Here are some of the best safety features for seniors. The easy fuel capless filler is not so much a safety feature but is easier on hands that might have a touch of arthritis.

Blind Spot Monitor – With a blind spot monitoring system, built-in radar sensors on both sides of he car [...]]]> Easy Fuel Capless Filler

Here are some of the best safety features for seniors. The easy fuel capless filler is not so much a safety feature but is easier on hands that might have a touch of arthritis.

Blind Spot Monitor – With a blind spot monitoring system, built-in radar sensors on both sides of he car detect when another vehicle has moved into your blind-spot zone. The system then triggers a warning such as flashing light in the corresponding side mirror or an audible sound. Other innovations use the same radar sensors to “look” both ways when you back up.

Back it up – Many automakers are now offering backup cameras that display what’s behind you – even in the dark- on the car’s navigation screen. Add a rear parking assistance package that gives you a warning such as an audible beep-beep-beep the closer you get to an obstacle, and backing up becomes a lot easier and safer.

Height-adjustable pedals – Smaller stature drivers have to slide their seats closer to the steering wheel which may put them too close to the air bag. Many automakers offer power-adjustable pedals that move the brake and accelerator toward you. For the perfect driving position, go for a vehicle with a seat height adjuster and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel.

Easy fuel capless fillers – Twisting off a gas cap can be tough on aging wrists. Standard on many of its newest models, one automaker offers a capless fuel fill system. Simply insert the nozzle and the fuel flap releases.

Voice-activated navigation systems – Easier for older folks to use and less distracting as they don’t have to peer at a keyboard and punch things in.

Seniors should be looking at new vehicles as there are some good buys out there and they may come with a lengthy warranty that may include scheduled maintenance. When buying a car seniors should consider car-based crossovers (such as a Honda Pilot) because their height makes them convenient for seniors to get in and out of and to load things.

Also, avoid large-diameter wheels and low-profile tires because they can cause a hard ride. Stay with standard rims.

Older drivers who drive less than 7,500 miles a year may be able to get lower insurance rates.

Drivers of family cars are most likely to have accidents because they are rushing around or distracted. Kids are fighting in the back of the car which causes you to take your attention away from the road or you are rushing to get somewhere because you have been delayed [...]]]> Front Wheel Drive vs Four Wheel Drive

Drivers of family cars are most likely to have accidents because they are rushing around or distracted. Kids are fighting in the back of the car which causes you to take your attention away from the road or you are rushing to get somewhere because you have been delayed by looking for a lost book or shoes etc. The following features help you save time and minimize distractions.

Heated Windows and Windshield - On cold mornings the last thing you want to do is take extra time to scrape windshields and windows. An electrically heated windshield uses a grid of hair-thin heating elements to melt away the ice in seconds. Make sure you also get heated doorr mirrors. The only drawback here is if you have to replace them, the heated door mirrors and windshield are more expensive than the regular kind.

Power lift tailgate - When you are going to your car with your kids, you can save time by opening the tailgate at the same time as you open the other doors. That way while your putting the toddler in their car seat the older kids can be stashing their stuff in the back of the car. Again, another small way to save time and decrease that “rushed” feeling.

Keyless entry - Again this is another time saver plus a security feature. If you are in a dimly lit parking garage you can get to your quickly and safely. It is a great feature to have if is raining. You can quickly get yourself and the children into the car and again save time and avoid feeling rushed which is especially important on a rainy day when accidents are more likely. A radio transmitter in the key fob sends a signal to your car that does all the work for you.

Conversation Mirror – You need to see what your kids are doing all the time. Many minivan, crossover and SUV makers offer a conversation mirror, an extra wide conversation mirror that will give you a full-width view of what is going on in the back seat.

OnStar system – If you have a flat tire or accident or just need directions – notifications like OnStar receive your exact location and are summoned immediately. These are a great comfort if it is just you and the kids, kind of like having another adult around.

Best car choice for families – Buying a brand new car allows you to, get the latest safety innovations and you can specify other features your family might need. To save money, look for last year’s model, which dealers are usually likely to want to move out quickly.

Four wheel drive vs. front wheel drive - An SUV style four wheel drive won’t stop you from skidding or reduce braking distance. Regular front-wheel drive with traction control works just as well.

Speed limiter - An innovative new system lets parents program the car’s ignition key to limit the vehicle’s top speed to 80 mph, limit audio volume to 44 percent of maximum and sound a warning chime every six seconds until the safety belt is [...]]]> Speed Limiters

Here are some features you should consider for your teen driver:

Speed limiter - An innovative new system lets parents program the car’s ignition key to limit the vehicle’s top speed to 80 mph, limit audio volume to 44 percent of maximum and sound a warning chime every six seconds until the safety belt is buckled

Clear site - All around visibility is vital for a young driver. Avoid buying any car or truck with low, swooping roof lines, narrow windows and thick rear roof pillars. Go for a sedan with a higher roof, thinner pillars and fewer blind spots.

