Jul 27
adminVehicle Check Accelerator, Accidents, Car Wash, Cars, Floor Mat, Floor Mats, Hooks, Misaligned, Prevention, Runaway, Safety Mat, Scary Moments, Stopping, Vehicle
There have been many stories in the news lately about runaway cars. These incidents, which have caused several accidents and many scary moments, have led to the recall of thousands of vehicles. Although these incidents are rare, and will hopefully be significantly reduced by the recalls, the stories still make us think what would I do in that situation?
The best and safest thing you can do is to try to prevent this situation from happening to you. The main cause of runaway vehicles is a floor mat that becomes misaligned and holds down the accelerator. Since floor mats are frequently moved, whether they are actually being taken out of the car to be cleaned, or simply shifting when the driver gets in and out of the car, they can easily become detached from their hooks or reattached improperly. It is important to frequently check the mats to make sure they have not moved too far up towards the pedals, where they can interfere with the accelerator. You should also make sure to reattach the mats properly whenever they are taken out. This includes rechecking their position after a car wash or service visit.
Another way to prevent this issue is to make sure you are using the correct floor mats for your vehicle, since using mats that are too large are likely to obstruct the pedals. Mats should also never be stacked on top of each other, such as placing a winter mat on top of the carpeted one. They should always be connected to the hooks to prevent movement. Finally, if you ever doubt the safety of a mat or its position, just take it out.
While prevention is important, it is even more imperative to know what to do in the case that you do find yourself in this situation. First, try to dislodge the floor mat from the pedal. You can do this by reaching down and pulling the mat back. If you are unable to dislodge the mat with your hand, place your shoe behind the accelerator and pull the pedal up. This method will be helpful for both a pedal that is stuck due to the mat or a defective pedal return spring. After using either of these methods, pull over and inspect the vehicle before continuing.
While being able to dislodge the pedal is the preferred way to stop your vehicle, it is not always possible. If this is the case, shift the transmission into neutral and brake to a stop. If you cannot put the car in neutral, shut off the engine or switch to ACC. Be warned that this will make the car difficult to steer and brake, but it will stop your vehicle. If your vehicle has a key ignition, turn the key to ACC but leave the key in. Removing it will cause the steering wheel to lock. If your vehicle has a start/stop button, each automaker has a different system for turning the engine off while the car is in drive. Check the owners manual next time you are in your car to see what that method is. If none of the previous methods work, step on the brake pedal with both feet very firmly, but do not pump the brakes.
While the chances of having a runaway vehicle are very rare, it is still a good idea to test these techniques out to see which ones work best for you. Testing will also help make the actions more instinctual in case you do ever find yourself in this situation.
Jun 09
adminArticles Accidents, Alcohol, Bus Route, Car Insurance, City Crime, Home Address, Hot Spot, Inner City, Insurance Companies, Insurance Company, Insurance Quotes, Insurer, Journeys, Late Night, Maximum Discounts, Mileage, Peak Times, Possibilities, Questionnaire, Wheels
The insurance companies will always reward you for driving less. If you rarely put wheels on the road, the chances of a claim are small and all your premium will be “profit to the insurer. So how does this work? In theory, it could not be more simple. The insurance company looks at who you are, when you drive and where you drive in deciding how much of a risk you represent. If you live 50 miles from your work and have a daily commute along a busy Interstate, the chances of an accident are high. But if you live on a bus route to work and only use your vehicle for odd journeys at off-peak times, the chances of an accident are small. When you answer the questionnaire, you will see questions covering these possibilities. Remember, if you get caught out in dishonest answers, the insurer will cancel your policy and leave you without any coverage.
The first question is where you live. Although some states like California have outlawed setting rates according to your zip code, the majority of companies focus on your home address. If there’s a high accident or theft rate among people living in your area, you will all pay a higher premium. The only choice, if you can afford it, is to live some place where the crime and accidents rates are lower. You look for the middle ground between the worst inner city crime hot spot and a house on the prairie where you never see another vehicle from one day’s end to the next. All the discounts favor drivers who only drive off-peak during the day, and restrict their annual mileage. No more late night and early morning driving when the majority of other drivers may be tired or affected by alcohol and/or drugs. This raises the question of monitoring. It’s easy to answer the questionnaire and claim the maximum discounts. But the trend among insurers is to ask people to drop their vehicle in for a regular inspection of the recorded mileage. The maximum discounts are given to the drivers who agree to devices being installed which collect all the data on driving and transmit it to the insurers. These devices have a GPS element that records where you drive, the time and, in some cases, some measurement of the quality of your driving, e.g. how often you brake. The reward for accepting this invasion of your privacy can be discounts of up to 25% on top of the usual discounts. Obviously, it’s not a good idea to use your own vehicle to rob a bank since the insurance company will know you were there.
