Don’t Snooze and Cruise

By: Allison Jane Bradford

It was around 3 p.m. in the afternoon as my friend and her brother and mom and made the three-hour drive to her grandparents’ house. My friend’s brother was behind the wheel, and they were about halfway through the drive. As the midafternoon sun beat down and the highway stretched into oblivion, my friend and her mom started to doze off.

What they didn’t realize was that her brother was dozing off, too.

Seconds – maybe even minutes – later, my friend’s mother jerked awake as she noticed the car speeding toward the middle of an overpass. Her yell woke my friend and her brother. He correcting his steering and with disbelief said, “Did I fall asleep?” His afternoon snooze caused the car to cross three lanes of highway and sent it speeding toward a concrete wall. They all realized in that moment that they very likely could have almost died. She was still shaken as she related the story to me.

Sleeping while driving isn’t actually all that rare. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year. This results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and 12.5 billion in monetary losses. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep related crashes are most common in young people, especially men, adults with children, and shift workers.

Some states are starting to take drowsy driving very seriously. For example, in New Jersey, a driver that has been without sleep for 24 hours is considered to be driving recklessly, in the same class as an intoxicated driver.  Arkansas classifies “fatigued driving” as an offense under negligent homicide.

Here’s how you can prevent a sleep-related crash from happening to you:

Don’t drive while sleep deprived. It’s recommended that people get at least eight hours of sleep at night. If you’ve pulled an all-nighter or only got a few hours of shut eye, it isn’t wise to get behind the wheel of a vehicle.Don’t drink and drive. This may seem obvious, but even one drink can make a person more likely to fall asleep behind the wheel.If you can help it, avoid driving late at night. This is when most sleep-related crashes occur.Always be alert and pay attention to the cars around you. You may not be sleepy, but the driver beside you might be.Sip on some caffeine. Whether it’s coffee, soda or Red Bull, caffeine can help on a long drive.Be careful when taking medicine before driving. Drowsiness can be a common side effect to many different medications, so always check your medicine’s label.Finally, if you notice that you’re often drowsy, see a sleep specialist. You could have sleep apnea, a disorder that prevents you from getting restful sleep. It can lead to several serious health problems if not corrected.

A sleep-related crash can happen to anyone, and if it does, you’ll want to make sure you have the proper insurance protection. Review your policy and get familiar with the coverage you have. Even though you can’t fully prevent a crash, you can at least have solid protection.

Drowsy driving is a reality that surrounds us on the road, and we should all take the proper precautions to prevent a sleep-related crash from happening to us or someone we love. Always use good judgment when getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. If you don’t, you may fall asleep and never wake up.

As an undergrad, Allison Bradford felt doomed to live life as a starving poet. Today, she is relieved that professional writing doesn’t necessarily require a vow of poverty. Allison now happily blogs for AutoInsurance.US, covering industry news and motor trends.

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5 things to remember when buying a new car

By: Peter Caldwell

The end of the year is rapidly approaching, and with December being one of the best months to a buy a car, it might be time to consider trading in your ride. After all, haven’t we all had that dream of walking out on Christmas morning and seeing a brand new car with a big, red bow? While the thought of a new car may stir up excitement, the reality of this large purchase can be overwhelming. That’s why you need to go in with a plan.

Here are five things you should remember before buying a new car:

With low interest rates on auto loans, it’s a great time to buy, but first you need to set a budget. Decide how much you want to put down upfront and then what you’d feel comfortable paying monthly. It’s important not to just consider the price of the car itself; you also take a look at all the costs associated with the car. Be sure to factor in the cost of gasoline, maintenance, and auto insurance. You also should investigate the cost of repairs and tires.

Your budget also will be important in the way it affects your credit score. You likely already know that your credit score will have a great effect on your interest rate. But you might not know that it also will affect your auto insurance. Car insurance providers consider credit to be an indicator of your risk of filing a claim – the better your credit, the lower risk they assign to you.

That means it’s a good idea to keep your finances under control for several months leading up to your purchase. Pay your bills on time, and watch your debt to income ratio. Luckily, if you’re credit isn’t amazing, you can use a service such as DriveTime.com to help you buy a car and then get to work on improving your finances.