Out of sight – Many kids carry pricey gear in their car, and items like sports equipment, laptops, mp3 players and designer sneakers can tempt thieves. With a hatch back or crossover, there is almost nowhere to tuck things away. A sedan with a trunk, on the other hand, lets you safely lock items away from prying eyes.

Gas savers - Most teens will be motoring on a budget. While they may be tempted by a hulking v8-engined 4×4 SUV on the used car lot, it is likely to cost a small fortune in gas. Even family sedans that are three or more years old may be v6 powered and thirsty. For the best fuel economy and generally lower maintenance bills opt for four-cylinder power.

Best choice – While many teens crave something sporty or rugged it is not a good idea because sporty cars encourage risky driving . SUV’s can be unstable when driven hard. Go for a nearly new compact four door sedan with an economical four cylinder engine that is two equipped with some of the latest safety features, like anti theft systems, front and side air bags and stability control with the required ABS. Best buy is a four-door, four cylinder sedan that is two to three years old.

Texting and Driving - To keep your teen from texting behind the wheel, you can download an app that blocks all texts, e-mails and internet browsing when your car is going over 10 mph. It costs just $4.99 a month and works with most smartphones. Go to zapmytext.com

You don’t need to by a car with factory installed navigation, It is cheaper to pick up a portable gps for $100 to $200

Make sure your teen knows what information to take down in an accident. Make them an accident kit with a glowstick, flashlight, disposable camera,flashlight pen,and pad of paper, instructions of what information they must collect.

Check if your insurer offers a good student discount which is a B average.

Insurance experts say these are these are the top seven things every driver should have:

1. Electronic stability control - This feature will be required on all new passenger vehicles by 2012. What ESC does is sense a skid and works with the car’s antilock brakes to regain control. Especially good if [...]]]> Add Side Impact Airbags

Insurance experts say these are these are the top seven things every driver should have:

1. Electronic stability control - This feature will be required on all new passenger vehicles by 2012. What ESC does is sense a skid and works with the car’s antilock brakes to regain control. Especially good if you have to drive in bad weather conditions.

2. Air Bags – Insurance companies feel the more airbags you have the better off you are. In addition to driver and front passenger bags, you want to have side or side-torso bags which protect front occupants from a side impact. Side curtain bags inflate from the roof, reducing head injuries for all those in the car.

3. Antilock brakes – Without ABS, when you hit the brakes on a slippery road your brakes may lock up. Locked up brakes mean you will lose steering control and could go into a dangerous skid. Antilock brakes will prevent your wheel from locking up and let you to stay in control of your vehicle.

4. Tire-pressure monitoring – Mandatory on all passenger vehicles since September 2007, the system monitors tire air pressure. If pressure drops a dashboard warning light flashes. This is a feature which not only increases safety but fuel economy as well. Under inflated tires cause you to use more gas and they increase the speed at which your tires wear out. So this feature saves in all kinds of ways.

5. Safety belt pretensioners – In a collision, these sensors trigger a device that instantly takes up any slack in the front belts. This makes the safety belts better at preventing you from coming into contact with the car interior and also decreases the possibility you will be ejected from the car.

6. Lane marker warning systems – The latest lane departure warning systems use a camera to detect if your wheels are crossing a lane marker. If you’re not using your turn signal at the time, you’ll be alerted. An alarm may sound or the seat or steering wheel will vibrate.

7. Fender bender warning system – Upcoming radar systems sense if the vehicle in front of yours is slowing or stopped. If you’re traveling at 18 mph or less, the system will sense an impending fender bender and hit the brakes hard to avoid a crunch.

Besides getting the right safety features, the type of car you buy will also affect your car insurance rates. See our post Cheapest Autos To Insure to find out which cars are really the cheapest autos to insure.

A University of Texas study looked at the relationship between the time of day, number of passengers and type of vehicle, among other factors, and the severity of injuries in auto accidents with new drivers. Preventing accidents is one of the best to ensure you get cheap car insurance for new driver. So [...]]]> Teen Accident Analysis

A University of Texas study looked at the relationship between the time of day, number of passengers and type of vehicle, among other factors, and the severity of injuries in auto accidents with new drivers. Preventing accidents is one of the best to ensure you get cheap car insurance for new driver. So take a look at what they found. Some of the findings were no brainers: Drinking and driving is the deadliest combination for teen drivers. Others were more surprising and even conflict with the state’s (Texas) graduated license law, intended to limit both freedom and risk for teen drivers.

