Riding Your Bike: How to Stay Safe on the Road

Summer's warm, dry weather brings out bicyclists in droves. Not only is it good exercise, fun and eco-friendly, but with the price of gas, it is very economical, too. However, without good equipment, proper attire and a high level of alertness, it can be dangerous, especially when sharing the road with automobiles.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 630 deaths and 51,000 reported injuries from bicycle accidents in the United States in 2009. 

Bicycle Accident Statistics

• Collisions with vehicles account for a third of all bicycle accidents resulting in injuries and deaths.
• A bicyclist is killed every six hours in the United States.
• About one million children are injured in bicycle accidents annually.
• 75% of serious injuries and fatalities from bicycle accidents are due to head injuries.

Cars and bicycles have a tenuous relationship on the road. Drivers are focused on looking out for other cars and trucks on the road, and don't always see bicycles. In addition, bicyclists are slower than cars, and can be overtaken before the driver realizes they are there. This can result in accidents -- and the bicyclist almost always comes out the loser in this scenario.

While bicyclists enjoy the same privileges as drivers on non-freeway roadways, they also have the same responsibilities. Stopping at red lights, stop signs, and yielding; signaling all turns; not exceeding the posted speed limit; using the right side of the street and not the sidewalk; and paying attention to the traffic all around them.

In Washington state, bicyclists can ride side-by-side, but only two abreast.  If the road has a wide shoulder, use it, but if the curb lane has no shoulder it's best to stay to the left in the far right lane so drivers can more easily see you. Ride in the same direction as traffic and wear proper clothing (bright, flashy and reflective). If riding at night, have a white headlight and a red taillight that are functioning properly. These all help drivers see -- and avoid -- you.

Even though Washington state doesn't require bicyclists to wear approved helmets, the city of Seattle and King County require it. For a complete list of cities that require bike helmets to be worn, go to: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/helmets.htm.

What to Do After a Bike/Car Crash

 If you are unfortunate enough to be hit by a car, take these steps:

• Remain calm and non-confrontational.
• Call the police and insist that the officer files a police report. In the event that an officer does not respond, go to a police station and file an accident report within 72 hours of the incident.
• Get the driver’s insurance information, address, phone number and license plate number.
• Get the name, phone number and address of every witness.
• Have your bike thoroughly inspected by a reputable bike shop.
• If you have a cell phone camera, take photographs of the accident scene, your injuries, your bike and all other involved vehicles.

Sources: WSDOT.wa.gov/bike/laws.htm; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Time to Get "Back-to-School" Insurance

As August begins, it's time to start thinking about going back to school! What does that have to do with insurance? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Good Grades - Do you have a teenage driver in the house (or one on the way)? Many policies allow discounts for students with good grades. Give us a call at 888-867-2866 to see what documentation is needed for your policy. And don't forget to talk to your kids about the importance of keeping those grades up! These discounts can apply to college students, too.

Driver Training - There are different discounts available for Drivers Education classes. We can review all the options available, and let you know which discounts will impact you the most.

Moving To The Dorm - Is your college student living in the dorm this semester? Your homeowners insurance may cover their belongings without additional coverage being needed. This is called Property Off Premises coverage. Remember, any claims would be subject to your deductible which is usually higher on home policies! Let us review your policy to check for the specifics amounts of coverage included.

Moving To An Apartment - Let's say your college student has graduated from the dorms and moved on to an apartment. In this case, your homeowners insurance would not cover their belongings and they would need their own renters insurance policy. Renters insurance is very affordable and covers all of the contents of the property. It also provides liability insurance if someone were injured in the property or if the student caused a fire, etc. By making sure they are properly insured, you are also protecting yourself.

We work hard to make sure all of your clients have the right coverage at all times. The fastest and easiest way to make sure your student is receiving all the discounts they qualify for, and that their belongings are covered at college, is to schedule a review! Call SAV-ON Insurance Agencies at 888-867-2866 to review your policy and situation and we'll make sure all of your questions are answered.

Top 10 Ways to Save on Your Auto Insurance!

Looking for ways to keep your auto insurance premiums manageable? 10 ways you can save on your insurance without sacrificing coverage.

1. Driving Record
Your driving record plays a big role in how much you pay for insurance. By keeping a clean record for 3-5 years, you can save hundreds of dollars! Be a cautious driver, don't speed, and you'll lower your premiums.

Save Money on Your Car Insurance!

2. Defensive Driving Course
Defensive driving courses are an easy way to achieve an extra discount. They can also help keep a ticket from showing up and messing up your clean driving record. Make sure to call us before taking the class if you're using it for a discount so we can verify that your policy qualifies.

3. Anti-Theft Devices
Installing an alarm or other anti-theft device can lower premiums on your vehicle. Make sure to discuss all features with us, sometimes even power locks and a remote can count!

