Roadside Assistance Program

Modern vehicles are designed safer to survive accidents and keep passengers safe.  Virtually all automakers include emergency kits installed by the factory.  This is either due to competitive pressure or government regulations.  Most of the roadside kits include reflective markers, jumper cables, and flashlights.  These kits typically deal with mechanical and accident breakdowns.

Today’s automobiles endure unique conditions.  There is an increase in natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, etc.  Other emergencies include major accidents, snowstorms, and mechanical breakdowns, which all leave motorists stranded.

This is why it is necessary to be prepared in an emergency situation.  Motorists need to have emergency kits, first aid kits, and most importantly, a roadside assistance program.  In any emergency, drivers are left vulnerable, and knowing that help is only a phone call away leaves drivers with peace of mind.  It is simple to take these precautions, and they can literally save your life.

Do you find that you are apprehensive about negotiating with an auto dealer?  Shopping for a vehicle doesn’t have to be nerve-racking, however, you need to be aware of a few things that you shouldn’t say to a dealer.

First, you shouldn’t start talking about monthly payments, instead focus on negotiating the purchase price.  It can become confusing when you’re discussing monthly payments because it might be unclear whether the payment is for 24 or 36 months.

Don’t tell the dealer right away if you’re willing to trade-in your car.  If the dealer is aware of this he will know that you want to get as much money for your car as possible.  The dealer might agree to give you a lot for your trade-in, but usually it’s a smokescreen because then they will fix the price of the new car.

Don’t tell the dealer if you’re planning on paying for the car in cash.  They count on making a lot of money in financing, and if they know that they won’t be able to count on that money, chances are they won’t negotiate on the sticker price.

Do your homework before showing up at a dealership.  Be prepared with information about new car warranties, roadside assistance, financing, and vehicle prices.  This will help you negotiate a successful deal on a car.

Most people realize that hypermiling is not the safest practice; in fact it leads to car accidents. However, many people still do it.  Well now, AAA is weighing in with their view on the subject.

AAA has released a very strong warning saying that practices to save gas, in which illegal driving techniques are used, are dangerous, and therefore shouldn’t be used.  They are referring to practices like drafting off of other cars by tailgating, rolling stops, and turning off the car while driving.

Other gas saving practices toe the line of acceptability.  For example, motorists who have manual transmissions sometimes cruise in neutral to conserve fuel.  This practice is fairly common, yet safety advocates express concerns about motorists not having complete control of their cars.  Also controversial is the practice of utilizing neutral with automatic transmissions, however some drivers who do this say that they can do it safely.  AAA also doesn’t bring up the fact that there are numerous local laws having to do with improper driving, like not keeping your vehicle in gear.

Although motorists are tempted to do anything possible to save money on gas, including skimping on an auto warranty, people need to realize the danger involved in illegal driving techniques.  Unfortunately, hypermiling has been known to lead to car accidents, which is why it is important to have roadside assistance. In addition, drivers should have good used car warranties to avoid unnecessary repair costs, should they arise.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration created the new website safecar.org, where people can sign up and get emails that notify you about automotive recalls.  It’s a pretty good idea, right?  All you have to do is give your vehicle information to the NHTSA and you will get notifications by cell phone, PDA, email, or RSS feed if your car is affected by a recall.

Consumer advocate groups say not quite.  Groups, such as the Consumer Federation of America, and the Center for Auto Safety claim that the program is a “sham” and also counter-productive.

Approximately 600 recalls are issued by the NHTSA per year, and car owners, who usually receive notification letters by the car manufacturers, don’t usually take notice.  In fact, one out of four owners ignore these notifications, even in the case of a dangerous issue.

NHTSA electronic notifications were designed to help cut down that figure, however the recall notices wouldn’t be sent for specific cars according to the VIN number or model.  Instead, they are sent based on a car’s make and year.  For instance, if there were a recall for a 2008 Toyota Tundra, you would get a notification if you only own a Camry.

The argument by consumer groups is that vehicle owners will be more likely to ignore notices because they may get six emails per month.  In other words, motorists may find themselves calling for roadside assistance because they get bombarded by too many emails.

Almost all light trucks and passenger cars for the 2010 model year are going to be equipped with standard side airbags, thanks to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and an agreement in 2003 that was signed by all of the main carmakers.

Except for fleet sales, all cars are going to have side airbags that are head-protecting and also structural components in the front of the vehicle that will help absorb crash energy.  This arrives before a federal mandate made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that will require side-torso and side-curtain airbags in all cars for the model year 2013.  The deal that the carmakers made with the IIHS doesn’t contain side torso bags.

According to the NHTSA, in the event of a side-impact, 41% of deaths are the result of head injuries, which means the latest regulation will cause fatality risks to be reduced by 24%.  In the meantime, the IIHS has predicted that when all vehicles on the roads have side-impact airbags, fatalities on the roads could drop by around 2,000 per year.

These new safety measures will help drivers have peace of mind on the roads.  In addition, motorists should have a good roadside assistance program in case of an emergency.

