As an insurance professional in Houston Tx, I see many cars and many accidents. This means that insurance premiums will rise and there will be more claims. Because I drive the same roads as everyone else on my way to work, I am a consumer first. I thought it would be a good idea for me to share some tips about driving in big cities like Houston. We all hate dealing with claims. It doesn’t matter if you have a great agent at the best insurance company, it will still be annoying to some degree. There are some things that we can’t avoid. But let’s control the ones we can. Trust me, I’ve been cited for speeding a lot before becoming an agent. You would not speed now, right? However, I do have some observations to make after I’ve been speeding and having many clients who were involved in accidents.
- Smart Cell Phone Use. It is impossible to expect people to not use their mobile phones while driving in this modern age. Instead of telling people to not use their cell phones while driving, I will give smart tips for using your phone. Use a headset if you have to speak with someone while driving. If you don’t have your phone in your ear and your head turned to the side, you are more likely to be alert to what is happening around you. You are also more likely to pay attention to your speed when you don’t have the phone in your ear. Everyone has seen or been irritated at the 35 mph speed limiter on the freeway. When you finally see them, you realize that they don’t know how to drive without their phone in their ears. While attempting to impede traffic flow, they talk on the phone with a scared or confused expression on their faces. Please don’t be like that. You don’t have Siri on your iPhone 4s, like I do. Absolutely no typing! Although I could tell you the same story about someone driving with their phone in their hand and causing traffic jams, I will tell you a different story. Last year, in July, I was driving home from a family reunion. My pregnant wife and I stopped at the Shell station to fill up for our trip. As I pump my gas,… SMASH. A young man in a pickup truck rammed a couple who were trying to turn into the station. He then pushed them about 30 feet into a ditch. When I say smash, I mean SMASH. The kid didn’t slow down. Instantly, he jumps out of the truck with his cell phone in hand. We ran over to try to rescue the passengers, but the car was so badly damaged that we couldn’t get to the driver’s side. Unfortunately, when I reached the driver’s side, it became obvious that the woman driving was dead. We managed to rescue her husband from the passenger side, but he was also very severely injured. Although I don’t know if the man died later, I do know that the kid today where he is now really misses the view of the road. Although it’s a sad story, I wanted to emphasize the seriousness of this matter.
- Drive for Others. Many people may wonder what this statement means. Let me explain it right now. Assume that everyone around you is stupid and doesn’t know how to drive a motor vehicle. Let me explain this a bit more. When we learn to drive, we are taught how merge… assume that the other guy forgot. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, we know that texting is not the best way to focus on the road. Women should be paying more attention to the road than applying their makeup… let’s say she woke up late and had to do this just once today. To sum it all, be alert and ready for anything when driving in big cities.
- Take Time for You. This tip was simple enough that I had to remember it. It was always a problem for me to feel rushed on the roads. Houston is a fast-paced city, so if you don’t allow yourself enough time, you’ll feel rushed. Traffic is everywhere. Traffic is inevitable because of the many driving styles and personalities. It could be an accident, or someone simply wanting to drive on Sunday. You are more likely make dangerous decisions when you feel rushed. Bad decisions in the wrong circumstances can lead to risky decisions. You will also speed up if you feel pressured and there isn’t any traffic. Speeding can result in tickets which can increase insurance premiums which can cause unhappy pockets. Speeding can increase your chance of being in an accident.
