Smart advice for smarter coverage - Page 8

By Aaron Crowe As the father of teenage daughters and an attorney who specializes in texting and driving accidents, Scott C. Gottlieb knows firsthand how much teen girls like to share everything they do and think with their friends. “This can result in a constant barrage of sending and receiving messages, often from many teen […]

By Aaron CroweThe observation of Moore’s law that computing power doubles about every two years and becomes cheaper over time has been a boon to buyers of new cars, among many other products.No longer do you have to buy a luxury car to get the on-board navigation systems that can help with voice turn-by-turn directions, […]

By Aaron CroweFor the working professionals who are first-time drunken drivers who enter Nicole Denmon’s law office in Tampa, Fla., for help, the legal world they’re about to enter can be quite confusing.Along with the court system and thousands of dollars a DUI will cost them, Denmon explains some of the other ways they may […]

By Aaron Crowe If your car’s “check engine” light comes on a lot and sends you on an expensive trip to the mechanic too often, you might want to consider buying a Hyundai. Hyundai passed Toyota for the top spot in CarMD’s annual ranking of manufacturer and vehicle reliability for having low frequency of repairs […]

By Aaron CroweThe sharing economy is everywhere. As a way to put a few extra dollars in your pocket, you can rent out your home, couch, parking space, boat, Wi-Fi, office, or just about anything, including a sewing machine or ladder. Lyft and Sidecar can turn your car into a taxi.For people going to the […]

By Aaron Crowe The conventional wisdom is that the end of the year is a smart time to buy a new car because car dealers are looking to move inventory before new models arrive. But is that always the case? Is December the best month to shop for a new car? Some deals can be […]

By Aaron Crowe Californians have saved more than $100 billion since auto insurance rate regulations were approved by voters 25 years ago, according to a recent report by the Consumer Federation of America. Auto insurance expenditures have increased 43% on average across the country during the past 25 years, according to the CFA study. Nebraska […]

By Aaron Crowe The drunk driver who killed Heather Geronemus’ dad almost five years ago did something that hundreds of anti-drunk driving commercials couldn’t: Get her to lead her local MADD chapter. As is common in the Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization, members and leaders often have lost loved ones to drunk driving. For Geronemus, […]

By Aaron Crowe Hitting a deer with your car can be scary. It can be especially frightening if you’ve stopped for a deer that’s looking to cross the road. That’s what happened to Julie Reusch, a communications manager for Allstate Insurance in Pennsylvania, who was pregnant with twins in November 2011 when she stopped on […]

By Aaron Crowe If you live in an area where it snows in the winter, you’ve got to do a lot more than just mentally prepare for it. Shoveling snow from your driveway is a headache most people want to avoid, and driving in or storing your car in the snow is worth preparing for […]

By Aaron CroweReserving a rental car a few months in advance is probably the best-known way to save money when renting a car.Especially during peak times such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, reserving a car two to three months in advance can save you money and ensure you have a car waiting for you when you […]

By Aaron Crowe As a professional negotiator who helps people buy cars, Mike Rabkin was surprised when a friend he was helping was unwittingly sold an extended service contract for a new Honda CRV. The dealer’s finance department, not the sales department, sold the extended warranty for $1,500. After Rabkin called the sales manager to […]

By Aaron Crowe Getting busted for driving under the influence of alcohol can result in thousands of dollars in fines, jail time, probation, attending alcohol treatment meetings, and having a driver’s license suspended.There’s one small bright spot for drivers convicted of DUI who want to drive again: Every state allows ignition interlock devices as sentencing […]

Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all major holiday travel times in the U.S. While millions of Americans will be hopping a flight to their destination, many more will gas up the family vehicle and hit the open roads. If you fall into the latter category, here are 6 things you should do before taking […]

By Michelle Mears-Gerst Baby boomers may be retiring but this generation is still on the go, living life and getting around. They are very active and many are seeking vehicles to fit their older lifestyle with comfort and cost at the forefront. With roughly 78 million baby boomers living in the United States car manufacturers […]

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, a partnership of public agencies and private businesses aimed at improving employee safety, is getting ready to launch their annual National Drive Safely Work Week. Going from Oct. 7, 2013 until Oct. 11, the initiative intends to raise traffic safety awareness and give employers the tools they need […]

Winter conditions present challenging obstacles to all drivers, but these conditions are especially daunting for inexperienced drivers. Common winter dangers can include icy roads, strong winds, reduced visibility and blizzard conditions. Extra precautions before and during a winter trip can help new drivers stay safe and feel less anxious when winters storms unleash their fury. […]

By Aaron Crowe Besides books, blankets and a cellphone plan, parents may be smart to send their children off to college with a few more items if their students are driving often: Auto supplies. The college expenses of tuition, housing and food are just the beginning of the bills many parents will face this fall, […]

By Aaron CroweDriver’s training classes teach students how to drive, but there are plenty of lessons they may not have time to cover.Beyond learning defensive driving techniques and being sure not to use their phone while driving, there are lots of things that new drivers should know before they hit the road. Here are 11: […]

By Michelle Mears-Gerst Today’s vehicles from entry level to luxury offer a variety of features improving safety, comfort and entertainment. We are not talking about automatic roll down windows, airbags or voice activated radio, today’s vehicles, seem to be morphing into drivable computers with high tech technology. Take the Ford Fusion for example, the car […]

By Aaron Crowe Parents of students heading back to college with a car might want to give their children a lesson on auto insurance. Depending on who owns the car and if the student has their own auto insurance policy or is on their parents’ policy, it can be a complicated discussion on how much […]

By Aaron Crowe Not every incoming college freshman needs a car, of course, but it’s a nice luxury to have if they — or their parents — can afford it. As a college student without a car, I unfondly remember using my bike’s handlebars to hang grocery bags, or balance a bag of clothes on […]

By Aaron Crowe There’s nothing like the new car smell when you get into a new car. It can be refreshing and lets passengers know you’ve bought a car that hasn’t been touched before. Whether you get that smell by paying the average new car price of $30,500 in 2012, or add a “new car […]

National Heatstroke Prevention Day just passed on July 31 and with it came a spotlight on the danger of leaving children in hot cars in the summer months. To enlighten the public about the issue, the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighted their Safe Kids program with a ‘Where’s baby? Look before you lock’ campaign. […]