4. Your Credit Score
While insurance uses a different formula then the credit bureaus, your credit still affects the rate you pay. Good credit can save you hundreds (even thousands) on your premiums! Make sure to review your report on a regular basis and have any mistakes corrected.

5. Where You Live
Rural areas pay less for insurance than the big cities do. It's all about risk and with a large population, there is more chance for an accident. Therefore, where you choose to live can impact your rates. Consider visiting with us before purchasing a home if you're concerned about the costs (it is based on the zip code).

6. Type of Vehicle
The vehicle you choose to purchase also makes a difference! Some vehicles cost a lot more to repair than others, which drives up their rates. Easy way to avoid buying a money-sucker? Call us first and let us quote the vehicle before you sign on the dotted line.

7. How Often -- and Far -- You Drive
If you take public transportation and only drive on the weekend, you'll pay less than someone with a long commute. Make sure to review your annual mileage and daily commutes with us (especially if they change) so that you can receive the extra savings.

8. Raise Your Deductible
A higher deductible (your out of pocket cost in a claim) means a lower monthly rate. If you have $1,000 in savings and could afford to use it if you had an accident, then you'll save on your insurance cost by having a $1000 deductible instead of a $250. We can help you review the costs and benefits in your specific situation.

9. Your Agent
And the best way to save? Work with a local agent! You'll get the coverage you need plus you'll have an advocate working on your behalf to find the best rate, all the discounts, and an easy explanation of any gaps in your coverage. It's the #1 to control your risk, maximize your savings, and protect your family.

10. Call SAV-ON Insurance
We want to be your agent. Call us at 888-867-2866 to discuss your policy today. Our goal is to save you money! As an agency, we have more than 30 insurance companies to choose from in getting you the best rate out there.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms Required in All Homes -- and They Could Save Your Life!

As of January 1, 2013, Washington state law requires that all single-family residences, apartments, condominiums, hotels and motels have properly operating carbon monoxide alarms installed. These devices, about the size of most smoke detectors, will emit an alarm if even a small amount of carbon monoxide is detected in the air.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, invisible gas that can make a person sick -- or kill them -- in a matter of minutes. Carbon monoxide can quickly build up in enclosed or semi-enclosed areas, and many victims may not know it until it's too late, especially if they are asleep. Entire families have perished due to a CO leak in the middle of the night.

In fact, carbon monoxide poisoning has killed more than 1,000 Washington residents between 1990 and 2005. After the windstorm the Puget Sound region experienced in December 2006, over 300 people were treated for CO poisoning, and eight people died.

CO poisoning typically occurs with the use of charcoal or gas grills indoors, since some people, in an attempt to heat their homes during a power outage, bring barbeque grills inside to provide warmth. This should never be done, as the byproduct of burning is carbon monoxide, and without proper ventilation, it is deadly. Attached garages and poorly maintained fireplaces can also be the cause of poisoning, as well as improperly vented fuel-burning appliances, such as wood or pellet stoves.

While all dwellings are required to have these devices installed, owner-occupied single-family residences that were legally occupied before July 26, 2009, are not required to have carbon monoxide alarms until they are sold.

CO alarms must be located in the immediate vicinity of each bedroom or sleeping area, and on each level of the residence. This ensures that if CO gas is detected, the alarm will wake people out of their sleep, before the poisoning takes effect.

If at any time while in your home you suddenly feel faint, light-headed, get a headache or become nauseous, it may be CO poisoning. Make sure to open a window for ventilation and get outside as quickly as possible. If there are other people in the house, make sure to wake them, if necessary, and get them out of the house immediately. Then call 9-1-1. This deadly gas will eventually cause the victim to lose consciousness, and if the poisoning isn't stopped, eventually die. Children, due to their smaller size, are extremely vulnerable to CO poisoning.

Carbon monoxide alarms are available at most hardware stores, and can also be purchased online. The cost is typically around $25 - $35. Combination CO/Smoke detectors are also available. It's a small price to pay to save lives.

Northwest Drivers Who Hit Parked Cars Don't Always Leave Notes

Many motorists don't leave proper contact information.

A surprising PEMCO Insurance poll found that motorists in Oregon are worse than Washington drivers when it comes to leaving contact information after hitting an unoccupied car. Almost half (47%) of Portland drivers surveyed admitted to leaving the scene without leaving any contact information!

Seattle motorists, on the other hand, said they left notes two-thirds (67%) of the time when they were responsible for damage to a parked car.

In addition to hitting parked cars and driving away without leaving a note, most drivers in both states responded that they've been involved in an accident at least once, and men are significantly more likely than women to be involved in an accident, no matter who was at fault. The poll also found that 62% of Washington men admitted to be at fault in an accident, whereas 51% of women admitted to being to blame.