The days are gone when you could do a roadside repair with chewing gum and tights.  In modern vehicles you need professional help for anything more than a puncture.  It’s reassuring to know that help is only a phone call away, but it can be difficult to choose a roadside assistance program.  There have been many new providers to enter the market in recent years.  These companies offer motorists peace of mind through roadside benefits.

The market is very competitive and it can be confusing for consumers to find the right coverage.  There are numerous road service providers that all offer several various levels of service.

Of course price is an important consideration when shopping for roadside benefits.  However, it shouldn’t be the sole issue.  Decide what aspect of the coverage is most important for you first, and afterward you can proceed with your search.

Often you can pick between auto road services that only help on the roadside, or those that will also help you if you’re stuck at home.  It is a good idea to purchase the latter.  After all, you never know where your car will breakdown.

It is also worth inquiring if coverage is for you, regardless of the car that you’re driving, or for the actual car.  The latter is a good idea if you if other people in the family are driving the car, and the former are ideal if you will be driving more than one car.  Also, sometimes discounts can be given for policies that include a husband and wife.

It can be hard to figure out which roadside assistance program is best for you.  Just remember to determine what kind of road service you need, and find a company that will provide you with the most options.

The Honda Fit made its first appearance in Japan in 2001 and is now being sold around the world.  It has earned many awards, such as “Car of the Year” in Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.  So why is the Fit so special?

Honda says that the Fit is targeted to people who are buying their first car, those who want a small affordable vehicle, and empty nesters.  Honda hit the target with this because the Fit is “The” best car as far as the small vehicle market is concerned.  It is sporty, with adaptability in the interior, and has the dependability and refinement that is found in all of Honda’s vehicles.  Of course, the Fit offers all of this at a bargain price.  This is a bonus because saving money on a purchase price allows you to buy an auto warranty that will protect your investment.

One of the major benefits of the Fit is the unexpected large area for passengers and cargo thanks to the design of the interior.  It is called: Fit’s Magic Seat.  This magic seat has different modes, including cargo, people or both.  The seatbacks allow for folding down or the bottoms of the seats can flip up.  This provides for four cargo and four seating configurations.

The bottom line is that the Fit is a great car.  The adaptability and configurations of the seating are very clever.  It’s sporty, as well as quiet and practical.  It maneuvers well and has good fuel economy.  In addition, the safety features are superb.  To protect your investment, it makes sense to purchase an auto warranty and roadside assistance for this car that will give you peace of mind.

When buying a car for a teen driver it is important to consider safety and reliability.  After all, teens don’t have a lot of experience.  When car shopping for a young driver, cars should be considered that have good crash-test results and advanced safety features.  This will hopefully keep your teen from avoiding roadside assistance calls.

For the most part big, heavy vehicles perform the best in crash tests.  However, large cars can be hard to handle and often have lousy fuel economy.  SUVs and large pickup trucks aren’t recommended for teens because they are more prone to roll over in an accident than other cars.

The best bet for teens is a mid-size sedan with good safety and crash ratings.  Some cars that have these features are the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Sonata, Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Acura RSX and Subaru Impreza.

The best thing to do when buying a car for a teenager is to get the newest model possible that is reliable.  Consult the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to see crash results for cars that you are considering.  These simple considerations will keep your teen from needing emergency roadside assistance.

Cell phones are capable of doing just about anything these days, so they might as well be used to unlock your car doors and start your engine.

That was Sharp’s logic when it teamed up with Japanese mobile company NTT DOCOMO and Nissan to manufacture a cell phone that you can program to electronically control engines and door locks.  Essentially, Sharp installed an existing piece of technology, or Nissan’s Intelligent Key, into a phone.

These technologies seem so well suited that it’s surprising that the latest iPhone didn’t include a feature such as this.  Gizmodo claims that this integration was a long time coming.  Apparently, the filthy rich, hackers, and the Chinese have pretty much all had this idea.  U.S. drivers are enjoying this technology.  However, I wouldn’t cancel your roadside assistance program.  You never know if this high-tech technology may leave you unable to get your car doors open.

Two laws that have been in place since 1988 in all 50 states are receiving new acclaim for lessening fatalities due to drunken-driving.

A recent study in Accident Analysis and Prevention in July has recognized that the drinking age increase to age 21 has reduced the ratio of deaths due to drunken-driving by at least 11%.  Also, making fake ID possession illegal and suspending the person’s driver’s license has lessened fatalities by an additional 7%.

While in all 50 states it’s illegal for people to use a fake ID to buy alcohol, a driver’s-license sanction isn’t always the punishment.  This study suggests that if a law such as this were to be national and linked to highway funds, which are done with the designated drinking age being 21, deaths would decline even more.

Occasionally, there has been talk of making the legal drinking age 18, because soldiers have fought in the Iraq war, but can’t drink a beer.  However, according to the AAP study, making the drinking age 21 has reduced drunken driving deaths drastically.

According to the AAP study, making the drinking age 21 has been a crucial step in reducing accidents and emergency roadside assistance calls due to drunk drivers.  Also apparent is that national driver’s license sanctions would lower deaths even more.