Top 10 Causes of Distracted Driving

It’s easy to get distracted. But one of the worst places for distractions to happen is behind the wheel. Read about the 10 most dangerous distracted driving habits so you can avoid them and keep yourself and other drivers on the road safe.

It's probably safe to reason the 18-year-old man didn't leave the house with intentions to kill someone that day. As he went about his business, he casually held his car's steering wheel in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He certainly hadn't planned on running that red light. That was when a semi-tractor trailer swerved to avoid clobbering his car. Instead of hitting the negligent driver, the rig plowed directly into the vehicle carrying Jacy Good and her parents, Jean and Jay Good. The trio was returning from Jacy's 2008 graduation from Muhlenberg College near Allentown, Pa.

Jacy's parents were killed instantly. She was critically injured and endured agonizing rehabilitation sessions to regain her speech and her ability to do just the simplest of tasks. The Goods' story is just one of thousands each year of the pain inflicted by distracted driving.
It's no wonder that "distracted driving" has been called "the new drunk driving" [source: The Economist].

Distractions inside our vehicles abound. For many professionals, their car, truck or SUV is truly their office on wheels. For younger drivers, the car continues to serve as a social hub as it has for decades. But now vehicles are not just a mobile party; they've also become a spot to place calls and send texts -- all too often with deadly consequences.

Every day, distracted driving kills more than 15 people and injures more than 1,200 [source: Centers for Disease Control].

The purpose of this article isn't to scold busy drivers or hasten the dawn of a vehicular nanny state. Instead, it simply lays out some of the most dangerous habits that distract drivers -- habits that you might not even guess to be all that risky. As the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed.

10. Eating and Drinking

Compared to some of the other distracted driving habits on our list, this one might seem relatively tame. After all, it doesn't demand all that much cognitive horsepower to stuff your gullet while on the move.

But before you get too enamored of underway refueling, consider some of the things that could go wrong:

• You could spill scalding coffee on your lap
• That breakfast sausage muffin or deluxe burger could collapse in your hands, sending crumbs, sauce and patty pieces all over your work outfit
• Greasy hands or one-handed driving means less control of the steering wheel and shifter

In each of these cases, drivers face a potential domino effect where impaired attention plus an unexpected event lead to loss of control.

 

Solution: Eat before or after you get behind the wheel; to chow down during your drive places you and others

 

9. Applying Makeup and Grooming

We treat it almost as a joke: the harried office worker who slogs through morning rush hour while painting her face; the road warrior who uses drive time as shaving time.

There's even a conveniently placed "vanity mirror" in the fold-down visor right above the windscreen to facilitate this morning ritual. As usual, the blamed culprit is shortage of time. With our schedules more compressed than ever, the car or SUV might seem like the perfect place to take care of less mentally taxing tasks such as personal grooming.

But there's little arguing with the science on distracted driving. All but a small percentage (between 2 and 3 percent) of the population experience a noticeable decline in performance when they try to do two or more things at once [source: Watson and Strayer].

You may have gotten away with eyebrow plucking on the interstate up until now, but just remember that it's always a gamble.

8. Tending to Fido or Kitty

Clawing their way in at No. 8, as you may have guessed, are pets. Next to kids, or perhaps in lieu of kids, pets are the collective apples of our eye. Circumstances dictate that sometimes we want to, or have to, transport them. The reason could be a veterinarian visit, a move to a different home or maybe just a trip to the park or beach outside of walking distance.

In any case, the last thing you need is an animal roaming around inside your vehicle while you drive. For the same reasons you wouldn't want people shuffling around the cramped passenger compartment, pets should be secured. It's safer for them, you and others outside your vehicle.

Fortunately, there are carriers for cats and other small pets. For larger dogs, you can try vehicle partitions or even doggy harnesses that strap your canine securely into a seat. That way he can enjoy the wind in his face without getting fur and slobber in yours.

