devo digest

There was a time when kids rode on the floor hump in the back seat of the car. Piled into the back of the station wagon or sitting in the open pickup truck, hanging onto the sides for dear life was the norm. The world was not in such a hurry back when driving was a leisure activity. Today, high-speed interstates transport thousand of drivers’ texting, eating and performing other distracting behaviors. Wearing a seatbelt guarantees driver protection, a lifesaver for young and old alike.

Even minor fender benders can cause prolonged head and neck injuries as well as spinal misalignments and muscle strain. Most states, however, require all drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts to avoid such liabilities. With the national average of seatbelt wearers at 83%, according to Insurance @ Suite 101, car insurance rates have little effect on adherence to state law on seatbelt use. However, car insurance companies pay attention to seatbelt infractions because it shows apathy for the law, as well as a huge liability to an insurer, when an unbelted driver or passenger is injured. Every state in the U.S., except New Hampshire requires drivers to wear a seatbelt.

Tickets for seatbelt violations are moving violations in many states. Moving violations place points on driving records similar to speeding and traffic violations. Car insurance companies offer good faith policies to consumers with the understanding that drivers obey speed limits, state laws and drive safely. Many car insurers offer incentives for safe driving records, lower premiums for older drivers and policy reductions for consistent driver safety. However, based on the national statistic, 17% of drivers disregard the law driving without seatbelts.

Car insurance companies compiled injury data on non-seatbelt related accidents. Serious personal injury occurs to drivers and passengers without seatbelts. Reckless, unbelted, drivers pay a stiff penalty in moving violations and car insurance premiums. Insurance Agents.com notes drivers can save up to $400 dollars in premium costs just for buckling up. Many drivers do not realize that passengers too, must buckle up. A driver can receive a moving violation infraction when grandmother does not wear her seatbelt in the back seat on the drive to church.

Sash and lap combination belts save lives. Avoid tucking the sash under the arm. Instead, raise or lower the upper attachment on the auto wall to increase belt comfort. When worn correctly, seatbelts, airbags and automobile construction can reduce the crumple zone, area in which impact during an accident can injure drivers and passengers.

If you’re checking out car insurance companies looking for full coverage car insurance, you might start to notice the difference in the prices quoted. Some companies are very expensive and others are reasonably cheap. How do you know which ones are offering the best car insurance deals and which are wasting your money? Finding the best deals isn’t hard.

Get insurance quotes from many different companies. These quotes should tell you how much their insurance costs based on your details, but you should also be familiar with what kind of coverage they offer. This may require further digging around at their website and other places. Analyze the quotes and the information you have to find the best deals.

Don’t get more coverage than you need as this can easily raise your rates far too high. For example, a very old vehicle that isn’t worth very much shouldn’t require comprehensive or collision coverage. This might be a waste because they amount of money you would get if your car was damaged or totaled would be very little compared to what you pay each month extra in premiums. On the other hand, don’t skip these to save money in you have a very expensive vehicle. You should get what you’re car is worth if you want to get a new vehicle if your car is totaled in an accident.

Don’t be afraid to raise up your deductible if you can afford it. A higher deductible can significantly decrease the cost of your monthly premiums. However, don’t raise it too high. If you can’t cover your deductible, you might end without a car or you might have to use credit to pay for it. Save an emergency fund for these such instances so that you’re covered.

Finally, get discounts for car insurance. Take a defensive driving course, drive a car with safety devices, ask if you can get a discount for being part of a certain organization, etc. Discounts can really make a certain insurance company a much better deal than one without discounts.