PERSONAL AUTO TIPS

Take photos of the accident as soon as possible.

• Photograph all of the details.
• Capture the scene from various angles.
• Document the surrounding area in your photos, including skid marks, broken glass, traffic signs, road debris and weather conditions.
• Take multiple versions of photos with and without a flash.
• Don’t jot down everyone’s info – take photos instead.
• If you’re injured, take plenty of photos of your injuries. If you sustain injuries that aren’t visible, be sure to hold on to copies of your medical tests and documents, especially if xrays or MRIs are required.
• Always take more photos than you think you might need, just to make sure you’ve documented every detail thoroughly.

To learn more about coverage options available in your town for car insurance and more, contact our team at Protective Agency Insurance at (877) 739-9367.  A representative will be available to provide you with your options and a quote to fit your budget.

The post Tips for Taking Clear, Accurate Photos Following an Accident appeared first on Protective Agency.

Before You Hit the Road:

• Reduce the number of unnecessary, heavy items that are inside or on top of your car. Even if you have an empty bike, kayak or canoe rack on your vehicle, removing the extra weight can help improve your fuel economy, especially on the highway.
• Remember to have your vehicle regularly serviced. Even if you don’t put many miles on your vehicle, regular service can ensure that you have good fuel economy, in addition to improving performance and extending the life of your vehicle.
• If your car’s “check engine” light comes on, get to a repair shop as soon as possible. Chances are that the issue with your engine will increase fuel emissions and reduce your fuel economy, and it’s smart to get these issues dealt with as soon as possible.
• Check your tire pressure, and make sure that your tires are always properly inflated. Underinflated tires increase the rolling resistance on the ground surface, which decreases your fuel efficiency.
• Be sure to use the motor oil recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle. Vehicles go through a series of rigorous tests to determine the most efficient type of motor oil for your engine, and using a different weight or type from what is recommended can create increased friction on your engine’s mechanical parts, which pushes your engine to work harder.
• Keep your gas cap sealed tightly. Over time, the rubber seal on your gas cap can begin to deteriorate, forming cracks that allow oxygen to pass through your gas tank. Increased air entering the gas tank and engine increases your fuel consumption. Replace these seals regularly, especially if you live in extremely hot or cold climates.
• Regularly replace your air filter. It might seem simple, but replacing your vehicle’s air filter as recommended by the manufacturer improves your engine’s ability to draw air from the environment, which in turn makes your engine work less hard and increases your gas mileage.

While You’re Driving:

• Avoid speeding up and slowing down when driving. Overall, it’s much more economical to drive the speed limit, as accelerating quickly greatly increases your fuel consumption.
• If possible, avoid leaving your engine idling. If your car will be stopped for more than 60 seconds, it’s better to just shut off your engine.
• When you’re approaching a stop sign or red light, take your foot off the gas pedal early and allow your car to slow down gradually until it’s time to brake.
• When you begin to accelerate from a stop, accelerate smoothly and gradually. This allows vehicles with automatic transmissions to shift into higher gears sooner, reducing strain on your engine and saving fuel.
• If you’re driving on the highway, consider using cruise control when it’s safe to do so. It will help you to maintain a constant speed, reducing fuel use.
• During the summer months, try to minimize your use of air conditioning. The engine power required to operate the air conditioner compressor can have a serious impact on your fuel economy. Similarly, when it’s hot outside, park in the shade or use a windshield sunscreen to decrease heat buildup in your car. This will reduce the strain on the air conditioner to cool the car after it’s been sitting.

Whether you’re headed on a long trip or just your daily commute, keep your vehicle on the road with the right insurance coverage. To learn more about the options available in your town for car insurance and more, contact our team at Protective Agency Insurance at (877) 739-9367.  A representative will be available to provide you with your options and a quote to fit your budget.

The post Ways to Save Money on Gas and Improve Your Fuel Economy appeared first on Protective Agency.

Tip #1: Safely Pull Over

Whether you’re traveling on a major highway or a country road, getting off the road safely is an important first step. As soon as you realize there’s a problem, be sure to turn on your hazard lights and safely make your way to the right shoulder of the road, if possible. Unless you have no other choice, you should not pull onto the left shoulder of a highway. Watch for traffic in the lanes you’re trying to cross, and only proceed when you know it’s safe to do so. Keep in mind that if your car is not operating properly, you won’t be able to move as quickly as normal. If you’re on a road that does not have a shoulder, try to find an equally safe place to pull off, like a parking lot.

Tip #2: Stay Safe Once You’ve Stopped

Once you’re off the road, be sure to turn your wheel away from the road and engage your emergency brake. This is especially important if you’re stopped on a hill, as it will prevent your vehicle from rolling. Be aware of your surroundings, and never get out of your vehicle unless it’s safe to do so. In the event that your vehicle breaks down in the middle of a lane and you cannot move it, contact emergency services and stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt on. If you manage to pull your vehicle off to the side of a busy highway and need to exit your vehicle, get out through the passenger side door. It’s always a good idea to pop your hood, as it’s a universal signal to other drivers that you’re having car trouble, and will alert them that your vehicle is stranded. See any signs of smoke or flames? Get out of your vehicle quickly and safely, and immediately call 911 if you haven’t already done so.