For those involved in an accident, Washington motorists again proved to be more proactive. PEMCO's poll revealed that 56% of Washington drivers called 911 following the accident, while only 39% of Oregon drivers did.

While it's important to take photos of the accident scene to document the situation, only one-quarter of drivers say they did. Younger drivers were much more likely to take pictures of the collision than older drivers. Nearly half (49%) of Washington drivers under 35 took the photos, while 52% of young Portland drivers did.

Drivers in Portland must immediately notify law enforcement of the accident if damages total more than $1,500, according to Oregon’s Department of Motor Vehicles. In Washington, drivers must notify the Washington State Patrol if vehicle damage exceeds $700 – but drivers have up to three days to file a report.

Proper things to do if you are involved in an accident:

• Stop and determine if anyone is injured. If needed, call 911 for help.
• If it can be done safely, move your vehicle to the side of the road. 

• Exchange contact and insurance information, but don’t discuss responsibility for the accident.
• Take photos of the damage.
• Report the accident to the local police.

Technology: Blind Drivers in the Future?

Technology has made incredible advancements in improving a driver's experience behind the wheel. GPS systems, voice-activated directions, Google map displays, and back-end and side sensors that warn of pending collisions or accidents and brake appropriately are just a few of the recent innovations by car makers that make driving easier. But, now there's talk about someday allowing totally blind people to drive.

How far will it -- or should it -- take us? There are currently cars that can do simple things like parallel park themselves, but soon there may be automobiles capable of driving themselves, based on GPS, laser, radar and three-dimensional data. Cars that can do smaller functions, such as control a car in traffic jams, keep you inside lane markings or auto-park, are already on the road or about to come to market courtesy of Toyota, Mercedes, BMW and others. Recently, Google has had success getting laws passed in Florida, California and Nevada allowing the the testing of automated cars, with no drivers in them. But, these have been limited to controlled situations, and constantly overseen by engineers and technicians.

While advancing technology is marvelous, there are many times when a sighted driver needs to take control during an 'unplanned episode', like swerving to avoid an animal or another automobile. Would a sightless person sitting in a moving car in traffic be an insurance and liability nightmare? A blind person, trusting his or her car to be able to respond to a road hazard or pending collision while they are sitting there helpless to assist, could prove to be disastrous -- or even deadly. What if it involved the injury or death to a pedestrian, because the computer didn't recognize the danger and the driver couldn't see it? The result would be undoubtedly be a huge lawsuit and maybe even criminal charges. Who would be at fault, the blind person sitting behind the wheel, who trusted the technology, or the car manufacturer?

Currently, there are more than 15,000 visually-impaired people allowed to drive in the U.S. using a special lens system called "bioptic driving". The car is equipped with a main lens for a wide road view, and a telescopic attachment for close-up details such as reading street signs.

While visual aids for visually-impaired drivers is one thing, having a blind person behind the wheel of a car, with all that can go wrong on the roads and highways, is a potential disaster. Computers and technology is amazing, but as everyone knows, they can crash or freeze up without warning. What happens when the blind person needs to take over manually after the system goes down while heading down a busy highway at 60 or 70 mph? It's a scary thought, but that technology is not far away.

Source: BBC.co.uk

Time for Some Financial Spring Cleaning

Spring has officially arrived. And with warmer temperatures and longer days, you might have been feeling the urge to do some spring cleaning.

But before you wear yourself out shampooing all the carpets, think about what you can do to clean up your finances first! Here are four great places to start...

1. Organize your tax records. You’ve probably recently filed your taxes and have everything fresh on your mind. Make sure you have copies of all the important documents labeled and filed properly. Think about your tax experience this year. Were there records you should have kept or important details you were missing? Get prepared for next year now! You’ll be thankful that you did when next year’s taxes roll around.

2. Check your credit report. It’s great to get in the habit of regularly reviewing your credit report. Credit scores can impact everything from your interest rates to job offers to insurance rates! It’s also estimated that most credit reports have some kind of error on them. Check out www.annualcreditreport.com to request a free copy of your report each year.

3. Review your budget. If one of your New Year’s Resolutions was to save money or pay off debt, then now is a great time to check your progress. The year is 1/4 over. Have you made progress? Revisit your current budget and adjust as needed to keep moving forward.

4. Review your insurance. Your insurance needs can change pretty often. You change jobs, get married, buy a new house, have a baby, or buy an expensive toy (like a boat). All of these things can trigger changes in your insurance! That’s why it is critical that you establish a relationship with a local agent and set aside time to review your coverage.

Give us a call at 888-867-2866 to schedule a phone or office consultation. We’ll review all of your policies and help you get the best coverage for the best price.

What other things do you include in your own financial “spring cleaning”? Tell us in the comments below!