The Car Insurance Insider

Restraint systems such as seatbelts, air bags and head restraints work along with the structure of the vehicle itself to protect people from serious crashes in an event of an accident. These restraint systems keep us securely in place, in our seats and shield us from impact during crashes when accidents occur.

• Head restraints are now required in the front seats of all passenger cars to keep your head from injuring your neck in a rear-end crash (usually whiplash-related injuries). Some head restraints are adjustable, while some are fixed.
• Seat belts are standard on all vehicles sold in America today. These secure us to to our seats during hard braking or in a crash, but seatbelts also allow mobility and of freedom of movement during normal driving.
• Airbags are a very important and very effective safety feature because it prevents us from hitting the dashboard or the steering wheel on the event of a crash.
• Side airbags are designed principally to protect your chest and keep your head from hitting interior or intruding structures.

Imagine these scenarios:
First scenario: A driver gets in front of an your car and then slams on their brakes. This causes the you to rear-end the scam driver. Aside from collecting money for vehicle damages, the scam driver will also fake medical injuries to collect even more.
Second Scenario: A car in front of you waves to let you pass him in traffic. When you do, he crashes into you, then later denies waving you in.
These are just some of the types of car insurance accident scams being perpetrated today. You may have heard about it, you might have even been a victim of it. Since these scams can happen at any time and place, it is important to be prepared. Watch out for drivers who may be following you or examining your driving habits. Make sure you leave plenty of room in front of you in order to stop. If an accident does happen, take notes on everything about the other car, the accident, and everybody that was in the other car. Keep a disposable camera in your car to record damage to both vehicles. Remember, these scams are not only costly for you, they may even cost you your life.

by: Christine Zafra

Erie Insurance Group of Pennsylvania conducted a survey about the risks of teenage driving. The results were impressive; however, a faulty hole can be seen in their answers. According to theautochannel.com, 91% of the teenagers who participated in the survey swear that they’re driving safely but if we are to delve on how they drive (there’s a difference), you will discover that most of them take on calls, doodle with their phones (text message), play earsplitting music that can sometimes be very distractive etc. while driving. Recent bans have been made in some states regarding the use of mobile phones inside the car. However, stubborn individuals have got creativity: thank goodness for speaker phones.

Photo taken from http://www.cellphonesafety.org

Here are things to keep in my when acquiring a car. One of the more important things to consider is the insurance–of course buying a new car is like an investment. Also, in purchasing insurance some factors would like the car’s safety rating, and other such things that will affect insurance premiums.

Do a research on cars that are specifically adapted to you needs and your budget before you make a decision when choosing. Don’t just buy just because of the brand or how good it looks, or even how low mileage is. Consider the value of the car, the brand, and the features it has. More importantly, check the car’s safety rating. Note that safety ratings are different in other regions.

Now, do not get that expensive car unless you know you can pay insurance regularly. Remember the insurance costs are a factor of the value of the car. So this means the more expensive the car is, the higher the premiums you would have to pay for that car.

Check the net or newspapers for great car deals. Of course, you shouldn’t just buy the cheapest or the lowest priced. Look for cars with the essential features you need, especially for safety, such as seat belts (usually standard), airbags and such. Seatbelts are a given, however air bags, side impact beams and other secondary restraint and protection systems are sometimes not provided.