Posted by Michael McDermott on Tue, Apr 10, 2012 @ 12:01 PM
Spring driving - snow and ice are behind us, time to think about April showers!
Here are a few safe driving tips for spring, for you and your teens:
Drive slow. Wet roads caused by spring rains can cause hydroplaning, and can be just as slick as black ice. Rain causes oils to create a slick surface on roads, so go slow on wet roads to keep better control over your car.
Check your tires. During your spring tune up, be sure to check for worn tire treads and replace all-weather or snow tires with fresh ones. It’s usually better to replace all four tires at once, to ensure even wear (and you won’t forget which ones you changed, and when). Make sure your tires are inflated properly—you’ll be safer, because you’ll have better control over your car, and you’ll get better mileage, which will save money on gas.
Replace wipers. Spring rains also mean worn out windshield (and rear window) wipers. Check that your front and back wipers are in good shape, and replace them if you need to—refill your wiper fluid while you’re at it, too.
Lights on for safety. Downpours can also make visibility tough for you and other motorists driving around you. Make sure your vehicle’s lights: headlights, taillights, turn signals, back-up lights, turn signals and brake lights are all in good working order. Once your lights are checked and ready to go, keep your headlights on when you’re driving for safety.
Spring is prom season. This is the time of year when teens are going to proms, and, unfortunately, are also tempted to drink and drive. Talk to your teenagers about the dangers of underage drinking and safe driving—the best time to do this is well before they get their licenses and start to drive. Make alcohol and drugs absolutely off limits, all the time. Consider arranging for a limo or taxi to take your teens to special nighttime events like the prom. For more information on how to speak to your teenagers about safe driving, click here to get the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration’s excellent website for tips that could save your teen’s life.
Headquartered in Boston, Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation provides auto insurance to personal and commercial auto insurance customers in MA and CT. Plymouth Rock is the flagship carrier of The Plymouth Rock Group of Companies, which together write and manage over $1 billion in auto and homeowner’s insurance throughout the Northeast.
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Posted by Michael McDermott on Thu, Feb 09, 2012 @ 08:19 AM
In it for the long ride: Americans are hanging on to their wheels longer.
Blame it on the Great Recession, higher new car prices, better manufacturing quality, or just loyalty: a new study by Polk shows that Americans are driving their vehicles longer than ever before. Cars and trucks now stay on the road, on average, for 10.8 years. That’s a big jump up from 15 years ago, when the average vehicle age was 8.4 years.
A new year, a new car?
The Detroit News also attributes this increase to a drop in total miles driven last year and improved rust and corrosion resistant-technologies. Yet in spite of these factors, or perhaps because of them, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) believes that most American drivers will have to splurge on a new set of wheels sooner rather than later.
NADA predicts that all millions of clunkers now on the road will sputter out in 2012, unleashing an unprecedented pent up demand this year for new vehicles. In fact NADA is on the record saying that new car sales will hit close to 14 million units in 2012—blowing away last year’s prediction by nearly 1 million units, and suggesting that fewer people this year will be able to resist that new car smell.
NADA’s chief economist Paul Taylor points to three reasons behind 2012’s expected car and light truck buying surge: more aging cars and trucks, an increase in affordable credit, and stronger buying incentive programs.
How about you, dear driver: do you plan to buy a new (or gently used) car or truck this year? How many miles (and years) have you logged behind the wheel of your current vehicle? Do you plan to keep spending to maintain the car you now have, or do you think that buying or leasing a new car would be a smarter financial move in 2012? If you do plan on buying a new car, what’s your favorite make and model? Please take a minute to leave your comments below, and thanks!
Headquartered in Boston, Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation provides auto insurance to personal and commercial auto insurance customers in MA and CT. Plymouth Rock is the flagship carrier of The Plymouth Rock Group of Companies, which together write and manage over $1 billion in auto and homeowner’s insurance throughout the Northeast.