With the rising cost of gas, groceries, taxes, and just about everything American’s are looking for ways to cut back on spending and save some money. One smart way to keep a little more of your own money is to be a safe and responsible driver.
There are a number of car insurance companies that are willing to give good drivers great discounts. It can be a huge benefit to you to take the time to learn more about these savings and use that knowledge to make a few changes to save you a lot of money on your automobile coverage.
Why Is Being A Safe Driver Important?
According to the US Department of Commerce and the United States Census Bureau in the decade between 1990 and 2009 the number of car accidents each year ranged between 10.2 million and 13.4 million. An article published by CNN Money in March of 2008 recorded that cost to the US in one year for car accidents was $164.2 billion.
Just a few years later in November of 2011, CBS News reported that the cost of car accidents had nearly doubled to $300 billion per year. They go on to say in their article that a single traffic fatality cost an average of $6 million and these accidents “pose a threat that’s both tragic- and expensive”.
Why Does This Matter to You?
Unfortunately even if you are not in an accident, over time you will pay more in insurance premiums because of these costs. Learning to be a safe driver can not only cut down on your personal insurance, but if enough people do that and these statistics go down and so won’t the overall cost of insurance.
Some of these tips include keeping your driving record clean for at least 3 years by not being in any accidents or accumulating any driving points. Also, if you are willing to complete a driver’s education class, and in some cases a defensive driver’s course than these can also be additional reasons for your insurance company to give you lower rates.
Other Safety Tips for Savings
In addition to being a safe driver you can make some changes to your vehicle to be safer while you drive as well. These changes or addition will be something else insurance companies will consider to help you save money. One company offers discounts like:
- Air bag- could save up to 25% for driver side bags or 40% for full front seat.
- Anti-lock brakes- if they’re factory installed you can save up to 5%.
- Anti-theft system- up to 25% savings.
- Daytime running lights- about a 3% discount.
Saving Money with Teen Drivers
The question about why it is so costly to insure teenagers can be answered by a report from the Centers for Disease Control that cited in 2010 “about 2,700 teens in the United States aged 16-19 were killed and almost 282,000 were treated . . . for injuries suffered in motor vehicle crashes”. Teenagers can be costly to cover but many car insurance companies also provide special discounts for good teen drivers. For instance if the teen is a good student, usually with at least a B average, they may qualify for up to 15% in discounts.
With so many costs on the rise today it is nice to find ways to easily save some money. Take of few of these tips and find an insurance company that can help you with discounts.
