driving Archives - Serendipity Mommy

5 ways you can be a safer driver

October 27, 2020 by Mandy

Whether you are a seasoned driver or are relatively new on the roads, there are always a few ways you can be safer while driving. We may need to pay more attention, drop bad habits, or be less hesitant – whatever the answer is for you personally, the key is to always stay vigilant.

Remaining focused and keen to improve your road safety is a good sign that you are committed to improving yourself as a driver. Hopefully, then you can stay safe on the roads, but, if you are the unfortunate victim of a road accident, you can get more info from a car accident lawyer.

Drive to suit the conditions

It is important to remember when driving that the road signs are there to inform us what the speed limit is, for example, in that area in prime conditions.

However, if there is bad weather, heavy traffic, or anything else that may affect your driving, then you would adjust your speed accordingly, despite the road signs. It would be dangerous to try and push your speed just because the sign tells you the maximum as if conditions are bad you will be putting yourself and others at risk.

The signs are there to inform, but it is important to adjust your driving based on what is safest for the conditions you find yourself in at the time.

Check your blind spots

It sounds obvious, but this is a point that is so often missed in day to day driving. We think we have checked it already and then the next minute a cyclist appears out of nowhere!

You do not want to find yourself in this situation, so try to make it a ritual where you remind yourself often while you are driving to keep checking those blind spots. And when you have done it, do it again just to be sure!

Make sure your vision is checked regularly

Another tip that appears to go without saying is to check that your eyesight is good enough to be able to drive safely.

Although this seems like an obvious suggestion, it can sometimes be forgotten about. Also, we can often think that we have been for an eye test more recently than we have.

Therefore, it might be worth popping a reminder on your phone or in your diary so that you make sure to have them checked regularly for guaranteed safety on the roads.

Maintain your car often

Looking after your car looks after you, too – a well-maintained car does not only ensure your car’s performance is up to scratch, but it also means you are protected for a safer journey.

There are several things you want to consider when you are maintaining your car, namely that the important things are checked first of all, like the brakes, lights, tire pressure, and so on.

Carrying out these checks will also prolong your car’s life span, so it is worth doing to look after your car as well.

Only drive when it is necessary

Another good piece of advice is to only drive when you need to. This means that you will then be more alert and focused when you do come to drive.

Driving constantly and for short journeys that you do not need to drive for can lead to complacency and bad habits forming.

So, where you can, take a break from driving and walk instead or catch the bus or even ride your bike. Then when you do come to drive, you will have more heightened focus, hazard awareness, and reaction times.

Reasons to Get Your Own Insurance When Renting a Car Abroad

August 4, 2020 by Mandy

Many of us have fallen into that trap when we try to rent a car abroad, searching for car rental deals online, finding an $8 per day deal, only to arrive and find that the price didn’t include insurance, and when you get to the counter they hit you with the astronomical costs. The decision to continue with just basic insurance isn’t worth considering, as a single incident means that your life savings could be lost such are the charges involved, but instead of agreeing to those insurance costs, there is another way.

There are many options which you can count on to get your own individual cover before you leave home, and there are some outstanding companies which will offer you insurance for your rental car. These companies provide you with a far better deal than the rental companies, and here is why you should consider getting yourself protected privately rather than through the rental company.

Lowering Costs

When it comes to fully comprehensive cover, rental companies can charge as much as $40 per day, which can often be more than 5 times the cost of the car rental itself. Instead of paying these exorbitant charges you can get yourself covered at a significantly lower price, and still be safe in the knowledge that you are completely covered should anything happen to the vehicle whilst it is in your care. There are also additional costs which now won’t have to be paid for, insuring sports goods for example or having more than one driver, everyone and everything in the vehicle will be covered when you arrange your own cover. The additional driver cover is a great idea too as so many rental car companies will charge you extra per day for each person who wishes to drive the rental car, yet another example of them looking to profit.

Complete Coverro

The insurance which is offered by car rental companies is highly confusing, and that is by design. It is the desire of the car rental company to make as much money from each rental as they possibly can and this is why they will offer additional covers such as tires and windscreens, which of course should be covered by your insurance in the first place. The same thing goes here for their Collision Damage or Excess Waiver, they have created additional covers which should already be contained within your fully comprehensive insurance, and again that is for the purpose of making more money. When you secure your own cover however you can be safe in the knowledge that full cover means exactly that, and every aspect of that full cover is laid out clearly.