The proper securing device, coupled with your reassuring words and caresses, should make riding in the car a tolerable and perhaps downright enjoyable experience for your pet. And unlike our next subject, pets don't require expensive video games or other electronics to remain settled.

7. Keeping and Eye on the Kids

The little bundles of joy can be anything but if they don't have distractions of their own to while away time in the car. Whether it's two or more young ones squabbling or a lone infant protesting to be released from a restrictive child safety seat, you do not want to divert your attention from the road to indulge them.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, passengers are ranked by drivers as among the most frequent causes of distraction. Young children are four times as distracting as adults, while infants can be a whopping eight times more distracting, the AAA Foundation reports. Think carefully, though, about stealing a few seconds' glance to investigate while at cruising speed.
It takes only a fraction of a second for a road-borne hazard to enter your vehicle's collision zone and precipitate a disaster.

For the sake of everyone involved, if the little ones' screaming is about to force you to turn around and go back there -- pull over first.

6. Driving While Drowsy

It was a late night. Maybe you figured, "I didn't drink any alcohol, I'll be fine." But not long after getting behind the wheel, it felt as if your eyelids were anchored with five-pound weights. No matter how loudly you blasted the stereo or how many windows you rolled down, Mr. Sandman relentlessly seduced you to join him.

If that's ever happened to you and you're still here to read this, you're lucky. You're also not alone. Nearly 41 percent of drivers say they've fallen asleep behind the wheel at some point or another, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The NHTSA estimates drowsy driving in the United States causes 100,000 crashes a year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths [source: NHTSA].

Of course, it's not always convenient or safe to pull over and catch a few winks. Perhaps you don't think you need or can afford a night at a hotel or motel. But considering the alternative -- death -- it seems reasonable to consider it a non-discretionary purchase.

5. Fiddling with Entertainment and Onboard Electronics

Just because manufacturers and aftermarket companies make high-tech gadgets you can play with while driving doesn't mean you should.

Wisely, in-car DVD players are set by the factory to only play in view of the driver when the vehicle is parked. While that setting doesn't stop determined mobile multitaskers, at least it sends the message: The people who made these things think it's a bad idea to watch DVDs and drive at the same time.

Regular and satellite radios, iPod adaptors and navigation systems can all be deadly digital devices, in the wrong hands. To prevent your love affair with gadgets from becoming a fatal attraction, pull over if a gizmo requires you to focus on a screen and remove your eyes from the road. There's nothing wrong with In-Car Entertainment (ICE) in and of itself. But drivers need to know when to draw the line so that they don't wind up on a cold slab.

Many of us confess to taking a certain amount of guilty pleasure in rubbernecking. But can overindulging lead to a broken neck or worse? Continue on to find out.

4. Watching Roadside Diversions

Billboards are now animated and practically dare you to try not looking at them. Elsewhere, the hazard might be roadside bombshells -- like if you happen to be cruising through South Beach.

We humans are hardwired to notice the extraordinary. In our earliest days, the unusual could have represented an animal that wanted us for lunch or even a potential mate from another tribe who could diversify the genes of our offspring. One big difference between now and then was that we didn't have the ability to hurtle ourselves across the landscape faster than even a cheetah.

At 55 miles per hour (88.5 kilometers per hour), a car can cover half the length of a football field in about 4 seconds. So while your attention is focused on that toned hardbody strutting along the sidewalk, there's plenty of time for a cell phone-occupied driver to cut in front of you without looking.

While, arguably, our ancient hardwiring makes women better-suited to vehicular multitasking in the modern era, it's dangerous to divide your attention (hence your reaction time) among multiple activities behind the wheel, no matter what your gender.

3. Texting and Updating Social Media

OMG -- were you actually surprised by this one? Here's a stat that's nothing to LOL about -- you're 23 times more likely to crash if you text while driving [source: Distraction.gov].

Prior to the 2000s, this distraction would not have even made the list. But with proliferating technology and social media platforms, it's become one of the worst collective weapons of mass distraction with which we have to contend.