Before you go to the dealership you’ll need to decide what type of car you need and what it will be used for. This will help you determine if it makes more sense to buy or lease. If you plan on putting only a small amount of miles on the car, leasing may be a good option. However, if you plan on driving a lot and keeping the car for more than five years, you should probably go with buying the vehicle.

Start researching at least two cars before heading to the dealerships. Look online for things like price, standard features, MPGs, and safety ratings. Check out Consumer Reports or a similar service to get detailed reviews of the cars you’re considering. It’s a good idea to also research any deals or discounts currently being offered so you can have them on hand at the dealership. Again, check into operating costs, too.

The first time you visit a dealership, don’t plan to buy anything. Just look at the cars you are interested in, maybe take a test drive, ask questions, and get information. After your day or two of visits, you may want to do more research or simply discuss your options. When it comes to a large purchase, you don’t want to make an impulsive decision – no matter what a salesperson says about the car’s availability.

Once you decide on the vehicle, you want to be sure it’s protected. Call your current car insurance company to let it know you’ve purchased a new vehicle so it can be added to your policy. If you don’t currently have auto insurance, then you need to purchase a policy before you drive off the lot. Your lender likely will make this a condition of your car loan.

The dealership may offer you a GAP insurance policy; if you are buying brand new or leasing, you should consider purchasing this coverage – though you often can find cheaper coverage than the dealership will offer. GAP insurance covers the difference between the cash value of the vehicle and the remainder you owe on the loan or lease.

The dealership’s finance manager likely will try to sell you other add-ons as well. Again, it’s best to research whether you can get the same features for less from somewhere else. You can always opt for it later if you can’t find a better deal.

Starting out his career as a journalist at a smalltime newspaper, Peter Caldwell now works as a blogger for AutoInsurance.US. With a background in finance writing, Peter is an expert on insurance, closely following regulation and industry news.

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Don’t Fall Short on Car Maintenance

By: Allison Jane Bradford

As we dig deeper into fall, it means one thing: Winter is just around the corner. Take time now to get your car ready for the bad weather to come. Otherwise, you could be stuck at home or, worse yet, along the roadside with a flat tire, a blown engine, a windshield you can’t see out of, or some other problem.

So before all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray, make sure you won’t have a problem with the following:

First, give your tires the eye test – or better yet, the coin test. Put a quarter into the grooves on several parts of your tires. If at least part of George Washington’s head is always obscured, you have more than an eighth of an inch of tread depth. Tires are considered legally worn out in most states when they’re down to one-sixteenth of an inch.

Now it’s time to check the air pressure of your tires. Here, there’s no eye test; the pressure will be really low if you can see it. Why does it matter? Heat can build up in underinflated tires and cause a blowout. An underinflated tire also will wear faster, and your gas mileage will suffer greatly. Tires tend to lose pressure when the weather cools.

You can find the car manufacturer’s suggested pressure on a sticker in your car door or in your owner’s manual. It’s possible the requirements will be different for front and back tires. You’ll need a tire gauge to measure it, and you should do it when the tires are cold. If the pressure is low, go to a gas station and add air. One thing to note – driving with overinflated tires also is dangerous.

Remember, when you’re checking tires, to include your spare. It won’t do you any good to put the spare on if it’s in bad shape.

Finally, rotate your tires if it’s time to do so – it will extend the life of the tires.

Making sure you change your oil at regular intervals should always be top of mind. But there’s more to an oil change than changing oil. You’ll also want to check the levels of your brake fluid and, of course, your antifreeze.

You’re heading into the season when you’ll need your windshield wipers. So change them to make sure your windshield stays clear of grime, snow and ice. While you’re at it, make sure you’ve got plenty of wiper fluid, too, and that it has a low freezing point.

This is a good time to check to make sure your headlights, taillights, brake lights, signal lights, and flashers work property. As Yogi Berra said, “It gets late early out there.” In other words, you’ll likely be driving in the dusk and darkness more.

Check your horn as well, and make sure the heater/defroster is working properly heading into the season.

Check the battery terminals for problems, and check the battery itself to make sure it’s still good and strong. Chemical reactions that generate electricity are slower when the temperature falls, so it’s important that your battery is strong heading into winter.