Confidence

Even drivers who have taken out full cover policies can be unsure what they are and what they are not covered for and this can affect the confidence which you drive with. For example there are many policies sold by rental companies which don’t cover the health of another party should there be an accident, or perhaps their vehicle. This means that you end up driving with more care and attention than ever before and in some cases it will mean that you don’t take the car to certain places for fear of increasing the risk that something may happen. All of this of course shouldn’t be an issue and when you rent a vehicle you should have the confidence to get out there are enjoy the open road. When you get yourself some private cover you can do this, fully confident that should anything happen, you will have maximum cover for any eventuality. Instead of letting the rental company get into your head when you rent the car, as they enjoy doing to try and make you spend more, you can simply tell them that you are already covered.

Time

If you get insurance over the counter at the rental company you do not have the time to spend on really looking over the small print and the details surrounding the insurance agreement, which could cause you to miss out on some important information. If however you decide to go for a private rental before you leave home, you are going to have more than enough time to pore over the details, weigh up the pros and cons of what each provider is offering and a make a decision which you are going to be happy with. This of course is far more preferential than taking the word of the member of staff at the rental place and sighing your life away for something which you aren’t sure about.

Increased Cover

When many of these private insurance providers started to operate there was a lot of misinformation and a great deal of restrictions on where they were able to cover and who they were able to cover. These days however this is not the case and companies such as Bonzah are offering high quality service and conditions which ensure that each driver is offered complete cover all over the world. The process by which drivers can make a claim has also been heavily simplified and this just gives travelers that peace of mind, knowing that they are covered with a quality company which adheres to the highest standards. If there are any areas where you are not covered then you will know this from the outset so there will be no confusion that could result in you not being covered, the information is completely transparent.

Say no to those over-the-top charges from rental car companies and make sure that your insurance covers every single aspect of your vehicle and its contents whilst you are traveling. Investing some time ahead of your trip to make sure that you have high level private insurance for your rental car is the best way to save money, gain peace of mind and enjoy your trip without the worry of financial ruin should you get a bump, scratch, or something worse.

Benefits of Driving a Luxury Vehicle

March 15, 2019 by Mandy

Buying your first luxury car, whether new or used, is quite an amazing experience. It makes you feel that you have taken a step up in the world. Why is this so? Read on to find out more about owning a beautiful, luxury vehicle.

Top of The Line Technology: Having a luxury car allows drivers to fully experience automotive technology at its finest. From radio systems, GPS systems, and electronic engineering, you cannot go wrong with the technology built into a luxury vehicle.
Safety: All luxury cars, including the Lexus, have top of the line safety features to make sure that the driver is safe at all times. Any safety concerns can be researched online or at your local dealerships. Before releasing a luxury car for purchase, they are always heavily inspected and tested to make sure all safety features are running to the company’s expectations. Features added to luxury vehicles are blind spot warning, stability control, anti-lock braking systems, and side-front airbags.
Quality: Used or new, luxury vehicles give the driver better quality in their vehicle than they could ever dream of. From air-conditioned seats to in-headrest TV’s, you can never go wrong with the quality of a luxury car.
Self-Rewarding: Owning a luxury car is something that gives a driver a rewarding feeling for all the long hard hours they worked to get their vehicle. Whether they bought it brand new from a dealership or a used car business, owning a luxury car always gives a person a wonderful sense of satisfaction.

Benefits of Owning a Lexus

A Lexus is designed for accuracy and safety, making this luxury car an excellent option for anyone that needs the extra reassurance of driving safely behind the wheel. The engine inspectors for the Lexus are trained professionals that go as far as installing engine parts in front of their supervisor to ensure everyone that the car is up to Lexus professional standards and running perfectly before it is released from the dealership. After the parts are installed, the Lexus is then put through testing, including extreme environmental conditions to truly put the vehicle to test, making the Lexus one of the safest luxury cars available. Always keep in mind that if it’s the safety of a Lexus you want but you are on a budget, there is always the option of used cars Montgomery AL.

Why is Good Credit Important

When purchasing any luxury car, it is important to make sure your credit is up to standards with the dealership you are purchasing the vehicle from. When you show up with a credit score that will not impress the sellers, it will be unlikely that they will want to do business with you unless you are walking in with the amount of money it takes to buy the car outright. Purchasing a luxury car can be a process between saving and getting your credit score higher, the goal is never out of reach.

Maintaining a Luxury Car

Maintaining a luxury vehicle has never been easier for car owners as most of the maintenance work is done behind the scenes at a dealership. Most vehicle brands do not allow their cars on the road if they fall below safety standards at any given time. This helps the drivers to have full protection and be satisfied at all times. They can know that their vehicle is up to par with any and all safety regulations for the particular brand they are driving. If at any point in time you feel as if your luxury car is not running properly, contact the dealership of your particular vehicle to have it tested properly and professionally.

