Online Auto Insurance: Show Extreme Caution in Case of a Breakdown

Dallas/Fort Worth -- Free-Press-Release.com-- Dec 23, 2011 -- AAA’s recent announcement that it expects hundreds of thousands of motorists to break down while traveling this holiday season should remind anyone who’s planning a road trip that mechanical failure can lead to worse consequences than just being stranded, according to Online Auto Insurance (OAI).

That’s because, while stalling out on the side of the road is bad enough, breakdowns in or around other traffic often lead to vehicle crashes. And even in those cases in which no one is hurt, getting into an accident affects auto insurance policyholders in one way or another.

Those who are found to have caused the crash have a good chance of seeing their premiums rise, and drivers who were not at fault still must navigate the claims process in order to have vehicle repairs made.

Officials with the auto club expect to come to the rescue of more than 800,000 broken-down drivers before the first week of January, and they estimate that somewhere around 250,000 of them will need to be towed.

Safety experts say exiting a stalled vehicle at a busy intersection or on the highway should is a major safety risk—particularly at night or in inclement conditions that could prevent other motorists from seeing you or your vehicle.

Among other safety tips for those hitting the roads in wintry weather, federal safety officials advise drivers who are unlucky enough to conk out at the side of the street to affix lights or bright markers to their antenna or windows and to keep the vehicle’s interior dome light on.

Source: http://www.safercar.gov/staticfiles/safercar/pdf/wintertips.pdf

According to the Insurance Information Institute, drivers should try to get their vehicle to a safe place—away from busy highways and other high-traffic areas—before getting out to check for damage or to try to make repairs.

AAA says motorists can sidestep many safety risks—and save themselves a lot of headaches—by keeping their vehicles properly cared for in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule and making sure it’s ready for the road before setting out on a trip.

Those without a membership to an auto club may want to consider purchasing optional insurance that will cover towing fees.

To learn more about this and other car insurance issues, readers can go to http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/quotes/how-accidents-affect/ where they will find informative resource pages and a quote-comparison generator that can help users quickly evaluate their coverage options.

# # #

Online Auto Insurance
Gregor McGavin
http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/