This set of discounts is somewhat frustrating. In the larger cities with well-developed public transport, it’s usually not too much trouble to get where you want on time without using your own vehicle. Assuming your vehicle is safely in a garage to reduce the risk of theft, you should break even or better, i.e. what you save on the insurance pays for your use of buses and trains. But the most of the US has poor public transport, so there’s little choice. Remember the car insurance quotes are not the final word. Call the company, explain your circumstances and discuss how you might qualify for discounts. In discussion, you often discover options not included in the website. So, treat the car insurance quotes as the opening offer and start negotiating. Investing a little time often saves you money.
May 12
Passenger Traffic Accidents, Declining, Numerous, Traffic
Despite a steady increase in population and roadway traffic, the 2011 report by the Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract had some good news for drivers and passengers. Traffic accidents and fatalities have been consistently declining. The latest report, which combines a variety of analysis from federal, state and private organizations, includes information on traffic accidents from the years 1980-2008. Happily, the latest report shows not only an improvement in traffic safety nationally, but nearly across the board for every individual state.
Nationally, the number of reported motor vehicles accidents occurring on roadways in 2008 was a stunning 5.8 million. However, this is a decline of 213,000 from the previous year’s total of over 6 million. While this decrease is a happy sign of improvements for road safety, it is simply part of a larger trend signifying a consistent, long-term decrease in crashes.
For instance, in 1995 approximately 6.7 million traffic accidents were reported — nearly 900,000 more than in 2008.
From 2007 to 2008, national motor vehicle deaths declined from 41,300 to 37,300. More importantly, 2008 represented the lowest reported number of motor vehicle fatalities within the eighteen years of data reflected in the analysis. All but two states reported decreases in traffic fatalities from 2005 to 2008, with Vermont remaining the same, and West Virginia reporting the only increase. Despite West Virginia’s year-over-year increase, like every state it has seen its number of fatalities per driver drop since 1990.
The report also shows an overall reduction in traffic fatalities for almost all vehicle types. Because passenger vehicles account for the majority of traffic on the roadways, they are also involved in the highest number of accidents.
Of reported fatal crashes in 2008, 39% involved passenger cars while 29% involved light trucks such as pick-ups or vans. However, from 2007 to 2008, there were over 2000 fewer fatalities involving passenger cars and about 1700 fewer involving light trucks. Large trucks, such as semis, showed their first improvement in years with a decrease of fatal accidents from 805 to 677 in 2008. Unfortunately, buses and motorcycles did not see similar improvements. Fatalities involving bus crashes jumped a staggering 85% from 36 in 2007 to 67 in 2008. And fatal motorcycle crashes increased from 5,174 to 5,290, a number which reflects a trend since 1995 of steadily increasing motorcycle-related fatalities.
For drivers, passengers and pedestrians, it is comforting to know their safety on the road is improving. Increases in technology, such as air bags, combined with stricter safety laws, like mandatory seat-belt use, are making vehicles and roadways safer every day. While accidents will always be a fact of life, it is helpful to know improvements in safety can and have been made. If you are, however, one of the millions a year who are still involved in a motor vehicle accident, be aware of your rights and responsibilities. Contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer who can assist you.
Apr 22
adminArticles Accidents, Advices, Age Group, Age Groups, Car Insurance Rates, Car Owners, Cheap Auto Insurance, Claims History, Demographic Group, Driving Schools, Getting Insurance, Group Insurance, Haste, Insurance Companies, Insurance Company, Insurance Quotes, Safe Car, Traffic Violations, Young Adults, Young Drivers
Most of you are probably well aware of the fact that different age groups of drivers get different insurance rates, and the difference can be quite significant. Why the discrimination, you might ask? Well, don’t haste with accusing insurance company with unfair pricing, as there is a set of reasons behind such practices. When speaking about age groups and pricing, you have to understand how the insurance companies assess risk and set the rates you get when quoting.
The primary factors determining the price you will pay for insurance are risk and claim history within your demographic group. Insurance companies analyze the costs of insuring each age group and set their rates respectively. And due to a set of reasons, young adults are considered to be the most risky car owners, thus the high rates a young driver will receive when getting insurance quotes. That’s because young drivers have a larger claims history as a group, and the accidents they end up in tend to be more devastating and costly. Of course, it doesn’t mean that all teenagers and young adults get crazy on the road and have serious accidents. But that’s the situation when one has to pay for other’s mistakes, and unfortunately there’s little you can do about it.