It takes about five seconds of attention to a screen and keyboard to send a brief text. Disturbingly, 77 percent of young adult drivers say they can safely drive while texting [source: stoptextsstopwrecks.org].

In actuality, distracted driving accidents, including those caused by the use of handheld devices, collectively form the No. 1 killer of teens, according to the NHTSA and others.

While it's convenient to blame our problems on technology, sometimes it's quite apparent that the issue really lies with us. To see how having a head in the clouds might put a person underground, go on to the next page.

2. Daydreaming

Driving can be an opportune time to organize your thoughts, clear your mind, think through problems or just enjoy a few moments of solitude.

With experience, routine driving becomes an automatic activity in and of itself. Like brushing our teeth, we don't really have to think about the intricately coordinated choreography of our senses and muscles while driving.

So we might think we have plenty of processing power left over to focus on non-driving related tasks. And that can be dangerous, if we overestimate our powers of focus.

If you've ever let your mind wander and missed your exit on the highway -- then considered swerving across several lanes to catch it -- you're probably aware of the risk posed by daydreaming.
The fact is driving a car equates to operating heavy machinery. Just as you wouldn't expect a crane operator to drift off while hoisting tons of metal beams overhead, responsible driving means maintaining focus. Not only is it a courtesy to your fellow drivers, but it helps you to spot and avoid crazies on the road!

1. Talking on the Phone

Ringing in at the top spot on our list: talking on the phone. This dubious honor goes to the granddaddy of distracted driving, the now-ubiquitous cell phone. Ever since Wall Street titans and wannabe titans wielded the gigantic brick phones of the 1980s, our obsession with mobile communication has gotten us in trouble behind the wheel.

Driving under the influence of a cell phone, be it handheld or hands-free, impairs driver reaction to the same level as being at the legal limit for blood alcohol content of .08 [source: stoptextsstopwrecks.org].

Hands-free headsets appear to reduce the risk somewhat -- instead of both cognitive and manual impairment as you have with a handheld device, hands-free units only tie up your mental capabilities; in some jurisdictions, they're mandatory for people who talk on the phone while they drive.
Studies suggest that talking on a cell phone roughly quadruples a person's risk of being involved in a crash [source: AAA Foundation].

How could something that seems so innocuous be so deadly? Once again, it lies in the brain's ability to truly do only one thing at a time. We've become such masters at task switching that we create the illusion of successfully doing two or more things simultaneously. But throw a surprise into the mix, like a child darting into traffic or a slamming of the brakes by the car in front of us, and the brain can quickly fail to keep pace.

So there you have it -- 10 of the most dangerously distracting habits you can engage in while driving. While you might have a greater awareness of the risks now, just remember that many people don't. So be safe out there.

Article courtesy of: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/accidents-hazardous-conditions/10-most-dangerous-distracted-driving-habits.htm#page=0

Read more »

Top 5 Signs of Engine Trouble

Your engine is the most important element needed to keep your car running. If things aren’t going exactly as they should, your engine will give you plenty of signs. Use this list to keep a close eye on your engine so you can recognize the first signs of trouble.

We've all done it: While sitting in traffic, maybe at a red light, you listen. Is that a whirring sound? What is that whirring sound? Where is it coming from? Is it from my car? Is it in the engine? Please don't let it be in the engine. It's just the air conditioner. Or maybe it's not even my car. The car in the next lane looks like a real clunker. I bet it's that car. 

Repeat with any sound, any smell, any weird feeling you get while driving. Car jerking around? They need to pave this road. Engine smells funny? That's because this whole town smells. Check engine light come on? It's probably a loose gas cap. And of course, if you hear something strange, turn up the radio and drown it out. 

Because otherwise, these things can give you a panic attack. With every sound, smell, and insistent light on the dashboard, we see days without a car to get to work and money flying out of our wallets like winged monkeys in little red vests and hats. 

Here are a few of the scariest signs of engine trouble, the likely causes. And yes, they almost all require immediate attention -- but there's no need to panic. Unless you actually see those flying monkeys. They're creepy. 

