When your tire goes flat, or your battery dies, you be prepared for basic repairs with the following items:

•Tire repair kit, pressure gage, jack and tire pump
•Flares or emergency triangle
•Tow rope
•Extra oil
•Antifreeze
•Windshield wiper fluid
•Jumper cables
•Tools (lug wrench, hammer, standard and Phillips screwdrivers, adjustable wrench

When President Obama announced new fuel efficiency standards that require new vehicles to average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, some opponents argue that the mandate would “kill more Americans than the Iraq War.”

The statement may sound like a bunch of baloney, but it actually has some merit, and here’s why.

President Obama’s fuel efficiency mandate will force auto manufacturers to produce smaller, lighter vehicles, and these vehicles have been shown to be inherently less safe than larger, heavier vehicles. If thousands of paper-thin subcompacts were to replace hefty trucks and SUVs on the roadways, the number of auto fatalities is likely to skyrocket.

A study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that larger, heavier vehicles are inherently safer than smaller, lighter vehicles. And it’s all due to the laws of physics.

When a large, massive object collides with a smaller object, the larger object, by virtue of its greater mass, inflicts more impact. “The bigger, heavier vehicle will push the smaller, lighter one backward during the impact. This means less force on the occupants of the heavier vehicle and more on the people in the lighter vehicle,” the report states. “Greater force means greater risk, so the people in the smaller, lighter vehicle are more likely to be injured.”

For a case study, the report evaluates the head-on impact of two vehicles with varying size and weight. The larger vehicle weighs 3,600 pounds; the smaller vehicle weighs 1,800 pounds. When the vehicles collide head-on at a rate of 40 mph, the heavier vehicle pushes the lighter vehicle backwards at 13 mph. The velocity change of the lighter vehicle is 53 mph, more than twice the change of the heavier vehicle’s change of 27 mph.

Passengers in smaller, lighter vehicles have been shown to be at a disadvantage in accidents. In fact, in both single and multiple vehicle accidents, driver fatality rates decline dramatically as vehicle size increases.

But vehicle safety doesn’t rely solely on mass. Some experts believe good engineering and strategic design are more important to vehicle safety than size. Features such as front and side airbags, seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force-limiters, head restraints, rollover prevention mechanisms and crash avoidance features play a crucial role in enhancing vehicle safety.

The size of a car’s front end plays a role in vehicle safety, too. The safety hazards of a lighter vehicle can be offset by increasing the size of the vehicle’s front end, specifically the distance between the front of the vehicle and its occupant compartment. A vehicle with more energy-absorbing “crush space” takes longer to stop during impact, thereby decreasing the severity of impact and easing the force on occupants.

A vehicle’s weight can be reduced without sacrificing much structural integrity by manufacturing parts with aluminum, titanium or plastic. But most carmakers shy away from these materials due to their high cost.

The bottom line? For vehicles to satisfy President Obama’s fuel efficiency standards mandate, manufacturers will have to produce lighter vehicles in the coming years. And even if Americans refuse to give up their SUVs, the models they drive are likely to be significantly lighter.

Summer is upon us and that means hitting local waterways with your friends and families. If you are a boat owner, whether it’s a bass fishing boat, high performance wakeboarding boat or a party barge, you need to make sure your boat is properly insured.

If you have a small boat that goes less than 25 miles an hour, this includes kayaks and canoes as well, you will more than likely be able to insure those under your homeowners or renters insurance policy according the Insurance Information Institute (III). But larger, more powerful boats require a separate insurance policy to protect them.

For physical loss or damage, coverage includes the hull, machinery, fittings, furnishings and permanently attached equipment as part of either an actual cash value policy or on an agreed amount value basis. These policies also provide broader liability protection than a homeowners policy. But there are distinct differences between the two types of policies (III).

Actual cash value polices will cover the replacement cost of your boat less depreciation. Agreed amount value policies are policies were you and your boat insurance provider agreed on an amount of what your boat is worth in case of a total loss.

Boat insurance also covers:

•Bodily injury–for injuries caused to another person
•Property damage–for damage caused to someone else’s property
•Guest passenger liability–for any legal expenses incurred by someone using the boat with the owner’s permission
•Medical payments–for injuries to the boat owner and other passengers
•Theft

It’s important to make sure you also have plenty of life jackets and other safety devices onboard your vessel to go along with your boat insurance coverage. You never know when you might hit an iceberg sending your boat to the bottom of a lake.

Shopping Online for insurance is probably the fastest way to save money. By using websites that use comparative rater, meaning that you will get quotes from several insurance providers, pretty much guarantee your savings.

We have to also consider the fact that every insurance carrier now have a website, and therefore uses the web to market insurance very heavily in fact. As consumers, it’s wise to take advantage of this convenience – shopping online to find affordable insurance.

If you do get notice of a rate hike in the mail, it may be time for you to do some insurance shopping. Our fast and free insurance quote forms can make it simple for you to compare insurance quotes in your local area. Your current insurer may not have the capital to keep their rates low, but another insurer may be stepping up to compete for your business!

 Freedom of Choice When Selecting a Dentists – Indemnity Dental Insurance Benefits

Indemnity dental insurance plans usually employ an “open panel” of dentists.  Indemnity Dental Insurance Plans. This type of dental plan pays the dental office (dentist) on a traditional fee-for-service basis.  Like a PPO dental plan, indemnity dental insurance plans give you the freedom to go to the dentist of your choice.

Well, your area may not be one of the lucky places that get to experience a decline in auto insurance premiums. But you can not always count on your old insurer to offer you the best deal. Another insurer may be working hard to gain a market advantage, and you can save money by finding that company!

Has this helped? Please let us know. In addition consider using our FREE QuoteClix.com quote service to find a cheaper car insurance policy. Insurance rates keep going up and we have contacted insurance companies in all 50 states to help find the best price for your car insurance.

What Makes Auto Insurance Rates Go Down In An Area?

• Improved Auto Safety Features In New Cars Reduce or Prevent Claims
• Improved Anti-theft Devices or a Reduction In Car Thefts.
• Better Defensive Driving Education.
• Tougher Enforcement of Traffic Laws, especially Driving Under The Influence Laws.
• Increase Competition from Multiple Auto Insurers.
• Advances in Technology that make Insurers More Efficient

Most of us do not expect our rates to decline, even though we would all welcome the lowest possible bill every month! But some surprising statistics have shown, in some areas, rates have declined over the last couple of years.