May 24th, 2010 -
 I came across this story today from USAToday.com. Who is the better driver? The fast paced teenager or the slower paced senior? I was surprised at the answer. You’ve got to read this story. I was once a teenager and I thought I was a good driver then. I wonder how good of a driver I will be when I’m 65.
Picture this: You’re out on the road, driving in mixed traffic with your choice of drivers to follow. One is a gray-haired senior puttering along in the right lane and the other is a fresh-faced teenager moving briskly in the left lane.
Statistically speaking, which driver is safer to follow? Kirk Seaman of AOL Autos’ blog asks whether it’s older driver with the slower reflexes, poorer vision, and cautious driving style, or the younger driver with faster reactions, better eyesight, and driving with the flow of traffic?
Seaman’s answer: Stay in the right lane, behind the oldster, and let the teenager go on his way. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the safest drivers are in the age group between 64 and 69 years old. And studies of the data reveal that teenage drivers — especially male teenage drivers — are the most dangerous drivers on the road.
Here’s Seaman’s report on why:
“In every motorized country around the world, teenage drivers are disproportionately involved in crashes,” said Dr. Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Institute. “The seriousness of this problem has been recognized for decades. Only in the last few years have public policies such as graduated driving licenses been enacted to address the situation. And those laws seem to be working, but fatalities are still high.”
In 2008, 5,864 15- to 20-year-old drivers were involved in fatal crashes. That’s the bad news. The good news is that number is down by 27 percent since 1998. Driver fatalities for this age group also decreased by 20 percent in the same time period.
However, motor vehicle crashes still remain the major cause of death for teenagers. In 2008, 2,739 15- to 20-year-old drivers were killed and an additional 228,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Sixty percent of deaths among passenger vehicle occupants ages 16-19 were drivers.
Senior drivers, like teenage drivers, have higher crash rates per mile driven, especially when it comes to fatal crashes. But seniors don’t drive as many miles, so a better measurement of their susceptibility to accidents can be had by comparing crash rates on a per capita basis. Looking at the numbers in this way shows senior drivers have much lower crash rates. Despite their increased risk of crashing per mile driven, relatively few elderly drivers are involved in accidents because of their lower rates of exposure. In addition, the rate of fatalities per capita among seniors has decreased 40 percent since 1975 and is now at its lowest level during this period.
Let’s look at the numbers. In 2008, 15- to 20-year-old drivers made up 8.5 percent of the U.S. population, yet accounted for 12 percent of occupant deaths among all ages in passenger vehicle (cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans). Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. Drivers from 65 to 69 years old made up 3.7 percent of the population, but accounted for just 3.2 percent of all fatal crashes.
Major risk factors contributing to teenage crashes are those you would expect, including:
- Lack of experience. Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations.
- Poor judgment. Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next).
- Low seat belt usage. Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2007, 61 percent of all 15- to 20-year-old passenger vehicle occupants killed in fatal crashes were not wearing seat belts.
“Almost all states have adopted some form of graduated driver licensing,” said Dr. McCartt. “These laws are proving effective in reducing teenage crashes.”
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems are designed to delay full licensure while allowing teens to get their initial driving experience under low-risk conditions. Research suggests that the most comprehensive of these programs are associated with reductions of 38 percent and 40 percent in fatal and injury crashes, respectively, among 16-year-old drivers.
“When parents know their state’s GDL laws, they can help enforce the laws and, in effect, help keep their teen drivers safe,” said Dr. McCartt.
What do you guys think about this story? I found it very interesting and as a Fort Worth Chevy dealer I felt the need to share it with you. What are your thoughts?
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
May 5th, 2010 -
Who knew that 50% of the cars or trucks stolen were left unlocked? You should always lock your doors, roll up your windows and whenever you park your new car or truck you should take your valuables out. Of course you don’t want you car or truck stolen but you don’t want to be robbed either. Don’t leave anything in the car that can be seen as desirable to a thief. Even if you feel like you live in a very safe neighborhood you should just try to be vigilant. It’s better to be safe than sorry. I once left my window cracked and had my backpack stolen…. Thanks to AutoBlog for this wonderful graphic. And just remember if your new or used truck is broken into and you need some help with repairs you can always call your local Fort Worth Chevy Dealer.
