How to Switch Your Car Insurance

One critical component of owning a car is car insurance. Drivers should make sure that they have this important thing covered before they get behind the wheel, with no lapses in coverage. If you’re thinking about switching from one company to another, it’s important that you do enough research to feel confident in your decision. These tips from Edmunds will help you make the most of switching your car insurance:

1. Review your current driving situation.

Take note of your driving circumstances as well as the needs of other drivers in your household. Do you have a newer model car? Do you commute several miles each week to work? Do you have recent traffic tickets?

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), your potential new insurance company may ask you all of these questions as part of the underwriting process. You'll also likely be asked about the number of drivers on the policy, your driver license information, and the insurance coverage and limits you'd like to purchase.

Take a look at your existing auto insurance policy. Knowing what you currently have will make it easier to create apples-to-apples comparisons with the rates you receive from different insurers. An easy way to do this is to study your current policy's declarations page, says Vaughn Graham, president of Rich and Cartmill insurance company in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"The declarations page describes the insurance you have, including the amount of coverage as well as coverage limits, and the amount of your deductible," he says. When you're more informed about your current coverage, it can help you become a smarter shopper.

2. Shop around.

Once you're familiar with your current policy, it's time to look for alternatives. A good first call is to your current insurance agent or the insurance company itself (some insurers, such as Geico and Progressive don't work with agents). Even if you're not happy with your existing policy (if you think the premiums are too expensive, for example), ask if there are ways to lower your rate for the same amount of coverage, says Salvatore. You may be eligible to receive discounts you're not getting.

Here's a list of common insurance company discounts, according to the NAIC:

• Having safety devices in the car, such as anti-theft features
• Having a good driving record
• Driving a low number of miles a year
• Having multiple cars on the same policy
• Being a student who gets good grades
• Insuring both your home and car with the same provider

While you're reviewing discounts, be aware that switching to a new provider could affect discounts you already have with other types of insurance. For example, if you're already getting a homeowner's and car-policy rate reduction from your current provider, and you then move your car insurance to a different company, you may lose the discount you receive for homeowner's insurance. It may make more financial sense to stay where you are, or switch both policies to a new provider that will give you a rate reduction for both.

Get more information about how to switch car insurance at Edmunds: http://www.edmunds.com/auto-insurance/four-steps-to-switching-car-insurance.html

3 Most Dangerous Driving Behaviors

Driving can be quite a lot of fun, but a car is a serious piece of machinery that should be treated as such. Plenty of “normal” behaviors at the wheel can be considered dangerous, but there are some that are more dangerous than others. Here are four of the most dangerous driving behaviors from Road and Track:

Driving too fast for the weather conditions

Yes, we just discussed speeding, but this merits particular reinforcement. When the weather gets bad, slowing down is the best way to avoid an accident. This goes back to that physics thing. Unfortunately, not everyone gets that. All-wheel drive isn't an excuse for driving fast in inclement weather. When the road surface is slippery, a 3,500- to 5,000-pound vehicle will probably skid if you need to slow down in a hurry. According to the Federal Highway Administration, 24 percent of all vehicle crashes are weather related. That's a good reason to slow down and leave a little space between your car and the one in front.

Drafting tractor trailers

Yes, following closely behind a tractor trailer can increase your fuel economy. That doesn't mean you should do it. Drafting works for NASCAR drivers, so it makes sense that a 4,000-pound car can "hide" in the low pressure zone behind a 13-foot-tall, 80,000-pound big rig. Back in 2007, the MythBusters even proved that it worked. But they also pointed out that following closer than 150 feet behind a truck is really dangerous. Even that distance gives a driver less than two seconds to react if the trucker suddenly slams on the brakes. Other things to consider are that truck drivers can't see what's directly behind them, and the relationship between trailer heights and car hood heights is a recipe for decapitation.

Reckless driving

Reckless driving, better known in many parts of the world as "driving like a jackass," is a good way to cause a crash. This includes swerving, weaving in and out of traffic, passing on the right, accelerating and braking suddenly, and yes, driving slowly in the left lane on the freeway, among other things. Many states consider driving 20 mph or more over the speed limit reckless driving, which carries heavy penalties in the form of fines, jail time, or a combination thereof. This goes back to predictability. If your movements in traffic are drastically different than those of other drivers, you're more likely to cause an accident. Not surprisingly, younger males are more likely to engage in this shabby mockery of race car driving.

