Roadside Assistance Program

One of the most fun family activities is taking road trips.  Families can make a lot of fond memories traveling on the open road.  Americans will take more than 320 vacation trips over the spring and summer season.  However, frustration and stress can come along with a family road trip, so take note of some do’s and don’ts that will allow your family to have a great time.

First and foremost, take your family vehicle in for a tune-up.  You want to make sure your car is in top-notch condition.  There is nothing more inconvenient than having your vehicle break down on the side of the road, leaving your family stranded.  This is why you should have a road service program in case of unforeseen problems.

Make sure you plan ahead.  This will help your family know what to expect throughout the trip.  It will also help you have a smooth trip.  Software for trip planning along with a GPS will aid your family in planning the ideal vacation.  This technology will literally guide you to your destination.  And the tools that are easy to use allow you to personalize a trip from start to finish.

Of course, you are bound to run into some speed bumps along the way.  For instance, you never know when you will run into road construction or traffic. However, don’t let your fun be ruined, just make sure you have emergency roadside assistance in case your vehicle overheats.  This will bring you peace of mind and let you enjoy your family.

Age is not the only factor that determines a person’s driving ability; however, there are physical changes that happen as a result of the aging process that affect a person’s driving skills.  There are over 19 million drivers in the country over 70 years old.

This age group is the most rapidly growing part of the population in America.  This is the reason that a lot of attention is being placed on making these drivers aware of their changing abilities.  It is important to help them drive safely.

According to statistics, older drivers are much more likely to have accidents than all other drivers, even teens.  This means it is imperative that they have a road service program. They also get more traffic citations for not turning properly, failing to stop when necessary, and running through stop signs and red lights.  This indicates their driving ability has decreased.

When people age their vision and hearing diminishes, and their reaction time becomes slower.  Also, older adults are more likely to take various medications that can affect their driving.

Despite the problems that come along with aging, mature adults can be good drivers.  Many have to compensate by changing certain habits.  For instance, some people might limit their driving to hours in the daytime.  In addition, it is smart to avoid driving in dangerous weather.  Mature adults should make sure that they have emergency roadside assistance in case they run into trouble.

During this time of year drivers in the northeast think they are in the clear because winter is on its way out. However, roadside assistance reaches its peak in February, so motorists need to prepare their vehicles for ongoing winter conditions. A few maintenance tips can help you avoid being stranded in extreme weather.

First and foremost, have a battery load test done by a technician who is qualified. This will determine if your battery has the strength to make it through the rest of the winter. Batteries are vulnerable in cold weather. At 32 degrees batteries are 35 percent weaker than in warmer weather.

Next, check the tread on your tires. To do this, check the “wear bar” that runs on the hollow of the tread. It’s time for you to buy new tires if the tread is worn down to the height of the wear bar.

Finally, you need to check your windshield because it is dangerous to drive with a windshield covered with ice or snow. Determine that your defroster and wipers are working properly, and make sure that you have a no-freeze windshield washer fluid.

Maintaining your vehicle is the best way to avoid winter breakdowns. However, sometimes-unforeseen problems do arise. Make sure you have a road service program to protect you in the event of an emergency.

Drivers who talk on a cell phone are impaired to the same extent as an intoxicated driver with blood alcohol of .08. Unfortunately, this is one of the many distractions that teenagers face while driving. They tend to multi-task behind the wheel, which puts them at risk for accidents that could harm themselves and others.

Teenagers have even more to deal with in modern times. They use iPods, switch CD’s, and are distracted by all of the technology on the dashboards of modern vehicles. Another dangerous activity is text messaging. One out of five teens admit that they have text messaged while driving. With these kinds of statistics, it is essential for teens to be covered by a roadside assistance program.

According to experts, our brains don’t have the capability to drive and multi-task because driving is unpredictable. You never know when a deer might jump out in the road, or a cyclist might swerve in front of you. These events are dangerous, especially if the driver is distracted.

With the distractions of modern times we need to do whatever we can to keep teenage drivers safe. Parents can help by making rules, and purchasing emergency roadside assistance for their teens.

The days are gone when you could do a roadside repair with chewing gum and tights.  In modern cars 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 factor 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 is 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 figure out what kind of road service you need, and find a company that will provide you with the most options.

The Ohio Valley was hit with severe snow and ice on Tuesday, which made for dangerous driving conditions.  There was a layer of ice, covering 4 inches of snow in Kentucky due to freezing rain.  Southern Illinois had 8 inches of snow covered in ice.  Pittsburgh already had 5 inches of snow by noon with 3 more inches expected.

