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Avoid the Dangers of Summer Driving

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Summer is here, and just about everyone is longing for a getaway. As Florida opens back up, more residents and tourists will be on the roads. More driving can mean more accidents and breakdowns, but one way to avoid the dangers of summer driving is to prepare your vehicle for the effects of extreme heat.

Here are a few precautions to take before you hit the road this summer (perform these checks yourself, or have a professional mechanic take care of them).

Inspect your vehicle

Check the pressure and condition of your tires monthly, including your spare tire. Under-inflated tires can overheat, increasing the chance of a blowout, especially if the roads themselves are hot. It’s hard to steer a vehicle after a blowout, which may cause an accident. Tire condition also affects your ability to steer in a storm when roads are slippery.

Check all fluid levels, including coolant, oil, transmission, power steering, and brake fluids. Your vehicle’s fluids help it run smoothly without overheating, something especially important when it’s already hot outside. See your owner’s manual for how often you should flush and replace coolant and other fluids.

Inspect belts and hoses to make sure they’re in good condition and firmly attached.

Be mindful of the age and condition of your battery, and keep a set of jumper cables in your vehicle. It’s not uncommon for Florida’s extreme heat to shorten car battery life.

Keep your cool by keeping your AC system working well. Aside from personal comfort, being too hot can affect your driving by making you sleepy, distracted, or irritable. Check the cabin air filter and replace if necessary to keep the cool air flowing. And remember, it can be warmer in the backseat of a car or SUV, so if you’ve got passengers or pets there, make sure they’re comfortable, too.

Don’t let your gas tank get too low. If there’s a power outage, due to high temperatures or storms, gas pumps may be out of commission.

What else can you do?

Reduce the chance of an accident (and higher insurance rates!) by practicing safe driving habits such as obeying speed limits and driving defensively.

Monitor the weather—a sudden summer storm can close roads or make them hazardous to drive on. Be prepared for a breakdown.

Have an emergency kit in your vehicle, and make sure you have water on hand.

Know if your car insurance policy covers roadside assistance. This optional coverage is usually inexpensive, and may give you peace of mind. Check with your L & M Insurance Group agent if you’re not sure if you have this coverage.

No one wants to be stranded by the side of the road on the way home from the beach, or to try to avoid an accident when a tire blows. Take a few basic precautions, and you’ll be ready to hit the road for summer adventure.

If you need car insurance, please give us a call at 813-672-4100 for a free quote! If you prefer, click here to contact us online.

For more information:

Safe Summer Travel

Prevent Accidents With Basic Car Maintenance

Back-to-School Safe-Driving Tips

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Florida roads are about to get a little trickier to navigate as many of our children go back to school Aug. 10. More vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians will be taking to the road during the before- and after-school hours, and L & M Insurance Group wants you and your children to stay safe. We offer these back-to-school safe-driving reminders:

School zone zen
“More children are hit by cars near schools than any other location,” according to the National Safety Council (NSC). Extra traffic at drop-off and pick-up times, inexperienced teenage drivers, and children walking and biking, sometimes unpredictably, all add up a situation that requires extra vigilance. (And remember, fines for speeding through a school zone are doubled. If you’re caught going 30 miles over the speed limit in a school zone, for example, your fine will be $555.50.) As frustrating as reduced speeds in school zones can be, they’re there for a reason.

Florida Safe Drivers
Watch for that bus
How would you like to play chauffeur for 50-plus rowdy grade-schoolers? Show courtesy for school bus drivers, and yield to buses wanting to merge. If you’re driving behind a bus, allow yourself extra room to brake safely since buses stop often and sometimes unexpectedly. And remember that it’s illegal to pass a school bus from behind—or from either direction on an undivided road—when it’s stopped to load or unload children.

Pedestrian perils
According to the Safe Routes to Schools Organization, 33% of youth pedestrian crashes are due to kids darting out into the road. Be sure to watch for all pedestrians, but take extra care when children are near. Yield to pedestrians crossing at a crosswalk or intersection, and stop for a crossing guard holding a stop sign. Don’t block the crosswalk if you’re stopped at an intersection or waiting to make a turn. This can cause pedestrians to go around you, possibly forcing them into moving traffic. Also, don’t pass a car that’s stopped for a pedestrian.

Ditch the distractions
We know you don’t text while driving, but did you know it only takes about three seconds of taking your eyes off the road to double your chances of crashing? Minimize or completely steer clear of anything that takes your eyes off the road or distracts your mind from your driving. That means things like talking on a cell phone, fiddling with the radio or your iPod, eating, and drinking. And always remember to buckle your seat belt—unbelted drivers are more likely to be distracted drivers than belted ones.

As kids go back to school, remember these few common sense rules to keep both children and drivers safe, and your driving record clean.

Safe drivers not only save lives, they save money. If you have a clean driving record, be sure to check with your L & M Insurance Group agent to make sure you’re receiving all available discounts for safe driving on your auto insurance.