Report of State Safety Laws: PA Gets Failing Grade

The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety have released their annual report card of state safety laws. The report highlights 15 recommended laws regarding occupant protection (seatbelt use, motorcycle helmets) impaired and distracted driving, teen drivers (graduated licensing and age-based restrictions), and child passenger safety.

Best and Worst States for Traffic Safety

The report granted states a green (best), yellow, or red (worst) rating, based on their adoption of recommended optimal traffic safety laws. This year, in a record low, only five states earned a green rating:

• Rhode Island
• Delaware
• Washington
• Louisiana
• Oregon
• District of Columbia

Seventeen states were assigned a red rating. The five worst:

• South Dakota
• Wyoming
• Arizona
• Missouri
• Montana

Pennsylvania’s Safety Laws Need Improvement

So how did PA do? […]

Tips for Sharing the Road with a Snow Plow

When snow covers the roads here in PA, snow plows come to the rescue.

Plows help make dangerous roads safer, but when sharing the road with a plow, you should still use extra caution.

Tips for Driving Around Snow Plows

Give a plow plenty of space. The plow itself can extend over the center line, so keep this in mind as you share the road with an oncoming plow.  The same rule applies if you’re behind the plow. Allow plenty of extra space in between your vehicle and the plow, as they may make unexpected stops or turns. And, due to their limited field of vision, the space directly behind the plow is a blind spot.

If you’re traveling behind a snow plow, it’s a good idea to stay there. They tend to travel more slowly than the speed limit, but the road behind the plow is likely to be safer than the road ahead.   […]

Getting Your Car Ready for a New Baby

Welcoming a new baby to the family is an exciting and sometimes scary time. As a parent, you want to do everything possible to ensure your family’s safety, starting with the ride home from the hospital.

We’re pleased to share a guest blog post from auto blogger Matthew Young on how to prepare your vehicle for the arrival of a new baby.

Buying baby clothes, obtaining toys, and safeguarding the house are tasks that most couples complete before the arrival of their baby. But you don’t want to get so caught up in those tasks that you forget to prepare your car. Taking the right steps now will allow you to transform your vehicle into a safe and comfortable environment in which you will be able to transport your baby with peace of mind.

Car Seat

Although you will take many factors into consideration, […]

What to Do if Your Vehicle Breaks Down

Car trouble can be a nightmare any time of the year, but winter weather conditions can make even common mishaps more dangerous.

According to PennDOT, it’s Winter Driving Awareness Week. We’ve already shared some winter weather driving tips to help you stay safe in the ice and snow. But what if your car breaks down? The first step to staying safe is to not panic. Check out the tips below in the case of a wintertime breakdown.

What to do if your car breaks down

1. Pay attention to your vehicle and assess the problem. If you notice steering problems, unusual noises, smoke, or other warning signs, remain calm. Don’t forget to be aware of your surroundings; note your location, put your blinker on, and find a place to pull over.

2. Carefully pull off of the road, if possible. The ideal place to pull over is, […]

Feds Urge Smartphone Makers to Help Fight Distracted Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) faces an uphill battle against distracted driving. Deadly car accidents are on the rise, and electronic distractions – apps, social media, and texting behind the wheel – are to blame.

Car accident fatalities are at their highest since 2009, and 2016 has seen a nearly 10% jump over last year.  Insurance companies and safety experts point to driver distraction as the most likely culprit.  And it’s easy to see why. In a world where we are almost never disconnected from our phones, many smartphone apps are practically designed for use while driving. To see what an epidemic distracted driving has become, simply look to your left or right when stuck at a traffic light, observes Nick Kurczewski at Cars.com. You will more than likely see one of your fellow drivers looking down at their phone. […]