Even if you take all these precautions, you could get caught in a jam as the weather gets colder. Review your emergency kit to make sure it has the proper supplies, or put one together if you don’t have one.

Here are some things it should include.

FlaresBootsBlanketsBottled water and high-energy snacksJumper cablesA jack and spare tireAn ice scraperFlashlightsA shovelA first aid kitDuct tape

There are other items you can include as they apply to your location or situation, such as medicines. But the important thing is to be prepared for the worst that can happen. That way, you can handle any smaller problems that occur along the way.

As an undergrad, Allison Bradford felt doomed to live life as a starving poet. Today, she is relieved that professional writing doesn’t necessarily require a vow of poverty. Allison now happily blogs for AutoInsurance.US, covering industry news and motor trends.

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Car Insurance Isn’t Boring: Neither is Jimmie Johnson

By: Peter Caldwell

Unless something crazy happens Sunday at the NASCAR season-ending race at Homestead, FL, Jimmie Johnson will win his sixth Sprint Cup title. He only has to finish 23rd or better to guarantee the championship. Some say Johnson’s quiet excellence – he also won the title in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 – makes him boring.

At AutoInsurance.US, we know how he feels. Some people find car insurance boring, too. That’s until they cause a wreck, have a windshield shattered by a rock, or get their car stolen.

Then they find car insurance pretty interesting. In fact, that’s when most people actually learn what’s in their policies.

We say car owners should take an interest now in what’s in their coverage as well as what isn’t. You don’t want to hit a deer and find out you don’t have comprehensive coverage – the insurance equivalent of Johnson finishing 24th (without leading a lap) and losing the title.

So dig out that policy now and review what’s in it. Here are some coverages you might want to check on:

Liability coverage. Liability coverage is required in some form in every state. It kicks in if you cause a wreck that injures someone else or his or her property. It’s expressed as a three-number ratio such as 100/300/50. In that example, 100 means you have $100,000 worth of coverage for injury per person; 300 means you have a maximum payout of $300,000 per incident for injuries; and 50 means the policy will pay for $50,000 per occurrence. By the way, those are the limits of your coverage – you’re still responsible for amounts over those amounts, so make sure your limits are set high enough.Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. It does just what you might expect, helping if the other driver causes a wreck and doesn’t have any or enough coverage. It also typically covers hit-and-run cases when you likely don’t know who caused the accident.Collision. This helps if you’re responsible for your vehicle colliding with an object on the road, as long as that object isn’t an animal.Comprehensive. This covers nearly anything that happens to your car other than a collision. This is what could pay should you hit a deer, for example. Other things covered by comprehensive protection include the theft of your car, glass breakage, hail damage, fire, and flooding.Deductible. The deductible functions like a co-pay in medical insurance. It’s the amount you agree to pay when making a claim. In general, the lower your deductible, the more you’ll pay in premiums for your auto insurance. Conversely, raising your deductible generally will lower your premiums. However, you should exercise great care in using this strategy; you’ll have to be ready to pay this amount should you need to use your coverage.

There’s at least one other thing you should check as you’re perusing your policy. Look at the last time you shopped your coverage with multiple carriers. Why? Because you may be paying too much for your policy. It’s true that many car insurance providers offer loyalty discounts to customers who don’t change providers; it’s equally true that you could save even more by shopping coverage with several highly rated carriers.

So don’t declare auto insurance boring without considering the ways it can help you in a crisis, whether one of your own making or one that a driver makes for you. And don’t deride Jimmie Johnson’s ability to stay out of crises on the track. Sometimes that’s what makes a champion.

Starting out his career as a journalist at a smalltime newspaper, Peter Caldwell now works as a blogger for AutoInsurance.US. With a background in finance writing, Peter is an expert on insurance, closely following regulation and industry news.

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Take Our Pop Quiz on Auto Insurance

By: Caitlin Greenwich

Think you know everything about auto insurance? Take our pop quiz, true or false version, to measure your knowledge.