All of the snow and ice meant trouble for motorists.  Louisville highways left dozens of vehicles abandoned on the freeways at night. Drivers that didn’t have a roadside assistance program found themselves in dangerous conditions. The Western Kentucky Parkway had to close a section due to trees that had been weighed down by ice.  Near Indianapolis Interstate 65 had five-miles of highway closed in the morning due to dozens of wrecks.

Driving conditions were so risky that First Lady Laura Bush decided to cancel a trip that she had planned to Kentucky.  In addition, The National Park Service had to cancel an event at Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace because driving was treacherous.

In this type of inclement weather it is best to stay home.  Unfortunately, some people have to get to where they’re going.  The best thing that drivers can do to ensure their safety is make sure they are covered by a roadside assistance program.  Road service ensures that motorists will not be stranded in dangerous conditions.  Unfortunately, many drivers in the Ohio Valley found themselves stranded without a road service program.

Research shows that commuters are suffering from more rush hour breakdowns than ever.  These breakdowns that occur between 7am and 9am are leaving carpool moms stranded and employees late to their workplaces.  A roadside assistance program is the number one thing motorists can do to protect themselves from car failure.

Breakdowns can cause motorists to be trapped inside of their car or be exposed to other road dangers.  A recent survey shows that out of drivers who’s cars have broken down over the last two years, 20% of motorists were in a place where they felt it wasn’t safe to leave their car, 15% had children with them and 5% had an elderly passenger who couldn’t walk well.  In addition, 30% of women surveyed admitted feeling stressed about finding help.

This survey also shows that there are five top locations for cars to breakdown.  Many drivers don’t even get out of their driveway, because home is the #1 place for breakdowns.  Next, many drivers breakdown on their way to work, followed by visits to see family and friends.  The fourth most popular breakdown place is at shops, and finally, work comes in fifth place.

Having a roadside assistance program is the best thing that you can do to avoid dangerous breakdown situations.  Road service will prevent you from having to wait a long time for help.  In addition, emergency roadside assistance will help moms get their children to school, and employees get to work.

To figure out what roadside assistance program to purchase, think about who or what the various plans cover. It can be more confusing than you would think. For example, under some plans only the insured vehicle is covered and other plans cover the member regardless of what car they are driving at the time.  Most automaker plans apply only to the vehicle for which they policy was issued.

 

That would be fine unless you want to also cover the family car. The higher rated plans available cover not only the member in whatever car he or she is driving but it is also the same for an additional family member under the same membership.  The better providers will afford this important roadside assistance benefit at no additional charge.

 

More desirable auto club plans typically follow their member, providing roadside assistance coverage no matter what the vehicle, in most cases even for rental cars.

 

When choosing an auto road service plan be sure to pick one with these advantages without the need to pay extra.

Be careful when using the roadside assistance coverage provided by your comprehensive & collision insurance provider.  Most consumers don’t know that a tow that is provided by your auto insurer’s roadside assistance program could boost your car insurance premium significantly.

When you use an insurance company’s roadside assistance or towing benefits too often it can affect your rates (not in your favor) or even your eligibility for their insurance coverage.  Some auto insurers even consider your calls for roadside assistance to be negatives, just like accident claims.  State Farm, one of the United States’ leading insurers, says that the use of their roadside assistance is a small factor in how they calculate rates or consider a consumer’s insurability though there is no way to verify this statement.  Some insurers report roadside assistance calls they receive to ChoicePoint, a company that compiles claims information for the insurance industry.  Nationwide and GEICO say that they report the information as well but claim that it has only a slight effect on their policy decisions.  Allstate claims that it doesn’t report usage by its members of the Allstate Motor Club, but it does report all towing claims that are made under its insurance policy.

It’s not easy to knock AutoRoadService.com or AAA. These companies have more than 45 million members combined who count on them for emergency roadside assistance.  It’s not surprising that many of their members have been with them for a lifetime. 

When a member is stranded on a dark, lonely highway it can do wonders for membership renewals. 

Everyone loves the benefits these providers give to their members because it consistently gets them out of jams.  What isn’t commonly realized is the actual savings each member gets over the cost of contracting for auto road service on their own.  In a lifetime, membership in a quality roadside assistance program is as good an investment as one can make in the safety and security of their family when out on the road.