Tom's BlogWhether you’re ready or not, the 2011 holiday season is fast approaching. Along with the holidays, winter weather will be here before you know it and many of us will be hitting the roads visiting friends and family. Now is the time to take extra precautions to assure safe driving this winter. Here are some holiday travel safety tips.
Vehicle Maintenance– Check all of your fluids (anti-freeze, windshield washer, oil, power steering and brakes). Make sure you have good tread on your tires or consider mounting snow tires. Be prepared for an emergency by packing a kit containing a blanket, flash light, matches, flares, bag of sand for traction, windshield scraper and brush, toolkit, bottled water, booster cables and a rope.
Driving Conditions– The majority of auto accident insurance claims occur during tough winter driving conditions. Icy and snow covered roads if driven upon must be done so carefully. If you’re vehicle has anti-lock brakes, be sure to slam the brake when needed without pumping to allow your anti-lock braking system to work properly. Take turns slowly and never too sharp.
Increase Following Distance– The 3 second rule should be increased 1 second for each additional hazardous condition. So, if you are driving at night, add 1 second to your following distance. If you are driving at night in the rain, add another second.
Reduce Speed– As conditions worsen, so does the ability to control your vehicle. Simply driving slower allows you to better react to hazards as they arise.
Don’t drive– When in doubt, stay at home. Unless it’s an emergency, it’s not worth the risk of getting hurt in an accident and having an insurance claim.
What to do if you have an auto accident insurance claim.
If you do have the unfortunate luck of getting into an accident and if everyone is okay, the first thing you should do is call our office. We’ll walk you through the entire process and help you get your claim handled fairly and fast. Here are some of our suggestions:
- Call 911 if someone is injured
- Take pictures with your cell phone
- Never admit fault
- Gather witnesses and wait for police to take their statement
- Collect the other driver’s insurance company name, policy number, claims phone number and agent’s name. Also get the other driver’s name, drivers license number, address and phone number
- If your vehicle is not drivable, call a towing service
We at Paramount Insurance, wish you a safe and fun-filled holiday season. Feel free to give our office a call at 866-869-3335 if you have any insurance questions or needs.
Tom Wiecek, President
Paramount Insurance Agency