5. Warning Lights 

If your car is working properly, these are what Audra Fordin of "What Women Auto Know" calls "hello, good morning" lights. You fire up the engine and the dashboard lights up like carnival. This is the car's computer checking everything out. One by one, each of the lights turns off and you're ready to drive. 

If they don't turn off, though, that's bad. Either very bad or slightly bad, depending on which light remains lit. These lights are connected to sensors that monitor everything your car does. If something seems out of whack, the computer will use these lights to tell you what it is. It can't use its words; it's not KITT, you know. 

The lights you'll probably want to pay the most attention to are:

• Check Oil/Oil Level Low
• Oil Pressure Low
• Check Engine

The "Check Engine" lamp is perhaps the most troubling of lights because it could mean so many different things, from "you didn't screw the gas cap on tightly enough" to "look out for pistons flying through the hood and into the stratosphere." The easiest way to find out what this light is telling you is to hook your vehicle up to a scan tool. This diagnostic tool looks a little like an oversized calculator and plugs into a communication port inside the car. After you instruct it to perform the scan, it "speaks" with your car's computers to find out exactly what's prompting the light to turn on. 

You can purchase your own tool from an auto parts store for less than $100, but then what? You're probably not going to put on your coveralls and crawl under the hood yourself. Instead, visit a service station, where a technician will use the scan tool to identify the trouble. 

4. Doing the Jerk 

No, we're not talking about that cool dance where your knees kind of open and close and you move from side to side, and you can get all low and funky with it. We're talking about a car doing the jerk, which is much less cool. 

Driving should be free of jerking, surging, or stalling. It should be smooth and easy, more like ballet than Beyonce. What's cool in the club is not cool in an engine. 

But if your car is popping and locking, that's a pretty strong sign of engine trouble. It could be due to fouled spark plugs, clogged fuel lines or fuel filter, the main computer reading the driving situation wrong, or many, many other issues. 

The last thing you want is for your vehicle to take its own sweet time accelerating, or to give out entirely, as you're merging onto a busy highway with other vehicles barreling down behind you. Likewise, high revving at idle or acceleration that's out of your control are situations you should have a qualified technician investigate and repair as soon as possible. 

Preventive maintenance, including regular oil changes and belt replacements at recommended intervals help to keep you out of the danger zone. 

3. Rude Noises 

You know how your uncle Barney makes all those sounds at Thanksgiving, and he thinks they're hilarious? Well, if your car ever sounds like Uncle Barney, you've got serious problems.
A tapping or popping that sounds like Barney doing deep knee bends (which never happens), for instance, could indicate detonation taking place within the engine's cylinders. This happens when gasoline ignites prematurely in the combustion chamber of the cylinders and can potentially result in expensive piston damage. 

If you hear a grinding noise when you attempt to start your car, your starter motor might need to be adjusted or replaced. If you hear grinding when shifting between gears, it could be transmission replacement time! It's not as fun as it sounds. And if you're driving a manual transmission, do not listen to Uncle Barney when he says, "Grind it 'til you find it." 

In most cases, a little bit of noise from either your car or Uncle Barney -- like a mild ticking or clicking -- might be normal. Cars with roller rockers in their valve trains, for instance, emit some ticking noise; and fuel-injected vehicles also produce slightly audible clicks from the injectors [source: 2CarPros.com]. 

If in doubt, listen intently, try to track down the general area of the noise as best you can and then attempt to explain it in as much detail as you can to a qualified service professional. 

2. Foul Smells 

Cars rarely smell delightful. They're burning gasoline or diesel fuel, there's hot metal under the hood, and your brother ate a burrito just before he got in the passenger seat. There's not much you can do about your brother besides open all the windows and monitor his lunch intake, but any other automotive smells that make it into the passenger compartment spell trouble. 