Can you think of any tips or hints that could keep your car or truck from being stolen?
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
March 23rd, 2010 -
Ok this probably seems like a really odd question to most of you. Sure most of you know what car insurance is, but for the younger drivers they may have no clue how important it is. They may have no clue what it means to have insurance on your new or used car or truck. Auto Insurance is insurance that protects the insured (aka the driver) against losses involving the use of automobiles. For instance if the insured rear ends someone then the insurance company would take care of the insured’s car and the car in which the insured hit. There are several different combinations of coverage that can be bought. These different combinations and coverage’s include but are not limited to liability coverages of bodily injury, property damage, and medical payments, and the physical damage coverages of collision and comprehensive. To get full descriptions of what these mean and entail you can visit any auto insurance companies website.
You should always do your research and find out exactly which insurance company fits you and your needs the best before making a decision. This will also aid you in saving money. I would check no less than 3 different insurance companies and compare and contrast. Trust me, doing this could save you thousands in the long run. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email. I am happy to help. I know there are a lot of young adults out there on there own who may not have the help of mom and dad, but I’ll answer any questions I can.
In the mean time…. Drive Safely.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
March 11th, 2010 -
Are you getting a new car or truck? Can’t decide whether to lease or buy? Well when deciding whether or not to lease a car, it is important to consider several factors. Consider this leasing 101.
When you are leasing a car or truck, the monthly payments are generally lower than the monthly finance payments because you are paying for the car or trucks depreciation during the term of the lease, plus rent charges, taxes and other fees. Remember though, after paying for all that you must then return the car at the end of the lease unless your lease permits you to buy the car or truck.
There are different lease offers and terms, including mileage limits and how long you want to keep the car or truck before you decide on a lease, make a firm decision on these before you go to the dealership. Most leases only permit you to put 12,000-15,000 miles per year on the vehicle. Well if you commute quite a distance to work or you like to travel you’re going to put lots of miles on that car and the typical charge is 20 cents per mile you go over. That can sneak up on you if you’re not careful.
When you lease a car or truck, you are basically purchasing the right to use that car for a predetermined amount of time and miles. At the end of the lease you may return the car or truck and pay certain fees and charges or you can buy the car or truck for an additional “already agreed-upon” price. You should be careful not to sign a lease for more time than you truly want to keep the car or truck as can be very heavy early termination charges if you end the lease early. Don’t forget that you are ultimately responsible for excessive wear and damage to the car or truck. You are also responsible for bringing the car or truck in for service in compliance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. You will also have to have insurance that meets the leasing company’s standards.
I know people that love leasing vehicles and swear by it. I also know people that don’t care for it at all. Ultimately the decision is yours. What will it be? Buying or Leasing??? Hmmm.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
March 9th, 2010 -
 Have you ever been involved in a hit and run? While you were parked and not even in the car? What about while you were driving? I was once at the mall with some friends and as we were leaving we saw a girl in a big old Dodge pickup backing out of her parking spot and right into a Honda Accord. She knew she hit it and she just drove off. I got her license plate number and gave it to the security guard. I felt for that Honda Accord owner cause her bumper was hanging off.
Well it’s important to know what to do if this happens to you. Allstate has put together this little list of things to do so you won’t be caught off guard and you won’t forget anything.
Survey your immediate surroundings – If the other vehicle’s driver isn’t easily spotted in your immediate surroundings, do not try and go after the driver yourself. Check your windshield to see if they may have left a note with their contact information.
Call the police – Call the police immediately to file an accident report.
Get the facts at the scene – Ask people nearby the scene if they witnessed the accident. Take down their reports and contact information.
Check for surveillance cameras – If the accident occurred in a parking lot, check to see if a surveillance camera caught the incident on tape.
Take pictures – If you don’t have a camera in your phone, Allstate recommends that drivers keep a disposable camera in the glove box. Snap shots of the damage to your vehicle and of your surroundings.
Contact your insurance company - Report even a minor accident to your insurance company immediately. – See Allstate for more information
Hopefully your insurance covers uninsured motorists but if not I’m sure everything will be ok. Good luck out there and safe driving!
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
February 12th, 2010 -
 Yep I believe it’s that exciting…. You know that feeling you get when you buy a brand new car? You know the feeling of wrecking a car? Think about how horrible it would be to get a brand new car or truck and in just a few days you wreck it! This happens a lot.