Tip #3: Call For Help

Who do you call if your car breaks down? It all depends on the situation. If your tire blows out and you feel confident that you can safely change the tire to get back on the highway, you may not need to call for help. But if you’re not mechanically inclined and don’t know what the problem is, chances are that you need to call a tow truck. Some insurance companies provide roadside assistance options, so make sure to investigate what your company offers. If you want to be extra prepared, have a list of emergency numbers ready, so you can save time by not having to look them up in the event of a vehicle breakdown.

Should your vehicle break down after dark, in addition to turning on your hazard lights, utilize flares or reflective triangles to let other drivers know that your vehicle is stranded. It’s usually recommended that you put one flare around ten feet behind your vehicle, and another further away, up to 200 or 300 feet behind your disabled car. Unless it’s unsafe to do so, you should then stay inside your vehicle until help arrives.

Reach Out For More Info

Unsure if your insurance offers roadside assistance coverage, or if you have the right coverage to help protect you in case of an accident? Get in touch with your local agent with any questions. They’ll help you get the answers you need to feel safe on the road, no matter what your destination may be. To learn more about the options available in your town for car insurance and more, contact our team at Protective Agency Insurance at (877) 739-9367.  A representative will be available to provide you with your options and a quote to fit your budget.

The post What Should I Do If My Car Breaks Down? appeared first on Protective Agency.

However, numerous factors ensure this is a gradual shift. While it’s not an overnight change in the vehicle industry, it is visible on the horizon. Drivers and insurers must consider the impacts this innovation has on auto insurance. The following explains some of the things to keep in mind.

Automation Levels of Self-Driving Cars

The thought of being chauffeured around by, well, no one, may seem exciting to some people. But to others, very real concerns come up. The concerns are valid when it comes to insurance considerations since the driver usually bears so much responsibility. Yet,the innovative machines grouped into a driver-less/self-driving category actually have different levels of automated features and aren’t necessarily completely driver-less. It’s important to understand these various levels to realize the current influence and the potential influence on auto insurance. The U.S Department of Transportation has adopted the following automation level system, which was created by the Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAEI).

0 – No Driving Automation: No driving automation anywhere

1 – Driving Assistance: Adaptive cruise control OR lane centering as the driver supervises

2 – Partial Driving Automation: Adaptive cruise control AND lane
Centering as the driver supervises

3 – Automated Driving (Conditional): Automated driving in dense freeway traffic at low speeds

4 – Automated Driving (High): Automated driving within a city’s center (boundaries established in coordination with GPS)

5 – Automated Driving (Full): Automated driving everywhere

While warning systems for front-end collisions have been around since 2000, the Highway Loss Data Institute predicts that most vehicles will have the feature by 2049. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that 4.5 million vehicles with self-driving features (not fully automated) will be in use by the year 2030.

Shifts in Liability

If vehicles are controlled more by computerized systems developed by their manufacturers, and less by the actual drivers, the notions of driver liability and responsibility will inevitably evolve. The conversations about liability became serious in 2016, with the first fatality from a driver-less car accident. The manufacturer, Tesla, reported that the car’s sensors didn’t detect a large truck turning into the vehicle’s path in bright daylight.

Ultimately the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined the Tesla’s system didn’t have safeguards in place to compensate for such scenarios. At this point, the final evolution of liability remains to be determined as the technology’s shortcomings are worked through. If the vehicle is owned by a business,then there may be a different set of concerns. 

Regulatory Matters

With self-driving cars presenting numerous changes in operation, and manufacturing, there are significant opportunities for new legislation at the federal and state levels. Lawmakers began enacting some laws for this niche several years ago, but more can be expected. For example:

• Federal Laws

At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) encourages manufacturers of vehicles with automated features to submit assessments to the USDOT, but it is a completely voluntary process.

• State Laws

More than half of all states in the U.S. have legislation regarding self-driving vehicles, although the content and purpose of the laws can vary greatly from state to state. Nevada was the first state to allow their use. As of 2018, at least ten states do not have any legislation for autonomous cars.

Ownership Trends

As populations have increased within large metropolitan areas, automobile ownership has actually declined in many of those same areas. People are still using cars to get around, but there is an increasing number doing so through rideshare services, carpooling, and transportation apps.

In reality, a vehicle owned by an average individual simply sits and does nothing for the vehicle owner most of the time it is owned. Vehicles utilized in transportation services, or other businesses requiring driving, are used for more hours throughout the day. A fully automated vehicle(i.e.:truly driver-less at Automation Level 5) could be ideal for in those situations, as companies like Uber and Lyft have been testing.

Final Thoughts

The coverage options and liability issues for cars controlled by computer systems instead of people may look different in the future than they do today, but auto insurance will still be needed. And if the self-driving vehicles are being used by a business, even just to deliver pizza, they would still need commercial auto insurance.

To learn more about the influence self-driving cars will have on car insurance, contact the professionals with ProtectiveAgency.com at (877) 739-9367. Our licensed, experienced insurance agents will be happy to answer any questions you have.

The post The Influence Self-Driving Cars Will Have on Car Insurance appeared first on Protective Agency.