The scent may signal oil or coolant leaking from their normally closed-loop systems, or it may indicate dangerous exhaust gases invading your car's interior. Car and truck exhaust contains toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, so if the inside of your car smells as if you were standing behind your car, get out and get it fixed. Fight the urge to take a little nap first. So sleepy. That's the carbon monoxide talking, friends. At least open a window on your way to the shop. 

The smell of burning rubber could mean you just did an awesome smoky burnout, or it could be telling you that drive belts or accessory belts beneath the hood are damaged, loose, or worn out. It could also mean that a rubber hose carrying important fluids is touching something that it shouldn't -- something that's too hot and is melting the rubber. 

In any case, it's a good idea to act sooner rather than later, as these nasty smells could be linked to a much more crucial and expensive component. 

1. Smoke Signals 

Smoke can come from the front or back of the car, and it's not good in either case. But the tailpipe will send-up colored smoke in attempt to tell you what the problem is. Here is your secret decoder ring: 

Blue smoke: Oil is escaping from its intended passageways within the engine and is being burned along with fuel. Of course, you could always keep adding engine oil to the crankcase to prevent it from being all burned up (and risking serious engine damage), but the smart thing to do would be to take the car in to have any worn or damaged seals repaired [source: Torbjornsen]. 

White smoke: Water condensation or antifreeze has mixed with the fuel supply. Again, adding coolant or antifreeze to your car's cooling system will keep your car from overheating for as long as you remember to keep feeding the reservoir, but the wise move is to have it checked out as soon as possible. 

If the smoke is coming from under your hood, that probably means you ignored white smoke coming out of the tailpipe, and now your engine is overheating. Or maybe you completely forgot to add coolant at all, and the engine overheated. Not that anyone would ever do that. That's ridiculous.

Article courtesy of: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/diagnosing-car-problems/mechanical/5-signs-engine-trouble.htm#page=0

Read more »

Tips for Buying Car Insurance

Buying car but unsure how to go about getting it insured? There are a number of important things you should know when shopping for auto insurance, such as what is your insurance actually insuring, how your car affects your premium, and how much coverage you actually need. Use these tips to make sure you’re getting the most insurance for the smallest price.

1. Know Your Coverage Types 

What is your car insurance actually insuring? Although you're buying a single insurance policy covering a specific vehicle, a number of components make up the final cost:

• Bodily injury liability: Covers injury and death claims against you, and legal costs, if your car injures or kills someone.

• Property damage liability: Covers claims for property that your car damages in an accident. Because liability coverage protects the other party, it is required in all but three states. 

• Medical payments: Pays for injuries to yourself and to occupants of your car. This is optional in some states. In "no-fault" states, personal injury protection replaces medical payments as part of the basic coverage.

• Uninsured motorist protection: Covers injuries caused to you or the occupants of your car by uninsured or hit-and-run drivers. "Under-insured" coverage also is available, to cover claims you may make against a driver who has inadequate insurance. In some states, as many as 30 percent of drivers are uninsured. 

• Collision coverage: Covers damage to your car up to its book value. Collision coverage carries a deductible, which is the amount per claim you have to pay before the insurance takes effect. The lower the deductible, the higher the premium. While it is legally optional, a lending institution or leasing company usually requires collision coverage. 

• Comprehensive (physical damage): Covers damage to your car from theft, vandalism, fire, wind, flood, and other non-accident causes. Comprehensive also carries a deductible

2. Your Vehicle Affects Your Premium

You might want a sports car or a fancy SUV, but your insurance company may charge you more to protect you while driving it. 

Insurance premiums are based partly on the price of the vehicle, which affects the replacement cost if it is stolen or "totaled" in an accident. How expensive the vehicle is to repair -- including parts and labor -- can also affect the cost. In addition, surcharges may apply to vehicles that are frequently stolen or involved in accidents. 

Industry-wide information on injury claims, collision repair costs, and theft rates by vehicle model is available from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). You can write them at 1005 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22201. HLDI is affiliated with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). 

According to HLDI, the lowest injury claims are from large vehicles -- cars, pickup trucks, and sport-utility vehicles. Small 2- and 4-door cars have the highest injury claims. Small cars also are among the highest in collision costs, along with sports cars. 

