The High Risk Of Teenage Driving

Teens that are at the point of getting their license are being highly encouraged to take driver's education courses in an effort to prepare them more for what is in store for them when they do hit the open road. They teach about car safety and rules that must be abided by, and they do so both in a class setting as well as in an actual vehicle. This is a great start for teens but the learning needs to keep on going after the courses are complete.

Teens are a bit on the naive side and do not think that some of the things that they are doing will hurt anyone. This is so far from the truth though. How can a person text message and drive at the same time?

There are new laws that have been set into place that makes such high risk behaviour illegal. This is a great step in bringing this teenage driving risk to a halt.

Alcohol and drug abuse still remains another high risk behaviour that is occurring. The penalties for drinking and driving do not seem to make a lot of difference to teens anymore. For some reason they seem to think that they are indestructible. We see this is not so with the number of people that are killed as a result of teenage driving while under the influence. However, the laws that are in force are being implemented a lot more than ever before for anyone that is caught doing such things.

Another teenage driving risk is that most males like the thoughts of fast cars. Many young guys like the idea of road racing, another very high risk thing to do. This too has proven to be deadly in a great many situations. Speed can be fun, but it is not something that you do on a regular basis. It is like many other things in life, there is a time and a place to do it.

There are many groups out there that have come to light in an effort to help with our teenage driving efforts. They want to ensure that our young driver's are safe as well as others that are on the road. Government agencies and people giving out of their personal money and time to help are very high in numbers and they all should be thanked immensely.

Methods Of Getting Cheap Auto Insurance

The method in which you pay your auto insurance company can have an effect on the price you pay. Auto insurance companies are now offering small discounts to those who pay electronically, or through what is called electronic funds transfer. The EFT route of payment results in less paperwork and is more reliable, so auto insurance companies like to encourage the usage of this method.

Since students aren't of age to get the full benefit of discounts auto insurance companies offer, there are some discounts that are targeted solely to them. Students who maintain a high GPA will be able to get a moderate discount each month. Holding a GPA of 4.0 on the 4.0 scale will show an auto insurance agency that you are responsible both in school and while on the road.

If you know that you are a good driver, and that you deserve extra reward for being so, you can opt for a program such as that Progressive agencies offer. Progressive has a MyRate plan that allows a device to be installed that monitors your speeds and driving times. Those who drive less and drive well can get a high discount on their premiums- sometimes as much as a third. Otherwise, it could result in being more costly to drivers.

Car insurance companies have to cover accidents that might happen if you car is stolen or vandalized as well. If you have the proper security system installed, some insurers will decide to cut you a better deal. If you take matters to protect your car against something that would cost them money, the car insurance representative should realize this is something worthy of rewarding. Not all auto insurance companies do this, however.

Whatever you do- stay out of trouble with the law. Once an auto insurance company picks up wind of a violation, your rates could double or triple. If you have to file for SR-22 insurance, expect your rates to be sky-high for at least two years. Things such as excessive speeding, driving while intoxicated, and even getting in a wreck can qualify you for a large penalty.

Low Cost Auto Insurance

In all likelihood, you've kept the same insurance that you had when you first bought the car. You might have even gotten what seemed like a low cost auto insurance policy from your insurance agent at the time because you bought a car that had great crash test safety ratings from the government. But you never knew to check things like industry data for the car model like repair record, cost of repairs, accident and theft statistics. Believe it or not, all these factors influence rates for comprehensive and collision coverage ..

The auto insurance industry has compiled decades of data regarding driver and car profiles. Whether you personally fit into a high risk profile doesn't matter to the insurer. So if you're a 24 year male who opts for a shiny red Mustang, then the chance of you obtaining a low cost auto insurance policy is pipe dream. This is true even if you've been driving safely since you turned 15 and haven't had single blemish on your driving record.

One way to have a low cost auto insurance policy is to increase the amount of your deductible. Instead of picking a low amount such as $100, see if you can increase it to a $1,000 out of pocket expense before the insurance applies. You can see a dramatic reduction in the premiums if you are willing to absorb more of the cost of repairs before a claim is made. Use the difference in premiums to fund your deductible instead and you'll be seeing more of your money in your pocket.

If you are not a frequent driver or don't use your car to commute to work, then there's a good chance you can qualify for a low annual mileage discount. Most companies will require some evidence of this, but it's one way of getting low cost auto insurance. Dropping your comprehensive and collision coverage will also reduce your premiums if your car is older and it's no longer makes economic sense to maintain it.

The easiest way to find out if you can get low cost auto insurance is to use one of the many quote sites which allow you to input your information to generate instant quotes from a number of companies. This particularly useful if you are shopping for a new car as you can view quotes for different car models.

Car Insurance for Ladies

This wasn't true before though as ladies were always considered a higher risk than men and would most likely be offered a much poorer compensation package. Until recent statistics popped up and disproved this common theory.

It is rare that you see a lady get involve in a serious car accident like total wrecks. They are ofter the victim of minor scratches and light bumps. It is the men that are more prone to serious accidents.

Any normal car insurance company or companies that focus on women's policy will most likely offer discounter prices for ladies car insurance. There are a lot of companies that offer this so it is advisable to shop around for the best offer.

There are a couple of sites out in the internet which lists a couple of these insurances so the general public can make a good and sound decision.

Ladies, as statistics show often drive fewer miles as compared to men and are less likely to get into car accidents. This gives them the advantage when haggling for premiums, and in most cases will get discounts or freebies. Also with them driving fewer miles as compared to men, their cars are more often than not in better condition.