It might also surprise you that even though you just paid $20,000 for your brand new car it’s only worth $14,000 in the eyes of the insurance company. Believe it or not the minute you drive your brand new car off the lot it depreciates. So the insurance company gives you the $14,000 for your car, and you now owe a remaining $6,000 on a car that you aren’t driving because it’s been totaled. Well this unfortunate coincidence happens more than you think and that wouldn’t happen if you had GAP insurance. You see GAP insurance will insure you for the difference between what you would owe on a vehicle and what an insurance company says it’s worth. Like I said your car will depreciate the minute it’s driven off the lot so it’s imperative you get GAP insurance. The one and only reason you might not want GAP insurance on your brand new car or truck is if you paid for it with cash and don’t owe the bank anything.
You do have a few options when searching for GAP insurance. You can get it through the dealership, your insurance company or in some cases the bank will roll it into your loan. Just make sure that you do your research so you can get the best deal possible.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
February 3rd, 2010 -
Tailgating the wrong way is when a driver follows the vehicle in front too closely for safety. The closer you follow the vehicle in front of you, the less time you have react. Research indicates that tailgating is a contributing factor in more than one third of all car accidents.
Even if you are in a hurry, stressed out, and believe that tailgating the car in front of you will speed up your trip, don’t do it! If the person in front of you is force to stop suddenly, you will absolutely be in the wrong when you “accidentally” hit them from behind. In addition to causing accidents, tailgating is one of the leading causes of road rage. Many times, when someone is being tailgated, that car driver gets angry at the person behind them and sometimes will “tap” their brakes in an attempt to get the tailgater to back off and use a safer following distance. This is very dangerous move and may cause a needless accident regardless of the intent.
Here are some guidelines to help you maintain:
It can be difficult for drivers to determine a safe following distance between them and the car in front of them. Try these three simple rules to count out the seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you:
1. Two-Second Rule
If you are on a dry and clear road, count two seconds to safely gauge the distance between you and the car in front of you. When the car in front of you drives past a sign or pole, you should reach the count of two before you pass the same sign or pole.
2. Four-Second Rule
This is for when the roadways are wet and rainy. In these conditions, you should employ a four second gap between you and the car in front of you.
3. 10-Second Rule
This rule applies to icy and snowy conditions when the roadways are at their worst. This may seem like a large distance, but every winter there are an enormous number of weather related accidents. Better to be safe than sorry after an accident.
By keeping a safe following distance you can avoid a needless accident. Road rage and impatient driving should never get in the way of you getting home safely to your family.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
January 25th, 2010 -
 Ok so when was the last time you looked in your glove compartment box? What’s in there? Why is it that when you get pulled over or you’re looking for something you can never find it in there? It’s like the washing machine you know you put 2 pairs of socks in there so why are you missing a sock? I know every time I get a new insurance card I put it in the glove compartment box but somehow I can never find it. But I can find the ones that expired! The problem is that no one knows what’s supposed to be in there and what shouldn’t be in there. Here is a list of the most useful items to keep in your glove compartment box.
(1) Insurance – Now this one is important because they just passed a law in Texas that if you don’t have insurance or the proper documentation with you they can tow your car right then and there. I would however keep your title at home some place safe. Think about it if someone steals your car and they got the title – well they can sell your car. Just keep your registration and your insurance in your glove compartment box.
(2) A notebook and pen – You never know when your wife will call you with a grocery list or when you might get in a little fender bender and need to write your insurance information down. This is a good thing to keep handy.
(3) Tissues etc - Well this is a given. I blow my nose, my kids noses, I pick up there messes. Keep kleenex, wipes or something in there. Trust me you will need it.
(4) A cell phone charger - You may not be in your car that much but you never know when you may be in an emergency and your phone is dead. It’s a good idea to keep phone charger in your glove compartment box just in case.
(5) Flashlight – One time my car died and I had parked in a parking garage and it was dark. If I hadn’t had that flashlight in my glove compartment box I wouldn’t have been able to find the battery cables under my seat. Trust me you’ll find a use for that flash light.
(6) Tire Pressure Gauge – You should check your tire pressure often. Properly inflated tires gives you better fuel economy, better handling and extended tire life.