If you have your heart set on a sporty vehicle, you'll probably pay dearly. Insuring a high-performance car can easily cost two or three times the insurance amount for an ordinary model.Sport-utility vehicles, the hottest market segment, often have higher insurance rates than mid- and full-size cars, but some SUV models are relatively cheap to insure. SUVs are "hot" for other reasons: They are among the most frequently stolen vehicles, and they are more expensive than most cars. Cadillac's Escalade is currently the most popular model sought by thieves, but it's followed by the Nissan Maxima sedan. SUVs also can cost more to fix after an accident if the 4-wheel-drive system is damaged. 

However, insurance companies set rates based on their own experience. If Company A has more collision and theft claims for a particular vehicle than Company B, then A will charge more for the same coverage. It all boils down to a company's actual experience with a particular vehicle or category of drivers. That is why it pays to shop around for insurance 

3. Who You Are Affects Your Premium  

Factors that you can least control may have the greatest impact on your insurance costs. Your age, gender, and driving record are key factors that affect your insurance premium. 

Single males under the age of 25 pay the highest rates. Statistics show they are involved in the most accidents, so insurance companies charge young men higher premiums than women of the same age.Married men, who statistically have fewer accidents, pay less than single men. A handful of states do not allow rates based on sex or age, but that prohibition has tended to result in higher rates for women, not lower rates for men. 

If you are convicted of moving traffic violations or of causing an accident, your premiums will likely go up, no matter what your age. Drivers with clean records -- no tickets, no accidents -- pay the lowest rates. 

Where you live also plays a big role in how much you pay. Urban areas, with their greater populationdensities and heavier traffic, get higher rates than rural areas. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average insurance expenditure in mainly urban New Jersey -- traditionally the most expensive state -- in 2002 was more than double that of North Dakota, a rural state with the lowest average premiums. High costs in states such as Florida, Massachusetts and New York are attributed to growth in fraud and theft. 

In most states, too, insurers set rates by zip codes. If you live in a major city like Chicago or Los Angeles, you will probably pay more than if you lived in a nearby suburb. 

4. Decide How Much Coverage You Need

While it is dangerous to be underinsured, having too much insurance can be an expensive mistake as well. Without insurance, your property is put at risk in an accident that is your fault. The minimum amount of insurance required in your state is seldom enough. 

State law may require as little liability coverage as $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5000 property damage. About half of the states require $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Half of them require $10,000 in property damage coverage. If you can afford it, buy more than the minimum. After all, $10,000 for property damage may not be enough if you hit a $100,000 Mercedes-Benz. 

The more assets and income you have, the more insurance you need. Most insurers recommend liability coverage of at least $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 property damage if you have assets to protect, such as a house. Some insurers also recommend a $1 million "personal liability umbrella" policy issued in conjunction with homeowner's coverage. State Farm reports that such coverage averages $270 a year, but the amount varies significantly depending on location and other factors. An "umbrella" policy could protect a family from financial ruin in a major lawsuit. 

Like buying a car, there is no single best solution when it comes to buying insurance. Rates vary widely. Surveys suggest that you could pay anywhere from $500 to $2000 annually for the same coverage from different companies. Shop for insurance by consulting two or three of the largest insurers, such as State Farm and Allstate. Then, contact one or two independent agents who can quote premiums from more than one company. In addition, there are direct-marketing companies, such as GEICO and Progressive, which do business over the phone rather than through agents and offer some of the lowest rates. Ask for an itemized list of coverages and costs. 

"We're price-competitive," said spokesperson Dick Luedke of State Farm, whose rates dropped somewhat during 2004. But with so many factors involved in setting rates, it's wise to check several prospects. 

In 2004, the average price of auto insurance nationwide was $871, according to the Insurance Information Institute. They expected that the cost of auto insurance would rise by 3.5 percent in 2004, which would be the smallest increase in four years. 

