Buy and use safety devices

Especially if you have a teen driver, don't let them drive a car so old that it doesn't have air bags. Anti-lock brakes are important too, but use them properly. Learn how:

"ABS Brakes: ABS brakes prevent uncontrolled skids during hard braking, by sensing wheel lock-up and releasing brake pressure (many times per minute), and just long enough to prevent a skid. As a result, you can still steer the vehicle, since the wheels can't lock up. Experts say that steering is faster than braking, but with ABS you can do both. You might say, "I was taught to do this with regular brakes; I pump the brakes to avoid skids." The reality is, when faced with a panic situation, you will NOT likely be able to stop or steer around a hazard using "threshold braking" (or pumping the brake). Average drivers don't practice those skills, and they MUST be practiced repeatedly to be mastered. Note: ABS brakes don't usually stop you FASTER than you can with the correct use of standard brakes, but for most of us, the advantage is in the ability to avoid a skid and still steer. If you have ABS brakes, it is very important that you read the information about how to use them in your owner's manual—and even practice in an empty parking lot somewhere so you know how they work and feel."

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/content.php?14-Defensive-Driving-Rule-7-Buy-and-Use-Safety-Devices

Wear your seatbelt!

I admit it -- 30 years ago I did not wear a seatbelt. It wasn't the law then. My wife (she was my girlfriend at the time) made me do it. And in no time, the habit was formed. If I forgot and then noticed it I felt like I was going to fly out of the car. I still see clients who have been ticketed for not wearing their seatbelts; the police do watch for it. This must be the easiest tip/rule to observe. Please do!

Read more:

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/content.php?13-Defensive-Driving-Rule-6-Wear-Your-Seat-Belt
 

Finding a good deal on commercial auto insurance is about more than finding the lowest rate—it’s about finding the best all-around coverage to suit your company’s needs.Understanding what coverages and service options are available is the first step toward making better, more informed decisions so that you and your business are properly protected. Here are some tips from the experts at Progressive to help you find the right coverage, service and price: 

1. Know the company you’re dealing with—and its reputation for handling claims. Understand that you may pay more for “cheaper” coverage in the long run if the company lacks experience handling commercial auto claims. In business, vehicles need to be on the road—or you lose money. Insurance companies that don’t specialize in commercial auto coverage often don’t have their own claims representatives handling the process, so it may take longer to get vehicles back in service. And above all, don't rely on a standard, personal policy to cover business risks. You may end up without coverage if you do.
   
2. Look for discounts. You may qualify for discounts if you’ve carried increased liability limits in the past, if your employee base consists of experienced drivers or if your company’s credit rating is good. 
3. Don’t let your coverage lapse. Proof of prior insurance is important, so never let your insurance policy lapse. If you do, you will most certainly pay more for your next policy. 
   
4. Ask for referrals. Find out where colleagues in your business have found the best coverage and the best service. They may be able to refer you to an agent or com-any that really understands your business. 
   
5. Check driving records before hiring. If they’ll be driving a company vehicle, be sure to screen the Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) for every potential hire. 
   
6. Update the value of your equipment. If you’ve added, upgraded or phased out equipment, you’ll want your policy to reflect the true value of your fleet. This ensures you have adequate coverage where you need it and that you’re not paying for coverage you no longer need.
7. Check the options for managing your policy. See if you can handle routine tasks online and over the phone instead of having to visit an agency or mail in forms. It saves time—and in business, time is money. 
   

 
Did You Know? 
Before initiating a quote for a commercial auto policy, know that you may qualify for discounts if you’ve carried increased liability limits in the past and if your employee base consists of experienced drivers. We can also give you a discount for carrying a commercial general liability (CGL) policy and for your years of experience in business.

Don't drive impaired...by anything!

"First, let's define 'impairment.' Webster's New World Dictionary defines impairment as "making something worse, less, weaker, or damaged." Applied to driving, impairment means there is a factor present that decreases your ability to operate your vehicle safely. 

The first thing that comes to most folks' minds is impairment through alcohol or other drugs. There are others as well: impairment through fatigue, or as a result of disabling injuries or illness."

Lots of bad or fatal accidents in our area are caused by sleepy drivers. Sleepiness can be as bad as drugs or alchohol. Don't let it be you! And we know of all the problems caused by prescription drugs. Don't underestimate their power to make you an unsafe driver. In my newsman days I probably saw as many fatal one-vehicle crashes as anything. They almost always involved impairment of some kind.