But little doesn’t mean nothing. If you are a young driver looking for cheap auto insurance, you still have chances of getting better rates if your follow some of the following advices. Of course, they won’t drop your rates instantly and dramatically but by combining them you will be able to get quite reasonable car insurance rates.
Be a good driver
Being a good driver with a clean driving record with no accidents or traffic violations always pays of no matter how old are you. But you can go beyond that. Enroll in special driving schools and employ a defensive driving style – having proof of your good safe driving abilities will definitely give your significant discounts from the insurance company.
Buy a safe car
When you are young, you want to be fast and furious. That’s your right, but if you buy a fast sports car don’t expect to get advantageous auto insurance quotes for it. Sports and muscle cars are considered to be risky and have high insurance costs, so insurance companies will always charge more for owning a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo than for a VW Golf. That’s why you should think about the car you want to drive before actually buying it.
Do some comparison shopping
Shopping around has never hurt anyone. In fact, getting more auto insurance quotes from different companies will help you find a really competitive policy. Some companies give young drivers lower rates than others, so why not spending a bit of your time on comparing auto insurance quotes if you can save quite well on it? Besides there are so many free quote sites out there that it would be simply a crime to leave such a great opportunity for saving some money on car insurance unnoticed.
Apr 04
adminAuto Insurance Accidents, Amp, Auto, Auto Insurance Premiums, Car Insurance Premiums, Certificate Of Completion, Driving Experience, Driving School, Females, Harsh Truth, Insurance, Insurance Auto, Insurance Company, Insurance Provider, Insurance Providers, Kingston, Male Drivers, Maturity, Right Off The Bat, Simple Changes
Kingston Auto Insurance Suggests 4 Factors That Raise Your Premiums
Have you ever wondered how providers determine your auto insurance premiums?ÂÃâeurošÃ‚ If you think you might be paying too much for car insurance, Kingston Auto Insurance recognize that the following factors have an impact on your premiums.These factors can help you understand your rates, and better yet, how you might be able to reduce your premiums by making a few simple changes.
Age & Driving Experience
The harsh truth is that your age will always play a factor in determining your car insurance premiums. While this could seem unfair, understand that your insurance provider bases their assessment on statistical and historical facts. So even though you plan to be a safe young driver, your insurance company will charge you a higher premium because of your lack of driving experience. As a general rule, driving experience and maturity mean fewer accidents and resulting claims. Take comfort in the fact that older people who are new drivers will be subject to higher rates as well, there are just fewer of them.
How to Save: Though you cannot change your age or years of driving experience, you can increase your overall driving experience right off the bat and your insurance company will reward you for it. By taking a driving course from an accredited driving school in your area and submitting your certificate of completion to your insurance provider, you can expect to see an immediate decrease in your premiums!
Gender
As a general rule, young male drivers cost more to insure than females of the same age.ÂÃâeurošÃ‚ Why? The driving and claims history of younger male drivers shows that they have historically riskier driving habits, resulting in more claims with their insurance providers.
How to Save: There is no solution to saving on your insurance based on your gender, but young males will benefit from a more significant discount than their female counterparts when they reach the age of 25 when claims statistics (and therefore premiums) start to level out.
Driving History
Your driving history is really the only tool that your insurance company has to assess your abilities behind the wheel, and part of why inexperience means higher risk, and therefore higher premiums.ÂÃâeurošÃ‚ This means that if you have a history of accidents and insurance claims, or you have a number of traffic tickets where you have been convicted, your insurance company sees you as a high risk driver which automatically increases your insurance premiums dramatically.
How to Save:ÂÃâeurošÃ‚ You cannot change the past, but you can drive better in the future. Tickets usually only affect your insurance rate for three years, and accidents are usually only six, so start driving better today to invest in lower premiums for the future not to mention in your own safety.Slow down and obey traffic laws, and your insurance company will reward you with lower premiums in the future.
Your Vehicle
The make, model and year of your vehicle will ultimately affect your insurance rates. This, contrary to popular belief, does not stem from colour or the number of doors, but rather the claims history and average repair cost of the vehicle not to mention its popularity with thieves.
How to Save: You have invested in your vehicle, and changing your ride is not necessarily a short term option but, if you are looking at buying a new (or new to you) vehicle, you can make an informed decision.ÂÃâeurošÃ‚ Before you buy, get a few auto insurance quotes and make sure that you can afford the premiums on the vehicle you are choosing.
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