Learn more behaviors that drivers should avoid at all costs over at Road and Track: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/features/a4418/feature-the-9-most-dangerous-things-drivers-do/

What Do Seatbelts Actually Do to Save Lives?

When it comes to automobile safety, there’s one rule you’ve probably heard since you were a kid: Buckle up! There are entire advertising campaigns making sure that the public knows how important seatbelts are. However, you may not know exactly what these straps do to keep you safe in the event of a car crash. Everday Health is here to fill you in:

• Keeps the occupants of the vehicle inside. “It’s clearly a myth that people are better off being thrown clear from the crash,” Osterhuber says. “People thrown from a vehicle are four times more likely to be killed than those who remain inside.”

• Restrains the strongest parts of the body. “Restraints are designed to contact your body at its strongest parts. For an older child and adult, these parts are the hips and shoulders, which is where the seat belt should be strapped,” Osterhuber says.

• Spreads out any force from the collision. “Lap-and-shoulder belts spread the force of the crash over a wide area of the body. By putting less stress on any one area, they can help you avoid serious injury,” Osterhuber says. A shoulder strap also helps keep your head and upper body away from the dashboard, steering wheel, and other hard interior parts of the automobile should you stop suddenly or be hit by another vehicle.

• Helps the body to slow down. “What is it that causes injury? A quick change in speed,” Osterhuber says. “Seat belts help extend the time it takes for you to slow down in a crash.”

• Protects your brain and spinal cord. A seat belt is designed to protect these two critical areas. “Head injuries may be hard to see immediately, but they can be deadly,” Osterhuber says. Likewise, spinal cord injuries can have serious consequences.

Learn more about how seatbelts work and why they’re so important at Everyday Health: http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/wearing-your-seat-belt.aspx

Tips for Safe Driving Near Schools

Safe driving is always important, but nowhere is it more critical than near schools. Protecting the lives of children is everyone’s responsibility, which is why there are special laws in place for drivers near schools. But it’s important that you do more than follow the letter of the law. To keep kids safe, make sure you follow these tips from Edmunds:

• Expect the unexpected: "Children run and play. They can come from anywhere," says James Solomon of the National Safety Council.
• Stop properly at stop signs and crosswalks: It's illegal to pass through either a stationary stop sign or one held by a crossing guard or other safety representative.
• In all 50 states, when a stop sign is displayed, motorists must stop for it, Solomon says. Drivers should stop completely at the stop sign, before the crosswalk area. Blocking a crosswalk could force kids to go around your vehicle, putting them in danger. And wait a bit before driving through after the crossing guard clears the intersection, warns Solomon. "There are always one or two children lagging behind that are now going to run through the crosswalk to catch up with the rest of the group."
• Obey the speed limit: "The faster you are going, the more likely you are to injure a pedestrian and to injure them more seriously," says Nancy Pullen-Seufert of the National Center for Safe Routes to School.
• Most school zones have speed limits of 20 mph or less. Studies have found that 5 percent of pedestrians hit by a vehicle at 20 mph suffer a fatality. The fatality number increases to 45 percent when hit by a vehicle going 30 mph, and to 80 percent for a pedestrian hit by a vehicle traveling at 40 mph. And because of their smaller size, children fare even worse. Faster driving means longer stopping distances. At 20 mph, it takes an average vehicle 69 feet to come to a total stop, and nearly double that distance, to 123 feet, at just 30 mph, according to NHTSA.
• Put away electronic devices: A few states, including Illinois, have made it illegal to use a cell phone while driving in a school zone, and for good reason.
• Talking on your cell phone has been shown to reduce reaction time. Looking away for just 2 seconds doubles your chance of crashing. Texting while driving has been shown to be as dangerous as driving drunk.
• "The ability to multitask is a myth. If you are going to drive your child to school, drive your child to school. Leave the cell phone in a place where you aren't going to be distracted," says Kate Carr of Safe Kids Worldwide.
• Solomon agrees. "You want to navigate the school zone 100 percent prepared to handle a situation," he says.
• Make eye contact with pedestrians: "If you haven't made eye contact with them, assume that they haven't seen you and that they are just going to keep on going," says Carr.
• Wait your turn near school buses: It's illegal in all 50 states to pass a bus on undivided roadways if the vehicle is stopped to load and unload children. State laws vary regarding passing a school bus on a divided roadway when the bus is traveling in the opposite direction, but all vehicles behind a bus must stop. Make sure you know the rules in your state, and regardless of whatever they are, never pass a school bus on the right. It's a sure recipe for disaster.
• According to the National Safety Council, most children who die in bus-related crashes are pedestrians ages 4-7 who are hit by the bus or by motorists illegally passing the school bus.
• Pay attention to bus warning lights: A yellow flashing light means the bus is preparing to stop to let kids on or off. A red light means kids are getting on or off the bus.
• Give buses ample space to load and unload: Children are in the most danger of being hit by a vehicle within the 10 feet around a school bus. And just in case you're tempted to violate any of the bus-related rules, many school buses are now equipped with rear cameras to catch motorists who illegally pass them.
• Follow the school's drop-off rules: "Oftentimes parents get very tempted to drop their child off across the street from the school and tell their child to just run across the street. And we really, really don't want drivers to do that," says Pullen-Seufert. "Any time any pedestrian of any age is crossing the road, they are at a greater risk."
• Choose a different route: If you are a daily commuter and not a parent picking up or dropping off their child, avoid a school zone if you can.
• Be more careful in the fall: More children are injured by cars in September than any other month. "Kids are going back to school and drivers have to adjust again after a summer season," says Carr.
• What to do if there's a near miss: Never reprimand or approach the child directly. The child is likely to be nervous or frightened when confronted by a stranger, Solomon says. Do let an adult know what happened, though. You might be alerting authorities to a potentially dangerous area within the school zone.
• You need to find whoever is in charge, if it's a crossing guard, a law enforcement agent or school staff," Solomon says. "You need to safely park the vehicle and explain what happened. Sooner or later, enough near-misses mean someone gets hit."
• Treat every kid as your own: It's not always some unwary motorist who is responsible for school zone traffic accidents. Whether they're dropping off or picking up their children, parents also often break school zone road rules, say safety experts.

To learn more, check out the original blog post at Edmunds:

http://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/driving-safely-in-school-zones.html

Regular Maintenance for Your Car

Buying a new car is great. You drive off the dealership, basking in a car that drives well and works like it’s supposed to. What if you could keep that new car feeling for years? In many cases, you can! Basic preventative maintenance helps you spot trouble before it becomes a costly repair down the road. The DMV offers some advice to help keep you and your car safely on the road:

It may seem intimidating, but basic care car is often simply a matter of popping open the hood and taking a look at the engine of your vehicle.

Some basic car care starts with examining the exterior. Check your tires at least every other week to make sure they are inflated properly. This should be an actual check with a tire pressure gauge, but you may also advantage from a visual check to make sure the tires appear equally and properly inflated.

Other visual checks that require almost no vehicle mechanics knowledge include the following:

• body and bumper damage, which should be monitored for insurance purposes
• leaking fluids underneath the vehicle, including oil, power and brake fluid, transmission or other fluid (air-conditioning may cause water to drip under a vehicle)
• smoke in vehicle exhaust, aside from normal diesel emissions or startup fumes
• engine or fluid warning lights, which should be promptly addressed before any further driving

Of course, much of the day-to-day driving maintenance for your vehicle must occur with the hood opened and up, but that doesn't mean you have to be a mechanic. The most important things to monitor and check regularly include the following:

• engine oil level and cleanliness
• antifreeze/coolant level (never attempt to remove radiator cap while engine is hot or warm)
• brake and power steering fluid levels
• transmission fluid
• belts

Learn more about what you should look out for over on the DMV’s website: http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/basic-car-care.php

You Don’t Have to Buy a Green Car to Go Green

If you want to help the environment, you may think about things like using non-toxic cleaners in your home, using less electricity in your life, and even going vegetarian. In some extreme cases, you might even consider ditching your car for a bike! But you can keep your car and help the environment (even if you’re not driving a hybrid or an electric car) by taking a few simple steps. Tweaking your existing car maintenance routine can help you save gas and help the environment. This article at Huffington Post explains what you can do:

