Hey Dude, Where’s My Spare Tire?

 

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

If you’ve been driving for more than a few decades, you’ll remember when every car on the road came with a full-sized spare tire.  Then the auto industry decided to short-sheet every driver by including only a compact spare tire, more commonly referred to by drivers as ‘The Donut.”  While it was better than nothing, every compact spare came with a warning that it shouldn’t be driven at speeds in excess of 50 MPH or for distances greater than 50 miles.  Well, now the automakers are taking the spare tire away altogether in many late-model vehicles.  This means if a tire goes flat, you’ll have only two options: hope that can of Fix-a-Flat will reinflate the tire or call the auto club for a tow.

Do You Have the Auto Insurance Blues?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy pxfuel

If you own or lease a car you undoubtedly have auto insurance.  That’s because every state in the Union with the exception of New Hampshire requires residents to carry auto insurance.  In fact, if you’re found to be operating a motor vehicle without insurance coverage, the penalties can range from $150-$1,500 depending on the state in which you live.  While many motorists complain about the high price of auto insurance, think of what would happen were they not covered. If they were involved in an at-fault accident, they would not only be required to cover the damages incurred by the driver of the other vehicle, they’d also open themselves up to lawsuits by any passengers who were in either vehicle.  When you consider the fact that the average cost of auto insurance in the US is $1,416 in 2020, that’s a small price to pay to secure peace of mind that should you be involved in an auto accident, the costs won’t bankrupt you.  Still, if you want to reduce the bite that auto insurance takes out of your wallet, there are a few things you can do that won’t water down your coverage.

How is Your Insurance Rating Calculated?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy picpedia

If you’ve ever compared your auto insurance rate to that of a friend, you may come to find that even though you’re both the same age and use the same insurer, what you pay could be quite different from what your friend pays.  What most consumers don’t realize is that insurance rates aren’t the same for everyone.  That’s because insurance is based on risk.  Insurance companies calculate risk by using a number of factors, including how old you are, where you live, what you drive, how many tickets you’ve had and where you park your car for the night, just to name a few.  If you’ve ever wondered how insurance rates are calculated, today’s blog should help take the mystery out of the process.

Driving While Distracted

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy of flickr

With yesterday being New Year’s Day, I thought I’d point out the fact that if you did celebrate the holiday with a few adult beverages, hopefully you had the good sense not to drink and drive.  That being said, I’d like to point out the fact that while drunk drivers cause more than their fair share of accidents, driving while drunk is hardly the only hazard that plagues drivers in the US.  An even more insidious and dangerous hazard is driving while distracted.  You heard me right, while drunk driving causes accidents galore, in today’s fast-paced world, this is hardly the only hazard to navigation on the highways and byways that stretch from coast to coast.  Below is my list of other potentially deadly driver distractions.   

Driving through the Snow

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy of wikimedia

With the holidays in full gear, the airwaves are filled with Christmas carols.  One of my favorites is Dashing Through the Snow.  Since that and White Christmas are the closest I’ll get to snow this year, I don’t have to worry about dealing with the trials and tribulations of those who live a little further north.  However, since some of my clients drive north to visit family or ski during the winter, I thought I’d take the time to write a blog about driving through the snow.

How Safe is Your Sleigh?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy of Pixabay

I was getting ready to head out to do a little Christmas shopping this morning when I heard a neighbor’s car drive by.  I couldn’t miss it, since it sounded like an angry Florida panther.  Rowwwww!  It was apparent to anybody within earshot that a belt was crying out for attention.  Yet my neighbor drove blissfully by, totally unaware that if and when the belt broke, she’d be thumbing a ride home.  That’s because all cars made in the past 30 years have what are called serpentine belts that run everything from the alternator and power steering to the water pump and air conditioner.  When these belts break, the car stops running.  Since so many of my friends, family and clients will be out and about during the holidays, I thought I’d take the time to point out a few things that could keep you from waiting for a tow truck by the side of the road.

How Would You Rate Your Driving Habits?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy of wikimedia

When it comes to how well a person drives, most insurance agents look at a person’s driving record.  How many tickets do they have and when was the last time they filed a claim?  Have they ever had a DUI? While this is one way to sort out the bad drivers, the bottom line is that nearly every driver in the US could use a refresher course.  Face it, we’ve all faced situations on the road where a driver in the passing lane chose to lollygag along to prevent others from passing.  We’ve also faced drivers who followed too close behind us when there was plenty of room to pass. How many times have we all seen someone texting while barreling along the highway?  To help you determine how highly honed your driving habits happen to be, I thought I’d take the time to give you a little food for thought.