If I buy a red car, I’ll pay higher car insurance.Some form of liability insurance is required in every state.A hybrid or electric car will cost more to insure than a comparable conventional vehicle.If I don’t have enough money to pay my car insurance premiums, there won’t be any problem if I let my coverage lapse for a few months – as long as I don’t have a wreck.Gap insurance makes car payments for me if I’m short on money.My collision insurance covers me if I hit a deer.If I’m driving and cause a wreck that’s my fault, my insurance company will pay for repairs to my vehicle.My insurance agent asked about my credit report because he wanted to see if I could put my premiums on a credit card.Old cars are stolen more often than new cars.It’s OK to let my friend drive my car – his insurance will pay if he causes a wreck.False. Insurers don’t care what color your car is. An agent will ask you a number of questions about the vehicle – the year, make, model, body type, engine size, and even whether it has daytime running lights. But the agent won’t ask – and genuinely doesn’t care – what color it is.True. Some states also allow you to demonstrate proof of financial responsibility by posting cash deposits or surety bonds, but very few drivers can or do follow this path.False. Some providers consider “green” vehicles to be safer than similar conventional vehicles because they’re heavier and even offer discounts for coverage. However, you should remember that premiums are based on many factors, including your driving record, so even buying a hybrid might not mean lower premiums if you’ve had a number of wrecks or traffic violations.False. A lapse in coverage is one of the worst factors in determining how much you’ll pay for auto insurance. Companies consider continuous coverage as a sign of stability. A lapse, even a short one, can mean much higher rates for coverage.False. Gap insurance is designed to pay the difference between what you owe on a car and what it’s worth. In most cases, interest is front-loaded on a vehicle loan, so there’s a lengthy period in which the car is worth less than you owe on it. If you don’t have gap insurance, you’d still be responsible for paying the difference should you wreck it and suffer a total loss.False. Collision insurance – which is optional, unless your lender requires it – covers you when you hit objects such as trees or other cars. However, it doesn’t cover your car if it collides with an animal such as a deer. Comprehensive coverage would help in this situation.Maybe. Your liability coverage will pay for damage to the “other” vehicle. However, you’ll need collision coverage to help cover repairs to your own car. You’ll also have to pay a deductible before you get any help. Don’t have collision coverage? Then you’re on your own.False. Providers in many states use your credit score to predict your risk of filing a claim. It’s a controversial practice, but carriers believe poor credit habits translate into high risk for them.True. The current car most popular with car thieves, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, is the 1994 Honda Accord. The reason: Its parts are pretty generic and can be used in several models.False. In most states, the car owner’s insurance is the primary insurance and must pay for damage or injuries.

So how’d you score? Here’s one last true or false: It’s a good idea to shop my car insurance with multiple carriers every year. True: That’s the best way to get affordable premiums, excellent coverage, and the discounts you deserve.

After a childhood filled with playing soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, Caitlin Greenwich was shocked to discover she had a passion that didn’t involve sprinting across patches of grass: writing. She currently blogs for AutoInsurance.US, avidly following industry news and NASCAR results.

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Driving High Will Bring You Down

By: Caitlin Greenwich

The legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado in November 2012 could have heralded change for the nation’s future regarding the drug. Currently, 18 states have medical marijuana provisions, five have removed jail time for possessing small amounts, and 11 are considering more lenient marijuana laws.

No matter what side of the pot legalization debate you’re on, we can all agree that drugged driving is dangerous. Though some people might boast that they “drive better high,” marijuana is a psychoactive substance proven to inhibit driving abilities. Make no mistake; driving high is driving while impaired, and therefore always illegal, even in states where marijuana use is legal or decriminalized.

THC, the primary active ingredient in marijuana, is proven to many short-term effects, including:

Memory and learning problemsDistorted perceptionDifficulty in thinking and problem solvingLoss of coordination

In the car, these side effects can translate to an inability to focus and perceive objects in front of the driver, decreased driving performance, poor time and distance estimation, an inability to maintain headway, sleepiness, and lack of motor coordination. A stoned driver also can wind up “over-compensating for self-perceived impairment,” according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The risks involving drugged driving increase exponentially when alcohol is involved.

Despite the risk, marijuana ranks behind only alcohol as the most frequently detected psychoactive substance among drivers, especially in young drivers.  One in 12 high school seniors admitted to driving after smoking pot, according to Monitoring the Future, an ongoing study of American students and young adults conducted by the University of Michigan. From 2005 to 2009, 42% of fatally injured drivers who tested positive for pot were younger than 25, according to the White House.

