Car insurance is amongst other things, based on how risky your driving is. If you are a calm and courteous driver, your behaviour will reflect in your excellent risk profile, and your premium may be lower. Having accidents will affect your car insurance premium. That’s why you need to know what the dangerous situations in the road are and how to avoid them.
DISCLAIMER
Insurance is complicated, and we would like to request that readers consider the following text as only information, and not as advice. For any professional advice you may need on any car insurance products, please consult a certified, financial advisor.
WHY IS YOUR RISK PROFILE IMPORTANT TO CAR INSURANCE COMPANIES?
You need to recognise that most insurance companies base your risk profile on many things, including your driving history. The premium they charge you is, in turn, based on that risk profile. The less accidents you have over a certain period of time, the better your risk profile will look, and this will have a positive effect on your premium.
HOW CAN YOU AVOID DANGEROUS SITUATIONS ON THE ROAD TO MINIMISE ACCIDENTS?
You need to avoid dangerous situations on South African roads that could cause accidents. You do this, not only from a safety point of view, but also because having accidents affects your insurance, and premiums.
Let us look at some of the dangers on the road and find out how you can avoid them, thereby protecting your car insurance risk profile.
DRIVING DEFENSIVELY
Check your attitude and ensure you drive defensively. 1 One of the greatest dangers on our roads is road rage. By refusing to move out of a fast lane, you could trigger road rage that could explode right next to you, possibly causing an accident. Never try and drive aggressively.
AVOID TAILGATING
When in a hurry, you may tend to follow a car with little distance between your car and the car in front. If the driver of the front car suddenly decides to brake for any reason, you will not have time to stop. This could result in crashing into the rear of that car or the gate can close, causing damage to your car.
WHAT DO YOU DO BEFORE OVERTAKING?
Make sure that you have quite a long stretch of road ahead of you before deciding to overtake. The act of overtaking is in itself dangerous, so it is important that you allow yourself enough time and space to overtake. Do not take any chances as this increase your risk dramatically.
BEWARE OF DRIVING AT NIGHT
Many holiday makers choose to drive at night to avoid holiday traffic congestion. However, driving at night may be three times more dangerous compared to day driving. There is a much greater chance of having an accident with pedestrians, stray animals, and falling asleep at the wheel. Continual, blinding lights from oncoming traffic can be most distracting.
DRIVING THROUGH DANGEROUS SUBURBS
Avoid driving through suburbs known for their high crime rate. You don’t want to stop at a traffic light and get highjacked.
WHY IS DRIVING AFTER THE FIRST RAINS DANGEROUS?
When it hasn’t rained for some time, considerable grease, and oil may have accumulated on the road surface. When it starts raining, drivers must exercise extra caution, because rain can spread these substances over the road surface, making it slippery.
WATCH OUT FOR FLASH FLOODING
Avoid travelling in your car when you are aware of bad weather coming your way. Flash floods, as the name suggests, can suddenly appear on roads. If you happen to be on the road while it is raining, stay tuned into the radio. You may hear where some flash floods are occurring. In addition, avoid those areas that may be prone to flash flooding.
We have read about the various dangers on the road that drivers should try and avoid. The first step in safe driving is to be aware of them, and then know how to avoid them altogether. In this way, your car insurance risk profile should not be affected.
Disclaimer:
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views and opinions of Prime Meridian Direct (Pty) Ltd, FSP41040 (car insurance and life cover products). The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.