Prom Night Safety: No Drinking and Driving

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for the U.S. In 2015, 2,333 teens in the U.S. ages 16-19 were killed – that means that six teens died every day from motor vehicle injuries.

In addition to talking to your teens about making responsible decisions, one of the most important issues to be addressed are the consequences of drinking and driving. Due to their inexperience on the road, teens are four times more likely to crash when compared to older drivers. Before your teen heads out to their prom, talk to them about driving safety and give them the tips below on how to have a safe, memorable and fun prom.

• 1.       Take Extra Care at Night – In addition to being able to see less at night, your depth perception and peripheral vision are also limited at night. You should remind your teen to take particular caution and to always buckle up, use their headlights and avoid any and all distractions.
• 2.       Put Down the Phone – Studies have shown that texting while driving increases the likelihood of an accident six fold compared to driving without distractions. In addition to slowing your teen’s reaction time and increasing their risk for an accident, texting while driving is actually illegal in many states.
• 3.       Driving Distractions – While cell phones can be distracting, one of the biggest distractions for a teen driver is conversing with other passengers in the car. While it is unrealistic to expect a group of teenagers to sit silently in a car, remind your teen that they should be responsible and focus on the road before engaging in a conversation.
• 4.       Alcohol and Driving – It is important to remind your teen about the dangers of drinking and driving – even after just one drink – and instruct them on what to do if they suspect their driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• 5.       In Case of an Emergency – While everyone knows to call 9-1-1 in case of an emergency, you should also provide your teen instructions on what to do in case their car breaks down or they get into an accident. Consider watching Allstate’s video series on what to do in an unexpected car-related emergency. 

It is important to discuss your teen’s plans and agenda – who they are going with and where they are going after prom. Consider putting together a list of contact information for the parents of the other teens in their party. 

Tips for checking your tire pressure

Proper maintenance of your car can be important for its long life and safe operation. Your tires are one of the most important parts of your car, which means regular care and maintenance are crucial to the safe and reliable performance of your vehicle. Below are a few tips to follow when you are checking your tire pressure.

When should I check my tire pressure? Tire pressure should be checked once a month, especially when the tires are cold. You may also want to consider checking your tire pressure more frequently in the following instances:

• ·         If you run over a sharp object, like a nail, that can puncture the rubber.
• ·         If you strike a curb or other object.
• ·         If the weather suddenly changes from warm to cold.

How do I check my tire pressure?

1.       Remove the cap from the air valve of the tire by unscrewing it and press the tire gauge against the open valve stem – you will hear a hiss of air (this is normal)

2.       Read the air pressure gauge. The number will appear on the dial or digital screen on the tire gauge. Compare this number with the recommended tire pressure, found on the driver’s side door jamb

3.       Add air or let some out based on the recommendation

4.       Replace the tire’s air valve cap by screwing it on clockwise

Safer driving tips

Here are some tips to safer driving in Arizona.

• Turn indicators come standard on all vehicles. Please use them at least 200 feet BEFORE you make a turn or change lanes.

• Posted speed limits are meant  to be the speed you should drive. If you want to drive BELOW the speed limit, please limit your driving to the right hand lane.

• A red 8 sided sign with the letters S.T.O.P. on it means come to a COMPLETE stop, yield to on coming traffic and then proceed. That does not mean slow down and then proceed.

• If you are on the freeway and you will be exiting soon, please get into the right lane at least 2 miles BEFORE you want to exit, not 25 feet before you want to exit.

• PLEASE do not text or talk on your hand phone while driving. Your life and mine are to precious for you to take that risk. If you have to talk or text, pull off the road where it is safer.

• Driving is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. Common courtesy and patients will make your driving more enjoyable and safer.

• If you are driving with younger children in your car, REMEMBER, they will pick up YOUR driving habits. So drive safely and teach them proper driving techniques.

• ALWAYS BUCKLE UP.

• DRIVE DEFENSIVELY, NOT AGGRESSIVELY

Purple Purse - Help a local domestic abuse center

The Harris Agency, Inc. is partnering with New Life Center, whose mission is “Saving Lives, Building Futures…Empowering Women and Children Escaping Domestic Violence.” We’d love your help to support women and children who often arrive at the shelter with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

My agency will collect new and gently used clothing and household items April 3-14 at

14144 N 100th St, Suite B-115
Centennial Marketplace

 Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Needed items:
 

·                        Women’s clothing (all sizes)

·                        Children’s clothing (boy’s and girl’s all sizes)

·                        Teen’s clothing (boy’s and girl’s all sizes up to     age 18)

·                        Any new kitchen or household items

These items will make a huge impact for local families in need and will be donated to New Life Center.

Please help us by dropping off items in our office and spreading the word on social media!

We appreciate your support!!!!!!

Robert Harris - The Harris Agency, Inc.

After an accident, what is Diminished Value and why you should be concerned

(information provided by Collision Safety Consultants)

This will help you understand diminished value better.

