Would you know how to quickly and safely react if your tire suddenly blew out? What if your gas pedal got stuck?

These aren’t everyday incidents, but they’re not unheard of, either. And they can be extra stressful if you have no idea how to handle them.

Do yourself a favor: Take a look at a few ways to help keep yourself safe just in case the unexpected happens while you’re out on the road.

4 Driving Emergencies (and How to React)

Your tire blows out.

What to do: Grip the steering wheel tightly with both hands so your car doesn’t swerve as the air leaves your tire. Don’t slam your brakes; accelerate carefully to maintain your speed. Then, take your foot off the gas, let the car slow naturally, turn on your hazard lights and pull over. It’s safe to gently brake once you’ve slowed to 25 mph.

You start to hydroplane.

What to do: Resist the urge to hit the brakes. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator. Look and steer in the direction you want to go. If you’re still skidding, gently tap the brakes.

Your accelerator sticks.

What to do: Jiggle or stomp the gas pedal if an object has lodged underneath. If that doesn’t work or you need a faster response, put your car in neutral, tap your brakes repeatedly to alert other drivers, and pull over.

Your brakes stop working.

What to do: First, try pumping the brake pedal. If your car still won’t slow down, shift into neutral or a lower gear. For a faster response, gently engage your parking brake. Another option is to nudge your car against an object like a guardrail or curb; its friction will slow you down. Your car will get damaged, but you may avoid a crash.

Your insurance can take care of vehicle damage, so always put your life and your safety first. Not sure if you have the right coverage? Get in touch with one of our team members at Vick Insurance Group. You can also find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

As always stay safe!!

Learning to drive is a summer rite of passage for many teenagers. It’s also a chance for parents to truly make a difference in their child’s life. By instilling smart habits from the beginning, you’ll be helping to keep them (and everyone on the road) safer overall.

Are you getting ready to help your teenager become the best driver they can be?

Here are four key things to keep in mind (and one thing we should all remember):

Take It Slow

Just because a teenager is old enough to get their permit or license doesn’t make them automatically ready to get behind the wheel. Before they start their lessons, take the time to discuss expectations, quiz them on driving laws and then move forward at the right pace for everyone.

Explain the Insurance Fundamentals

Learning to drive also means learning about adult responsibilities like insurance. Go over the essentials and walk through a few scenarios they may encounter. What’s a premium? What should they do if they get into a fender bender? How much is the deductible on the car they’ll be driving?

Discuss Other Costs

Will your teen be expected to cover gas for themselves? What about maintenance? Whether they’re borrowing your car a few times a week or taking over your hand-me-down, be clear about who will be paying for what.

Keep Talking

Most importantly, make sure you continue to have honest conversations about boundaries, curfews, peer pressure and responsibility. Emotions can run high around these issues, but helping your kids stay safe is what’s most important.

Set a Good Example

Finally, here’s something we should all keep in mind: Are you demonstrating solid driving habits yourself? Follow the speed limit, use turn signals and don’t text and drive. If you’re not following rules and prioritizing safety, you’re putting everyone on the road in danger.

Do you have questions about adding a driver to your policy or anything else? Reach out today to one of our team members at Vick Insurance Group. You can also find us online via Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

You’re driving to work when your favorite podcast suddenly stops playing. You know you shouldn’t look at your phone, but you hate sitting in silence during your commute. What do you do?

Do you glance around for cops, then tap around on your phone until the story starts up again? A lot of us do this — but it isn’t the safest choice.

Beyond breaking the bad habit of distracted driving, here are four more behind-the-wheel behaviors to leave behind.

1. Don’t rely too much on fancy technology. If we let ourselves become less engaged drivers because we’re expecting blind-spot notifications and attention assist to save us when we’re tired or preoccupied, we aren’t really any safer. Continue your same careful driving habits and let these innovations give you an extra boost.

2. Don’t assume other drivers are paying attention, well rested or sober. Learn to spot the signs of impairment: wandering out of their lane, swerving, erratic braking, inconsistent speed and getting too close to other cars or objects. Keep a safe distance from these potentially dangerous drivers.

3. Don’t let your insurance make you complacent. Even if your collision deductible is low, don’t let your guard down. Dealing with car repairs and the other driver after an accident — not to mention the injury risk — probably isn’t worth it.

4. Don’t neglect routine maintenance. Overheating, breaking down or blowing a tire can be terrifying and dangerous. Fortunately, these problems can often be prevented with regular maintenance. Check your tire pressure and fluids monthly and have a trusted mechanic inspect your car thoroughly once or twice a year.

Have questions about your auto coverage? Reach out today to discuss your policy with one of our team members.

Be sure to also check us out on our social media sites, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Would you know what to if you were involved in a fender bender?

Even if the damage doesn’t seem significant, you might have a time-consuming and stressful process ahead of you and it’s important to proceed carefully.

If it’s a serious wreck, call 911. Otherwise, here’s what to keep in mind in the event of a minor accident.

What should you do at the scene? 

If you accidentally bump another car (or if they bump you), here are a few steps to take:

• First, make sure everyone is okay. Then, if it’s safe, move your vehicle out of the way of traffic.
• Even if the damage seems minimal, call the police.
• Exchange information with the other driver, including full name, phone number and insurance details.
• Take photos of the vehicles involved and document the location, road conditions, the weather and any other relevant details about the scene.
• Were there any eyewitnesses? Try to take their names and contact information, as well.
• When the police arrive, be direct and polite. Make sure you gather their names, badge numbers and contact details and ask about obtaining a copy of the accident report.

It’s also important to contact your insurance company, so reach out as soon as you can to let us know what happened. We’ll walk you through the next steps, start the claim process and guide you through any necessary repairs that need to be made.

What if the other driver leaves the scene?

If the other driver doesn’t cooperate, doesn’t share their information or refuses to stop altogether, you should still stop and call the police. Try to remember as many details as you can (the color, make and model of the car, details from the scene, etc.) and share them with the police.

If you have any questions about how to handle a fender bender or any other claim, reach out to one of our team members today at www.vickinsurancegroup.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.