The White House has introduced a National Drug Control Strategy to reduce impaired driving in the US by 10% by the year 2015. The NDCS especially targets drunken driving, but it fights drugged driving as well. In addition, many states currently work to crack down on driver impairment.

The problem with understanding THC driving impairment is that we don’t have a good way to measure it. Unlike alcohol, drug levels can’t be measured linearly in the blood. THC can remain in the body for months, and the levels in the blood can loop instead of decreasing steadily. Many states have per se laws that penalize a driver if there is any trace of THC in the blood. In these states, the penalties for drugged driving are harsher than for drunken driving because the drugs involved are illegal.  A habitual smoker in these states would probably be unable to legally drive a car. Washington and Colorado, however, have taken a different approach by setting strict legal driving limits for THC blood levels.

Even though the nation may be moving toward marijuana legalization, you should remember that driving impaired is always illegal. Whether that impairment occurs due to alcohol or other drugs makes no difference. By driving high, you risk not only your life, but the lives of countless others. In this case, just say no.

After a childhood filled with playing soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, Caitlin Greenwich was shocked to discover she had a passion that didn’t involve sprinting across patches of grass: writing. She currently blogs for AutoInsurance.US, avidly following industry news and NASCAR results.

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New Car for Christmas? Insure it Properly

By: Peter Caldwell

If you walk outside on Christmas morning to a new ride topped with a big red bow, remember to make sure it’s property insured before you take it out on the road. This is always true, of course, when you get a new car. But when you’re buying the car for yourself at the dealership, your lender will step in to make sure everything is taken care of before you leave the lot – that’s because it has too much at stake.

Similarly, the lender will make sure whoever buys the car as a gift is insured. But that doesn’t mean the coverage will automatically switch over to you when you receive the vehicle.

All states require you to be financially responsible when driving a car – most require you to purchase at least a minimum amount of liability coverage in case you cause an accident that results in injuries or property damage. But you also should consider several other types of coverage.

Insurance experts recommend that you shop around and compare quotes from different companies. Premiums can vary widely by auto insurance provider. While paying attention to price, it’s also a good idea to look at coverage, service, and the carrier’s reputation. Check out financial ratings and customer reviews from companies like A.M. Best and J.D. Power and Associates.

To make an educated decision when insuring your vehicle, it’s a smart move to familiarize yourself with the different types of coverage available.

Bodily injury liability: Gives you protection if you injure or kill someone while operating your vehicle.Property damage liability: This protects you if your car damages someone else’s property, including another vehicle.Uninsured or underinsured motorists: Helps pay for your injuries or damage caused by an uninsured or underinsured drivers, or in some states, a hit-a-run driver.Medical payments: Helps cover medical expenses of the injured driver and passengers in your car.Collision: This coverage helps pays for damage to your car if you hit another vehicle or object. You’ll be responsible for a deductible.Comprehensive: Helps covers losses, minus your deductible, resulting from incidents other than collision. For example, this covers damage to your car if it is stolen or vandalized.Rental reimbursement: This coverage pays for a rental vehicle when your vehicle is out of commission as a result of a loss covered under comprehensive or collision coverages.

Even if you find a great policy at an affordable price, there are always more ways to save on your premium. Here are a few options if you are looking for a little extra green in your pockets:

Discounts are an available option for many drivers. For instance, you can often save up to 20% by simply bundling your home and auto policies with one provider.Safe driving is another way to cut down your premium. A clean driving record with no tickets or history of accidents means you are less of a risk for your provider and often leads to lower premiums.Increasing your deductible can also be a money saver, but you’ll want to weigh the consequences of this choice. Make sure your deductible is set at an amount you are comfortable paying in the event of a claim or you could be stuck in a bad financial situation.

Once your policy is in effect, put your updated insurance information in the glove box of your car so that it’s easily accessible if you ever need it. Now you are ready to put the car in drive and cruise around town with the wind in your hair and not a care in the world. After thanking the gift-giver, of course.

Starting out his career as a journalist at a smalltime newspaper, Peter Caldwell now works as a blogger for AutoInsurance.US. With a background in finance writing, Peter is an expert on insurance, closely following regulation and industry news.

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