Got gas? 7 gas-saving driving tips

Ten four, back door. Put the pedal to the metal and let it roar.

~ Cledus Maggart and the Citizen’s Band

Not so much anymore — gas is too expensive. Today we are looking for ways to save money at the pump and modifying our driving habits may help. Why? Good driving habits typically translate into more efficient fuel consumption. But did you know you can potentially boost the overall fuel efficiency of your car as much as 30 percent?¹ Here’s some how-to tips:

• Perform routine maintenance — Stay on schedule with oil and filter changes and tune-ups. Your car needs the right proportions of air and fuel to run efficiently.
• Monitor tire pressure — Not only are they dangerous but underinflated tires tend to decrease mileage.
• Combine short trips — Warm engines run more efficiently than cold ones so combining short errands into one trip may save gas and time.
• Avoid aggressive driving — “Jack-rabbit” starts and hard braking can increase fuel consumption by as much as 40 percent and reduce travel time by only four percent.¹ Not a good trade-off.
• Drive at moderate speeds — Stay at or under the speed limit and drive at a consistent rate of speed. Try to use cruise control on long trips.
• Travel light — Extra weight in the car creates a drag on the engine and consumes extra gas.
• Avoid excess idling — Idling uses a surprising amount of fuel — more than restarting the engine.
• Ride share — When possible, car pool with others to save fuel.
• Walk more, drive less — Approximately 50 percent of car use is for trips within 3 miles of the home so consider biking instead for some of these short hops.¹ Or drive to a central location and walk to all of your errands. You’ll be saving fuel, reducing pollution, and perhaps skip a trip to the gym.

Bottom line: Slowing down is the easiest way to cut your fuel bill, and coupled with some of the simple gas-saving tips above you could potentially save hundreds of dollars and reduce gas emissions and other pollutants. Slow down.

¹http://eartheasy.com/move_fuel_efficient_driving.html

Nasty weather, stay home But if you can’t …

Whether it’s rain, snow or ice, the best strategy for dealing with nasty road conditions is to stay home. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to stay off rainy, icy, or snowy roads so if you do have to drive, slow down, heighten your focus and adopt a defensive driving strategy.
Here is some info that may help you stay safe on the road in bad weather:

• About your brakes — Many people tend to slam on the brakes at the first sign of trouble. Result: The wheels may lock up causing you to lose control of your vehicle and slide into surrounding traffic. If you begin to slide and your car is equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS) — most late model vehicles are — gradually apply pressure to the brakes. If you don’t have ABS, pump the brakes slowly until they grab. Fight the inclination to slam on your brakes.
• About your headlights — Driving in fog and snow is dangerous and often difficult. If you have fog lights, use them. Don’t use your high beams as they may reflect moisture and may make it more difficult to see. Always use your regular headlights, and if your vision is impaired, find a safe spot and pull off the road.
• About your eyes — Precipitation may affect your focus and concentration as your eyes may become fixed on the repetitive motion of the falling rain or snow. Keep your focus on the road ahead but keep your eyes moving — check your rear and side view mirrors to keep track of what’s coming up behind you and alongside.

More space, more time
Give yourself a space cushion — room in front of you, behind you and next to you. This allows you more time to react if the car in front of you stops suddenly or if an accident occurs around you. If you are on a multiple lane highway, try to keep a lane between your car and the cars next to you.
Remember, if you’ve got a choice, opt for the safer one and stay home.

Business Insurance

Business Auto

When you own a business, you have a unique set of operation and protection requirements all your own. Especially for business owners that own and operate vehicles, Business Auto insurance provides coverage for your unique needs.

Business-Life Insurance

What happens to your business if something happens to you? Make sure that your dream and your business live on by considering the options that a Business-Life insurance policy can offer.

Crime

You never expected it to happen to your business. Your employees seemed honest, but now you're fighting a lawsuit because someone used a client's credit card information. Crime coverage helps protect your business from acts of dishonesty.

General Liability

A customer was injured while visiting your business and now you're stuck with a pretty expensive medical bill. General Liability covers contractual, personal and advertising injury, as well as liability protection.

Partnership Life Insurance

If you are in a partnership, you hope that it continues for as long as you own your business. However, should something happen to one of the partners, it's important to have coverage to survive this loss. Partnership Life insurance can offer you the protection you need.

Property

You arrive to work early one morning, only to realize that your business property was vandalized during the night. Fortunately, you had customized Property insurance to cover such a loss. Your business is up and running again, and you hardly missed a beat.

Small Business Workers' Compensation Insurance

Losses from injuries that happen on the job, regardless of who's at fault, can cost employers a great deal of time and money. Worker's Compensation for small businesses offers unique coverage for just such losses.

Sole Proprietorship Life Insurance

What if something happens to you and your business still has a lot of debt? Make sure that your estate is protected with Sole Proprietorship Life insurance.

Stockholder Life Insurance

Stockholder Life insurance can be used to create a pre-death, buy-sell agreement and to arrange the sale of stocks to remaining shareholders should something happen to one or more of the business owners.

Surety Bond Program

A Surety Bond Program creates a contract for the fulfillment of an obligation. It gives some businesses an opportunity to grow in a way in which they couldn't have without the program. 

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