Read more.


 

70 Rules of defensive driving - #4: Don't speed

At the risk of sounding un-American, again I say, don't speed. 

"Consider that speeding often doesn't save much time. How many times have you reached a red light, only to find a "jackrabbit" waiting there that passed you a half mile back like you were standing still? Ever wonder why? Around most urban areas, signals limit overall speeds to what the system can handle (in terms of numbers of vehicles). In Phoenix, for example, that's approximately 40 to 45 mph. Drive faster than that and you'll simply spend more time waiting at red lights, wasting fuel, wearing down brake pads, and accumulating just a little more stress in your life for no good reason or gain."

Exactly. I am often dangerously passed on Highway 62 only to end up right behind the offender at the 61/62 traffic light. 

Add it up: little or no time saved, costly fines, higher insurance costs, greater chance of being injured or killed. Not a good deal.

COMMENT:  "On an Interstate, where you truly can save some time by speeding (provided you don't get pulled over), the difference between 65 mph and 80 mph over 50 miles is only 8.7 minutes. Big deal."

Read more.

Probably not! Many work polices are valued at $50k-$100k -- not enough to take care of anyone's family.

"The only thing worse for a family than losing a parent or spouse is losing that person without enough money to get by comfortably." -- Read more.

Great term coverage is more affordable than you think. And the research proves it.

...for 2011:

1 Chevrolet Pickup  (Full Size) 1996
2 Ford Pickup (Full Size) 1997
3 Honda Accord 1994
4 Toyota Camry 1991
5 Chevrolet Pickup  (Small Size) 1998
6 Honda Civic 2000
7 Ford Explorer 1994
8 Dodge Pickup (Full Size) 2001
9 Ford Taurus 2000
10 GMC Pickup  (Full Size) 1994

What can we learn from this? You can't assume that your old less-valuable car is safe. So, instead of going "liability only" with your older car, consider comprehensive coverage. This is the much less-expensive half of "full coverage" that covers theft and other perils, and it can be purchased without collision (the expensive half of full coverage). You may be surprised how cheaply it can be added to your policy.

70 Rules of defensive driving - #3: Yield Anyway!

This goes against our grain in so many ways. But the important thing is reaching our destination in one piece.

"'Nobody ever yielded their way into a collision.' Think about it. If you are in doubt about who has the right of way, give it away. The other guy may be wrong, but you can end up hurt or dead. We often say no one HAS the right-of-way until it is yielded to them. (Keep in mind I'm talking defensive driving practices, not traffic law.) Right of way rules are often misunderstood, and there are situations where the rules may not be clear to everyone. If there is uncertainty about which vehicle should have the right of way, give the other guy the road. When it comes to driving safely, it's not the principle, but the outcome, that counts."

Read more.

70 Rules of defensive driving - #2: Don't trust NOBODY!

(Gee, it was like the author wrote this one just for E. TN)

"We have met the enemy and he is us. You can never rely on what the other driver will do. Think back to all the mistakes you've made while driving over the years. Think ahead to the ones you know you will make in the future. All the other drivers are just like us! Don't trust them! While you are driving, keep a wary eye on the other guy and leave yourself plenty of room. Anticipate the mistakes he might make and be ready for them. Eventually, he will! Because he's just like us! When you are driving on "autopilot," you have turned control of your vehicle over to those other drivers - you are at their mercy. Their fate is your fate."

I was once at a traffic light in Knoxville where traffic had stopped though the light was green for me. Finally, about 10 seconds in to the green cycle, I was able to go. Go I did and got t-boned by a guy who was so out of it that he missed the red -- 10 seconds after it had turned. I always look at least twice before I go, even at a "normal" intersection when the light turns green.

Read more.

NEW series: 70 rules of defensive driving

No. 1 - Pay attention!

"One statistic often quoted is that most collisions happen within a short distance from home. Why is this true? Since we mostly drive in our own neighborhoods, the odds are we'll have most of our mishaps there. Close to home we get more comfortable and perhaps let our guard down (and the other guy does the same thing); you've heard that "familiarity breeds contempt?" Better yet, familiarity breeds inattention. We don't often consider that serious or fatal injuries can occur in low speed collisions."

I can vouch for this! I had a high school friend who was killed in his suburban neighborhood. He hit a tree at relatively low speed. And on my own road a driver was killed when he straightened out a curve -- and went into a deep ravine that few people even knew was there!

Read more:

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/content.php?7-Driving-Tip-Pay-Attention