Study Finds That Summer Increases Minor Collisions

Summer is a time for great fun. Most college aged students are out of class and are going to the beach to get some sun, sand, and fun. One thing these young drivers may not understand is that driving requires precision and skill and even the slightest distraction can cause them to not be able to correct their steering fast enough to avoid hitting another driver with their vehicle.
A new study has found that in the summer drivers are 25% more prone to be involved in collisions that are not fatal. These are called fender benders, in most cases the driver become distracted by his or her surroundings and ends up hitting the person in front of them because they cannot hit their brakes fast enough to avoid the collision. In the United States alone, there are 4300 collisions per day. When you add the amount of collisions that happen each day they total almost 1.5 million per year so this is becoming a huge issue for drivers and their auto insurers.
Why do more of these collisions occur during the summer months? The survey found that almost 30% of men said that they got involved in an accident because they saw a woman at the beach who was wearing a bikini. Driving requires a lot of attention and focus and when people take their eyes off of the road in front of them accidents can occur.
Women were not as easily prone to accidents due to looking at men in bathing suits. Approximately three percent of the women that were surveyed reported that they had been in a collision because their eyes were fixed on a nice looking man in a bathing suit.
There are serious financial consequences to being involved in even a minor automobile accident such as a fender bender. If you have to file an auto insurance claim with your insurance company then your insurance premiums will go up. Most people who get involved in this type of automobile accident see their insurance premiums increase by one tenth which can cost them about ten to twenty dollars extra per month depending on their type of vehicle and auto insurance coverage.
Those drivers that have bad driving records and have been involved in multiple accidents will see their insurance premiums increase by more than forty percent. This can really add up and impact a driver’s personal finances. Drivers who have shown that they are riskier to insure will pay from $140 to $540 just because of this problem.
It is important for drivers who are going to the beach to make sure that they bring a pair of sneakers with them to change into when they drive home. Thong sandals often can get stuck around an accelerator pedal which can cause serious automobile accidents. Wear sunglasses to help to lessen glare when you are driving and if it is dark outside when you leave the beach then have your high beams or headlights on so that you can see what is in front of you.
One solution to helping people who have been involved in minor automobile accidents is accident forgiveness. Some auto insurance companies will forgive one accident that a driver is in. This means that the driver’s auto insurance premiums will not increase. This can be a great option to have on your auto insurance coverage. However, most auto insurance companies charge an additional fee for this add-on so weigh the risks and benefits with getting accident forgiveness coverage.
If you are heading to the beach this summer then it may be a good idea to keep your eyes on the road and off the bikinis. Your auto insurance company will thank you as will your checkbook.
Source: Fox Business