with screening, which will curtail egg-laying. IDA said commercially available pesticides don't work on cicadas and could negatively affect pets and wildlife that feed on them.

University of Illinois Extension assistant professor Kacie Athey wrote late in April that the best protection for vulnerable trees is protective fine-meshed netting. However, for growers with large numbers of fruit trees, there are insecticides available only to commercial fruit producers.

Athey provided a spraying guide for commercial growers, including a list of available insecticides and efficacy ratings for each. Of the eight products listed, five had ratings of “Unknown.” Asana XL and Danitol 2.4EC received scores of “Excellent,” and Athey gave Sevin XLR Plus a rating of “Good.”