Don't forget the Internet. Many companies now offer online quotes, and insurance shopping on the Web allows you to compare rates from multiple providers in the comfort of your own home. 

5. You Can Reduce Your Premiums 

The biggest difference you can make is to buy a vehicle that qualifies for a discount or at least doesn't carry a surcharge. Ask your insurance agent about the cost of insuring vehicles you are interested in before you make your purchase decision. Here are several other ways that you can save money on your car insurance: 

• Most companies give a break to those who drive less than 7500 miles a year. If you take public transportation instead of driving to work, your premium will go down. Out of the question? Try carpooling. 

• Make sure you get all the discounts you are entitled to. You might qualify if your vehicle has an alarm, for example. Discounts used to be given for such safety features as airbags, but they're fading away as those items become more commonplace. Discounts might also be available if you insure your vehicles and your home with the same company. People who pass a defensive-driving course or don't smoke or drink often get discounts. 

• Review the status of all the drivers in your family with your agent. Most discounts apply only to one portion of the policy, so don't expect dramatic savings. 

• Increase your deductible for collision and comprehensive. Switching from a $100 deductible to $1000 can reduce the collision portion of your premium by 30 percent, said Luedke. You'll still be covered for catastrophes, but you foot the bill for fender-benders. Also, think twice about filing small claims with your insurance: Why risk a premium increase? 

• Shop around. Instead of just renewing, study the fine print of your policy to see if its terms -- or your situation -- have changed. Another company might have better rates, but you won't know unless you shop. Most insurers give rates over the phone and many via online computer services, making it easy to compare premiums. 

• Drop collision coverage on older cars. Claims are limited to "book" value, so you're not likely to get much anyway if you car is more than seven years old. A good rule of thumb is to drop collision when the annual premium reaches 10 percent of your car's value. 

• Be a good driver. Avoid accidents and traffic violations and you will be rewarded with good-driver discounts. Bad driving is expensive. The "safer you can be" on the road, Luedke said, "the lower your premiums." 

• Drop coverage for such extras as towing costs or the expense of renting a car while yours is in the shop. The savings are probably small, but your new-car warranty's roadside assistance provision may provide them at no cost. 

• Have your teenager share the family car instead of owning his or her own. Be sure to tell your agent if your son or daughter makes the honor roll or moves away to college. Both qualify for discounts with most companies. 

• If your group health insurance provides generous coverage, consider dropping the medical-payments portion of your policy. 

• Keep your credit rating healthy. A growing number of insurers are considering a person's credit score when setting rates.

Article courtesy of : http://auto.howstuffworks.com/buying-selling/cg-car-insurance-tips.htm#page=0

Read more »

Honda has announced that it will integrate Siri, the voice command recognition assistant found in Apple products, into some of its 2013 vehicles. If you have an iPhone running IOS 6 you will be able to use voice commands to make calls or listen to music all while keeping your eyes on the road.

American Honda today announced it will integrate support for Siri, the intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking, into its 2013 Honda Accord and Acura RDX and ILX models as a dealer installed option. Later this year, owners with a compatible iPhone1 running iOS 6 can direct Siri to perform a number of specific tasks while they safely keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. Using Eyes Free mode, Siri takes hands-free functionality even further and minimizes distractions even more by keeping your iOS device's screen from lighting up. 

"iPhone has become so integral to people's lives that they continue to use them in their vehicles," said Vicki Poponi, assistant vice president of automobile product planning, American Honda. "Offering Honda and Acura owners Siri and its Eyes Free mode via Bluetooth is an incredible opportunity to provide next-generation connectivity and meet our customer's ever-changing needs." 

Honda recognizes the power of Siri and Eyes Free mode as an in-vehicle tool that will help meet the connectivity and convenience needs of its customers in a responsible manner. Honda has reengineered its software to seamlessly integrate Siri Eyes Free mode into its Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® via the onboard microphone and speakers.

Read the entire article here: http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/article.aspx?g=honda-automobiles&id=7070-en

Read more »