Category Archives: Saving Money

The Cost of a Crash for Teen drivers

Posted on by Jayne Ubl

Rings, No Belts and Too Many Buds-A Costly Combo

As your teen prepares to hit the books and head to high school, it might be a good idea to check their accessories. However, we’re not talking about their wardrobe; we’re talking about their driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Center for Statistics and Analysis there are certain fads your TEEN should avoid when driving the car.

 Hand-held cellphone use is highest among 16- to 24-year-olds and the fines for texting or phone use can be costly. So put your phone in the glove box or in the trunk of your car – seriously! Unless you’re waiting for a new kidney, is the call really that important?!?

37% of male drivers ages 15-20 who are involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time. What’s your hurry? The old saying “time is money” could be talking about teens  and speeding tickets because the time a teen saves by speeding can add up to a 15-45%  increase in their insurance premiums.

Statistics show that 16- and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger. Sure it’s fun to drive your buddies and besties around, but it is important, especially in the beginning, that you limit the number of passengers with your teenage drivers.  Parents, start with limiting them to 1 or 2 passengers. Let them get comfortable driving with other people and then adjust the number if you feel they can handle more passengers. This is a good compromise since your teen can still drive with their friends and you can stop worrying about your teenage drivers being distracted by too many passengers.


BUT BE CAUTIONED:

55%, or 2,014, of the 3,678 occupants of passenger vehicles ages 16-20 who are killed in crashes are not buckled up. Belts are IN. Wear them. Also be warned, teen drivers: if  passengers in your car are not belted and they are injured in a crash – insurance companies can blame the DRIVER for the injuries of any unbelted passenger.  If your teen is found to be at fault, the injured parties would have the opportunity to sue your insurance company to recover as much of those costs as possible. In the event that the insurance company doesn’t cover everything, suing you and your family would be the next logical step. If that happens, you could lose your home or possessions, along with a portion of your wages through garnishment.

31% of drivers ages 15-20 who are killed in motor vehicle crashes have been drinking  some amount of alcohol; 25% are alcohol-impaired, meaning they have a blood alcohol content of 0.08 grams per deciliter or higher. In this instance, not only would your premiums increase dramatically, it would be cause for many insurance companies to drop your policy altogether … not to mention potential jail time that would affect your life for years.
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4 easy ways to save on your Car and Gas

Posted on by Jayne Ubl

Sharing a few ways to save if you’re thinking of buying a new car or simply needing to save on gas.

  1. Learn to Drive that Stick- Vehicles with stick shifts get more miles per gallon than vehicles with automatic transmissions. Manual transmission automobiles can also cost hundreds or even thousands less than automatic automobiles and need fewer and less expensive repairs.
  2. Use that Cruise Control- Your gas tank will get you a little farther on the freeway when you utilize the Cruise Control option.
  3. Buy at the Best Time Buy your car at the end of the month, when sales folks are trying to meet their sales quotas. Salespeople often earn bonuses and my share the wealth with you to close the deal.
  4. Twisted and Tight?- After filling up, twist the gas cap until it clicks. With older vehicles, check for tightness. One in six cars has improperly fitting or missing gas caps, which can cut a car’s mileage by as much as 10 percent.

For many more money-saving tips like these, visit the resource Aarp.org