Bottom line, if you are in an accident and you car is repaired, it is now worth less than prior to the accident and you should be compensated for that decrease in value.

Inherent Diminished Value:

The automatic loss in the vehicle market value from an accident and repair. A wrecked and repaired vehicle is worth less than a vehicle that has no wreck history. This is based on public awareness of such things as car fax, Auto Check , Title searching, and insurance reporting agencies. The simple fact that even if a vehicle is repaired to the best of human ability, it will still exhibit remaining deficiencies and inconsistencies from the pre-loss condition of the vehicle. These deficiencies include, but are not limited to:

• Weaker structural components that appear cosmetically sound
• Impossible to duplicate factory seams, sealers, and finishes
• Telltale signs of repair, such as paint missing off the heads of bolts
• The unavailability of some factory decals, and markings
• Undiscovered Kinetic damage throughout the vehicle
• The increased likelihood of a mechanical failure
• The effect that the repair will have on the future deployment of the SRS systems
• The impossibility of duplicating immersion rust-proofing techniques, etc.

Auto Theft and Your Car

Did you know that nearly half of all auto thefts are due to driver carelessness, such as leaving doors unlocked or leaving keys in the ignition? Although there may be little you can do to stop a determined thief, here are some tips you can consider to discourage thieves and make your vehicle as difficult to steal as possible.

Keep your vehicle locked at all times. When you park your car, even in your own driveway, roll your windows all the way up and lock the doors. Resist the temptation to leave windows cracked open during warm weather.

Always take your keys with you. Keep spare keys secure, never in your vehicle. Many people make the mistake of hiding a spare key in the wheel-well or a different place under their car for emergencies. The problem is, just like putting a spare house key under your doormat, criminals know all the hiding places.

Never leave your car running and unattended. This type of crime is especially prevalent at gas stations, ATMs and convenience stores. If you’re not behind the wheel, turn your vehicle off.

Keep personal items out of sight. Never leave valuables like a laptop computer, briefcase, purse, wallet or cellphone in plain sight. Leaving anything of value on display, even small change, is enough incentive for some people to break in. If you must leave valuables in your car, lock them securely in the trunk, lockable glove box or console.

Watch where you park. Parking in a well-lit area will help deter criminals. Thieves are less likely to target your vehicle if passersby or cameras can easily see them. At home, lock the garage and your car. If you use a parking garage, try to park near a security camera or attendant.

Invest in a vehicle security system. If your car doesn’t have an electronic engine immobilizer, consider having a professional install an approved system that disables the ignition and activate it every time you leave the car. Audible devices such as a horn alarm deter theft by emitting sound that calls attention to an unauthorized attempt to steal or enter your vehicle. Finally, consider a vehicle tracking and recovery system. If your car is stolen, it can be tracked and recovered using GPS, transmitter or similar technology.

You can’t stop every crime, but by following a few precautions, your car can become a less attractive target to would-be thieves. Please contact me with any questions that you may have – I’m here to help you manage the risks in your life and to provide you with trusted advice.

Top 10 changes you should let your insurance agent know

Here are some of the top 10 changes you should tell you insurance agent. These types of changes may effect your insurance coverage and you should contact your insurance agent A.S.A.P.

1) Have you recently become engaged, divorced or separated?

• in many cases, change in marital status may help you lower your annual premium
• in many cases, most companies offer multiple driver or multiple car discounts

2) Have you recently moved out of your home AND now renting it to others?

• in most cases, your coverage needs change if you are renting verses living in your home
• in most cases, you will need to change your policy to a Landlord policy to maintain coverage

3) Are you now living with someone in their home?

• in most cases, unless you are married to the person you are living with, your personal property is not covered under their homeowner's policy
• you will need to get a Renter's policy to cover your personal property

4) Have you taken a renter into your home?

• in most cases, your renter's personal property is NOT covered under your home policy
• in most cases, your renter will need to get their own Renter's policy

5) Are their adult children (over the age of 18) in your home?

• Many insurance companies require adults 18 years old and over to be listed as a named insured on your policy in order for their personal property to be covered in case of a claim

6) Have you added a swimming pool to your property?

• it is a good idea that if you have a swimming pool on your property, you should carry at least $300,000 in liability coverage
• it is a great idea that if you have a swimming pool on your property, you should have some type of barrier (swimming pool fence) for the safety of little children

7) Are you now driving for Uber of Lyft?

• many insurance companies require you to notify them if you drive for Uber or Lyft

8) Is their a new driver in your household?

• Most insurance companies require that ALL licensed drivers in your household MUST be on your auto insurance policy IF they do not have their own auto insurance coverage

9) Have you recently changed your address, phone number or email address?

• Unless you notify your agent of these types of changes, they will be unable to contact you if there is a problem with your policy or coverage

10) Have you recently purchased, leased or eliminated a car from your household?

• Most insurance companies give you an automatic 15 to 30 days of coverage on a new car you have purchased but after that, you will have NO COVERAGE