New Versus Used

Whether you purchase a new or used luxury vehicle, it is still under the luxury category and still comes with all the safety features and technology that your brand vehicle builds into the car. The only difference between new and used is that your used luxury car may have a few dents (easily fixable), more mileage or slight damage in other areas of the car by the previous owner. At the end of the day, if there is anything wrong with a used luxury car you purchased, it can be solved quickly by calling the company that sells and maintains your car brand.

Here is How To Fight a Stop Sign Violation!

August 22, 2018 by Mandy

You’ve been pulled over for running a stop sign and want to know what is next. This surprisingly common violation may seem cut and dry. However, you can fight stop sign violations. Whether you choose to tackle the ticket alone or hire professional ticket fighters, here are a few strategies you can use:

You Stopped Further Back

If you stopped a little before the limit line or sign, the police officer who pulled you over may not have seen you stopping. This is especially likely if the officer was off to the side of the road behind a bush or other common hiding spot. The police officer’s view may have been obscured, meaning he or she could not see you stopping.

To use this defense, request a copy of the officer’s notes. Additionally, take some photos of the area and possibly draw a diagram. The more evidence you gather you show that you stopped outside of the officer’s sight, the better your chances of success.

The Stop Sign Was Not Visible

There are stop signs all over the country, and not all of them are easily visible. If the sign was down or obscured from sight, you may be able to fight the ticket. Photographs or even videos showing that the sign is not easily visible will help your defense.

The Line Was Faded

If you stopped but not before the limit line, it may be because the line is faded. This can be a valid defense provided that you were otherwise driving safely. Again, visual evidence that the line was faded or obscured will greatly increase your chances of success.

Get Help

If you’ve received a stop sign ticket in California, consider hiring the best traffic attorney Santa Ana residents can find. A traffic lawyer will help you mount the most viable defense possible for your stop sign violation.

Safety Tips for Driving & On-the-Road Employees

July 4, 2018 by Mandy

As an entrepreneur, you know how hard it is to ensure all areas of safety for your business. This is especially true when vehicles are in the picture. You might be wondering: how do I make sure both my company and employees are safe while on the road? Well, with the right tips, you’ll be taking all precautions necessary and your business will be thriving in no time.

Here are a few general safety tips for driving and on-the-road employees.

Set up a safe driving program

The first thing you can do to make sure your employees and vehicles are safe is to make a safe driving program for your business. In this case, upon being hired, employees will have to take the course as part of their training.

Motor vehicles are a leading cause of death and injury for all ages. You never want a car crash to happen—but you especially don’t want one in the case of running a business. That just screams liabilities and law suits.

The driver safety program will help:

Save lives and reduce the risk of life-altering injuries within your workforce.
Protect your organization’s human and financial resources.
Guard against potential company and personal liabilities associated with crashes involving employees.

Setting up a driver program will ensure a “be safe” culture in your workplace by teaching your employees basic safe driving practices. Following this guideline is one of the smartest ways you can reduce motor vehicle crashes.

Plan routes

Another sure way to keep your employees and vehicles safe on the road are to plan the routes you’ll be taking. If your business travels far, check the weather forecast and travel news before the journey and figure out which route is going to be safest and fastest for your employee.

Timely route and traffic information is available from a range of organizations. Just make sure you’re taking other necessary precautions to your vehicle like checking tire pressures, oil, water, and fluid levels, etc. You don’t want your vehicle busting out on you in the middle of a trip, wasting both your hard-earned time and money.

Motor vehicle checks

Before allowing any employees to drive your vehicles, make sure you’re implementing a driving record check. Identifying potential hires with poor driving records is important. They could be a huge risk since they’re likely to drive less safely than those with clean driving records.

Even though you do a motor vehicle check upon hire doesn’t mean you’re finished, though. You should review driving records periodically to ensure that good driving is maintained.

Auto insurance

You’re taking all the necessary precautions to vehicle operation for your business. Regardless, you should invest in commercial auto insurance. Having coverage for your vehicle(s) as well as your employees is an absolute must. You don’t want to be stuck in a situation where there is a car accident and your vehicle is totaled or an employee gets injured. Otherwise, you’re looking at huge lawsuits and paying out of pocket. It’s a recipe for disaster. Protect your business with insurance.

So, you have your business. It’s going great. You already have or you’re just now implementing vehicles into your company’s plan. With these safety tips, you’ll be sure to have a successful driving record for your business. Just make sure you’re doing driving record checks, enforcing a driver safety program, and you purchase auto insurance.