(7) Owner’s Manual – DUH! You never know when you will need this. I lost mine once and had to go get a new one. What a pain.
Let me know if you can think of anything I left out. I usually keep my receipts from car work in there too like from getting my oil changed etc. only cause I can’t always read that sticker they put in your window.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
December 9th, 2009 -
In today’s times we probably all spend more time in our cars than we’d like to. With all the construction going on in the DFW area, the traffic congestion, and the bad drivers, it can all add up and it can get to you. Trust me I know. I’ve not only been a victim of road rage but i’ll admit i’ve been an offender of road rage a time or two.
There’s no question about it that there are a fair number of rude or bad drivers in the DFW area. I’ve grown up here, and trust me it can be bad. Aggressive driving, like speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes, failing to signal intent to change lanes, or others are sometimes accidental or sometimes caused by not paying attention. Some acts of road rage are 100% intentional. All too often we are on the receiving end of an angry driver’s rage…what do you do then? Fight fire with fire? Probably not the wisest idea.
In fact: “According to a recently released national survey, when a driver gets the finger, is cut off or tailgated, 50 percent of the victims respond with horn honking, yelling, cutting-off, and obscene gestures of their own. The survey, administered by Response Insurance, revealed that 34 percent of drivers say they honk their horn at the aggressor, 27 percent yell, 19 percent give the finger back, 17 percent flash their headlights, and 7 percent mimic the initial aggressive driving behavior. Two percent of drivers admit to trying to run the aggressor off the road. Road rage is a two-way street,” noted Ray Palermo, of Response Insurance. It takes two people to fight. So, if you are subjected to aggressive driving, often the best way to ensure it does not get any worse is to just ignore it.” Road and Travel
The bottom line is that we’re all guilty of having been involved in a “Road Rage” incident at some point whether we know it or not. Here are a few tips from Farmers Insurance to follow to keep from being not only a victim but also an offender of road rage.
 Always use your indicators when changing lanes or merging.
Be courteous. If another driver is signaling to change into your lane ahead of you, let them.
Ignore drivers who make angry gestures at you. Separate yourself from them, if possible.
If a vehicle is tailgating you, attempt to change lanes and let it pass.
If you are being followed, drive to a nearby crowded public place and call for help or drive to a nearby police station. You can also alert police via a cell phone.
Never provoke another driver.
If you can think of any tips not mentioned feel free to let me know. There are also some good videos on youtube about how to avoid road rage if you want to check them out.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
November 30th, 2009 -
 Most insurance companies consider drivers under the age of 25 to be high risk. Teenagers feel a sense of freedom when getting their license. They feel invincible and often think….Oh that wouldn’t happen to me. They get behind the wheel and the tend to take risks that an experienced driver would never attempt. I know….I did those things as a teenage boy. This tends to make teenagers a major threat on the road. Statistics show that the number one killer of teenagers is car accidents.
Insuring your teenager can be stressful but there are a few things that you can do together to help lower those costs. Some things you can’t help but some things you can teach them and speak to them about. I think an open line of communication between you and your kids driving is important. They will listen to you.
- Keep a clean driving record. Every ticket, car accident, fender bender, DWI or otherwise can hurt those costs tremendously. I had quite a few speeding tickets in my younger years and trust me I spent a lot of time in defensive driving. Ha.
- Raise the deductible. This will help lowering the payments.
- Get good grades. Many insurance companies offer discounts to teens that are in college and high school and can maintain and good GPA. Every insurance company is different but it’s definitely something you should check into.
- Defensive Driving…. Even if your son or daughter has never received a traffic violation, taking defensive driving once a year is a proactive way of showing the insurance company you are concerned with safe driving. Many insurance companies will offer discounts for this.
- Drive a car that has a high safety rating. The more airbags that are on the car the better. Sports cars, expensive cars, high-performance cars and SUVs carry higher risk and higher insurance premiums for teenagers.
- Safety features such as anti-lock brakes, traction control, automatic seat belts and side-impact air bags can reduce teen car insurance rates considerably.
- You should always get quotes from at least 3 or 4 different insurance companies and compare before you pick one.
Good luck! Keep me posted on any good deals you find out there.
Thanks to Brandi Hodge for contributing.
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Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, husband, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at: hagen@classicchevytexas.com
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