Among those findings is that driving a pickup puts teens, especially 16- 17-year olds, at far higher risk of injury than driving a car. Most pickups have a very powerful engine and a powerful engine capability appears to lead to aggressive driving behavior when the pickup is in the hands of a teenager. Older model pickups and some newer ones may lack the safety features of a sedan. So your first step to get cheap car insurance for new driver is to avoid buying them a truck.

The study published in the traffic safety journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, contained a few other interesting findings:

- Driving with one young passenger is riskier than driving alone or with two teen passengers. Graduated license laws in Texas and several other states limit new drivers under age 18 to one teen passenger, other than family members.

- Drivers are most aggressive during the morning rush hour. New drivers in Texas aren’t allowed to drive between midnight and 5 a.m.

- Even one year can make a difference: 16- and 17-year-olds are more likely to drive aggressively than those 18-20. Also if there are other teenagers in the car aggressive driving increases even more.

- Teens driving with one teen passenger are more likely to be in an accident than those with two or more teen passengers.

- Teens account for 15 percent of miles traveled to and from school but more than half of injuries and fatalities in school-related travel. Evidence that teen body rhythms leave them sleepy in the hours after dawn could help explain that.

So again if an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – if you want to get cheap car insurance for new driver – don’t let your teen drive to school.

See our previous post Insurance Rates for a New Driver to learn more about lowering your rates for teen drivers. Free Insurance Policy Quotes gives you information about insurance in easy to understand terms.

Premium increases of 50 to 100 percent are not unheard of when you go to insure your teen driver. Here is what insurance experts recommend:

Shop around

While rates for 40-somethings may be fairly standard among insurers, that’s not always the case with younger drivers. So it’s worth checking out several free [...]]]>

Best Car Insurance for New Drivers

Premium increases of 50 to 100 percent are not unheard of when you go to insure your teen driver. Here is what insurance experts recommend:

Shop around

While rates for 40-somethings may be fairly standard among insurers, that’s not always the case with younger drivers. So it’s worth checking out several free insurance policy quotes. You may also want to consider taking out a separate policy for your teen. If your current drivers have a good driving record adding your teen to your policy will save the most money. If your record is bad, it may be less expensive to get your teen a separate policy.

Later as your teen gets older check when your insurer classifies young drivers as adults. At that point, you should see a decrease in your rates. While many companies classify drivers as adults at age 25, some offer lower rates for 23-year-old drivers. Drivers who marry, even if they’re younger than 25, may qualify for lower auto premiums. Also, as your teen becomes a twenty-something, it’s worth checking whether he or she should move to a separate policy.

What car should your teen drive?

Get a safe car and one that is not likely to be stolen to save on your worries and insurance rates. Keep the car in your name which will help lower premiums. If your insurer allows it ask your them to assign your teen driver to just one of your cars.

Grades Count

Let your insurance company know if your child has a B or better grade average. Many insurers offer good-student discounts, which typically range from 5 percent to 10 percent. It also helps to have your child take a driver’s education course because you can get a discounts of up to 15 percent if the course is approved by your insurer.

In addition, some insurers offer “safe driver programs.” Teen participants in these programs sign contracts stating that they won’t, for instance, drink and drive. Check with your insurance company. If your teenager completes the program, you may be able to cut another 5 percent or so from your increase.

If your state has a “graduated license” plan where new drivers are restricted from certain activities, such as driving with passengers, until they’ve had their licenses for a set period. Ask if any discounts are available. Some insurers may take a few percentage points off your increase.

Low Mileage Discount

When you’re teen goes away to school, if the school is 100 miles away from home and your teen doesn’t have a car on campus you can get your rates reduced. Also, for teenagers, if they drive less than the average 10,000 to 12,000 miles which is the mileage that most drivers put on their cars each year, they can get a discount. You can agree to not surpass a certain mileage and in return, you can get a lower rate.

You probably already know [...]]]> Can You Save Money With Online Car Insurance Quotes?

You can barely browse the web without seeing a lot of ads for online auto insurance quotes. Since they are so popular, it must be obvious that people use them! But do they really healp people save money with the top auto insurance companies?

You probably already know that your own personal rates will depend upon some things that are unique to you and your family of drivers. Your age, driving record, and the type of car you drive will matter. This is obvious to most people even if they do not know the exact details.

But did you know that some insurers will even consider your yearly mileage or your credit report when they set rates? This comes as a surprise to many people.  Other factors that insurers are consider are your location, safety features, and defensive driving classes you may have taken.

When you consider dozens of individual things, it can be tough to figure out which insurer will offer you the best deal. Many drivers can also benefit from a car insurance discounter who will offer specials to people like them. Some examples of discounts are for low mileage drivers, home owners who combine home and auto policies in the same office, and drivers of safer cars to insure.

How Online Insurance Quotes Help You Find Policies That Are Good and Cheap!

This is where an online quote form can really help. The system uses your information to find the top insurers who are eager to offer good insurance deals to drivers like you!