1. Maintain proper tire inflation. Tires are meant to be inflated according to the recommended pressure standard for your car. Information regarding your vehicle's recommended pressure is usually listed inside your car's doorframe, or look for it in the owner's manual. Maintaining tire pressure is important for efficient fuel use. A reduction of 3 pounds below the recommended pressure results in a loss of 1 percent fuel economy. Tires may lose up to 1 pound of pressure in a single month. Check your tire pressure at regular intervals, before any significant car travel, and before carrying large weighty loads. Flabby tires can affect driving safety, handling, and tire wear and tear.
2. Purchase the new low rolling resistance (LRR) tires. Buying new tires typically lowers fuel economy by up to 4 percent. Replacing your tires with LRR tires, on the other hand, will actually improve fuel efficiency. All the major tire manufacturers are now producing these greener tires, so look for them when it comes time to replace your current set of tires.
3. Keep an eye on your personal fuel economy. If you see a reduction in fuel economy after a few weeks this may signal some small problem with your brakes or engine. Fixing a minor problem now may prevent a major breakdown at some point down the line.
4. Get regular tune-ups. If you're handy, do it yourself, otherwise take your car to a mechanic for regular tune-ups. Getting car tune-ups can increase fuel economy. You should have some instructions in your owner's manual on how to carry out the tune-up. In general, you should make periodic checks for worn out spark plugs, brake drag, and transmission fluid levels. Wheels should be realigned, tires rotated, and air filters replaced. When replacing transmission and other vehicle fluids, dispose of the old fluids in a safe manner or better yet, recycle them.
5. Replace the oil and oil filter. Changing your car's oil and replacing its oil filter on a regular basis will keep your car running longer and will also help you save on fuel. The owner's manual that came with your car should give you guidelines on how often this should be done. If you have your oil changed at a gas station, check first to make sure they recycle the old oil. If you change the oil yourself, save the old oil and bring it in to be recycled. You can replace the old oil with recycled oil, too.
6. Keep an eye on emissions. Get your emission control system checked out on a regular basis. If you see a warning light come on, it's time to get your emission control system serviced.

So, before you ditch your car and get a bike, remember that you can still help the environment and keep your car. All it takes is a few little tweaks.

Read the original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/varda-epstein/6-greener-ethos-car-tips_b_4858542.html

Gearing Your Car Up for Spring

We know, we know - it’s still winter and it’s cold and gray too often. But look on the bright side: Spring is less than a month away! Getting your car ready for warmer weather may not seem critical, but winter can damage your car in lots of little ways. By “thinking spring” now, you can prepare for erasing winter’s damage, restoring your car back to its warm-weather beauty.

Edmunds recommends taking the following steps to restore your car in the spring:

1. Get rid of road salt on the undercarriage.

2. Check the tires.

3. Check wiper blades.

4. Rotate the tires.

5. Change the oil and oil filter.

6. Change the air filter.

7. Flush and fill your cooling system.

8. Check the radiator and gas caps.

9. Check the battery and spark plugs.

10. Clean the cabin.

As USA Today points, out, it’s critical to get rid of salt and dirt on the undercarriage of the car. They explain,

“Wintertime driving will coat the bottom of your car with salt, sand and other grime that can cause corrosion. Corrosion can lead to rust problems, which can make your car much harder to resell or even dangerous to drive.

Spend a few extra dollars for the undercarriage power wash at the local car wash or spray the car's bottom with your own hose. If possible, use a car jack to raise the vehicle for a more thorough cleaning, advises Bill Kropelnicki, president and owner of Rambling River Repair in Farmington, Minn. There's no need to use soap or any other cleaner.

While you're at it, open the hood and wipe down the engine with a soft mitt and soapy water. And remove all the leaves and debris that can find their way into the car, says Cliff Weathers, deputy autos editor for Consumer Reports. And remove any crusty white residue off the battery with a toothbrush, baking soda and water. The residue — caused by corrosion — can eventually prevent your car from starting. The cleaning also helps prepare the battery for the stress of warmer temperatures.”

While you’re getting through the last few weeks of winter, start thinking spring and make an appointment to get your car checked for winter damage, have tires rotates, and fluids topped off. You’ll be ready for spring and summer road trips in no time in a few simple steps.