When it comes to general neatness, ladies are more often than not, more organized compared to men. Their cars are then less prone to useless repairs and results to cheaper bills overall.

Ladies car insurance is only for the ladies by the way. They can get cheaper insurance for their cars thanks to the general outlook on women. Overall, women are less risky for insurance companies.

They are less likely to have an accident, which means they are also less likely to file large monetary claims from the insurance company. If the insurance company can save money, that means you can as well with cheap ladies car insurance.

Don't Let Car Thieves Get Your Car When Driving On Your Vacation

By Dorothy Yamich

In these difficult financial times most folks need vacations more than ever. And people also want to save a lot of money if they can. One economical solution is to take the family car and drive to and from your holiday destination instead of flying.

If you plan to drive, it may also make sense to take some steps to protect yourself and family from car theft. Having some car thief steal your car, luggage, or other items of value from your trunk could really put a damper on what was supposed to be a fun-filled and enjoyable trip.

Even if you take all of the numerous precautions to prevent auto theft when you travel, very determined professional car thieves can still manage to steal any vehicle if they want it badly enough. Can you remember the car theft action movie Gone In 60 Seconds starring Nicolas Cage? However, you can still dramatically reduce the odds of becoming a victim of auto theft to almost zero.

Most of these auto theft preventative measures are common sense and will you cost nothing to do. So why not make it a habit of implementing them not only when you travel by car on your holidays, but also in your every day driving as well?

Firstly, you should never take it for granted that you are immune from car thieves when traveling, or that your vehicle is not really worth stealing.

Keep in mind that thieves might be after more than your vehicle, luggage, or any valuables that might be inside your vehicle. They might only want an older car to take a joy ride in or for its parts.

They may also be after your vehicle documents for identity theft purposes, or they could be thinking of robbing your residence while you are away on vacation. Where would they get this important information? From the vehicle registration and auto insurance papers which are usually conveniently located in the glove compartment.

The best solution is to eliminate this problem by keeping these documents on your person at all times while traveling on your holidays.

The second best way to reduce this problem is to hide the documents really well in the trunk. Some police forces in cities that have a high incidence of auto thefts recommend doing this. Just remember to tell everyone who is traveling with you where these documents are squirreled away inside the trunk.

Here are some more ways you can lessen the chances of having your holidays wrecked by car thieves. If you can manage to implement some of these suggestions, you will really lessen the chance of becoming a victim of auto theft when you travel.

Close all of your vehicles windows tightly and lock all the doors when you park it anywhere, even if its only for a minute or two.

A real invitation to lose your vehicle is to leave it idling and unattended. You should never, never do it. Not even for even a minute.

Similarly, do not leave your vehicles keys in the ignition or hidden anywhere in car, including a second set of keys. Car thieves can easily find the keys hidden in the usual places very quickly. Keep another set of keys with you.

Do not leave any valuables in your vehicle, even if they cant be seen from the outside of your car. If possible, you should take them with you.

However, if you have no choice but to leave valuables in your vehicle, at least make sure that they are locked inside your trunk. When you do this, check first and look around to make sure that nobody is watching, or better still, stop, pull over, and put them in your trunk before you arrive at your intended destination. Prying eyes can be anywhere.

When you park your car in public areas, turn you front wheels either to the right or left before turning your ignition off. This engages the steering wheel lock mechanism located in the steering wheel column which could make your vehicle somewhat more difficult to steal.

Engaging the emergency brake after you have parked and turned the motor off may also make your vehicle harder to tow away.

For front wheel and rear wheel drive vehicles you should park them a bit differently when in underground parking. Front wheel drive cars should be parked nose in and rear wheel drive ones, nose out. Then turn your tires to the right or left. Again, this may make your auto harder to tow away.

It is always better to park in an attendant supervised parking lot rather than an unattended one. If its a place or lot where there is valet parking, just give the attendant your door and ignition key. They do not need any other keys on your key chain.

In public places around dusk and at night, always park in well lit areas that have a lot of pedestrian traffic. Keep in mind that most auto thieves prefer to work at night.

Try to avoid parking near or next to any obstruction, such as a fence, hedge, large truck, or anything that blocks a clear view of your vehicle to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

When you stay in a place that has gated, secured parking, make sure that the gate has completely closed after entering or leaving so that a thief doesnt sneak in to the parking area where youre staying.

If you observe any suspicious activity like a person or group of people milling around or near your vehicle you should call the police.

Here are some anti-theft devices that you can install for maximum protection. You may already have a few of these products installed in your vehicle.

You can use a very visible after-market steering wheel locking bar. Most car thieves will likely move on to easier prey/greener pastures. Other less visible after-market products are locks for gas pedals, brake pedals, as well as armored collars that fit around the steering column which protects the ignition. For any manual shift vehicles you can also use an after-market shifter lock. These are effective but not highly visible to prying eyes.

Another thing that you can easily do is to have your mechanic install a hood lock that will prevent easy access to your vehicles battery and security system.

A loud vehicle alarm system and a highly visible alarm sticker on your windshield can be worth its weight in gold when combined with the addition of a number of other anti-theft security options.

The best vehicle protection is a passive electronic immobilizer that disables the motor when the ignition is turned off. Its not an inexpensive device to get installed but is well worth it for your peace of mind. There are more benefits you may receive by installing an electronic immobilizer in your car. A number of auto insurance companies will offer a discount on your policy if you can produce documentation that you have had one installed. You may also get more money for your vehicle if you sell it down the road.

Last, but not least, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage on your vehicle including theft and damage before you travel on a vacation.