Winter is a hazardous season for most Northern states such as Maryland, Maine, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, N. Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming, and Michigan. Southern states are less affected by winter weather; however rare snowfalls provoke more anxiety than in the states that are more prepared for that. Statistical data of 2007-2008 shows that the number of car accidents in the U.S. increased by approximately 46% starting from the middle of October till the end of April, which means there were a large number more car accidents during the cold months.

Here are some useful tips for safe and pleasant winter driving. It is important to drive slowly and choose the right speed which will let you control the situation. It becomes much harder to drive a car at the speed of 35 mph on an icy road. Use special tires or tire chains to provide more friction for the wheels. You should always be sure the car is tuned and in good order because the possibility of failure of any car parts also increases in bad driving conditions. In case you lose control of the car take your foot off the gas, step on the brake slightly, and turn to the direction that you’re sliding into until you gain control.

However none of the precautions can guarantee safety when there are other car drivers who might be trapped in an unlucky situation by winter roads. In this respect the wisest decision before even starting your car would be to make sure you’ve got the right car insurance. Auto insurance is an essential element which helps prevent car owners from excessive expenses connected with icy conditions of roads. Since accidents happen quite often in winter try to get the best deals on car insurance for all the family members who drive a car before the winter comes so that you would not have to overpay later or happen to be underinsured in case of an accident.

That’s what TIC (Travelers Insurance Company) did in 1898 when it insured Truman Martin‘s car providing him with a coverage in the value of $500 and initiating the era of auto insurance.

Even though the first car insurance was actually meant to secure Truman’s car from damage caused by horses rather than cars, twenty years later when transport facilities flooded big cities and required the invention of highway regulations, auto insurance was finally supposed to compensate losses caused by collision with other vehicles. That’s when car owners were required to buy mandatory insurance coverage for the first time which little by little brought about some considerable changes in legal, economical and political systems in all the states of the U.S.

Auto insurance companies started spreading fast all over the United States and European countries as that new kind of business kept on growing at a blinding performance pace in the first half of the century. However car insurance was developing by fits and starts during all 20th century because in those days, as today, it was quite dependant of the condition and development of the car market itself in each country. Thus, every stationary period in automobile industry was followed by a material setback in auto insurance business. As soon as the car market experienced another sales slump, there were no clients to buy car insurance policies.

In fact that mechanism proved to be true not so long ago when high gas prices affected car industry and auto insurance business at the same time. However the relative stabilization of gas prices which we’ve witnessed recently is favorable for most auto insurance companies. This makes us believe that the period of decline in auto insurance development should be over by now.

The sequence of events was opened by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - two significant corporations that control half of the US mortgage market. However as we’ve witnessed, the bigger they are the harder they fall. Instability of these two giants put many people under the threat of losing their real estate property and even pushed down dollar’s value in the world’s currency market. In September 2008 70-year-old Fannie Mae and its successor, 40-year-old Freddie Mac, were the first ones to fall. However the US government took prompt actions to stop the two corporations from crashing and took total control over them. Being in charge of the two monsters the Federal Housing Finance Agency established a range of measures that will help to stabilize the situation.

Something similar happened to American International Group (AIG). It arose in the market in the early 60s and has been issuing loans and mortgage credits for a little less than 40 years already. However this fiscal year has become a major setback for this insurance corporation. Its share prices collapsed putting AIG on the edge of bankruptcy in the middle of September. But that was when the US government emerged again and helped them out of the trouble. The government bought control of the company and set its own game to play.

However history repeats itself too soon and a little later it was the turn for the world-known financial company to take the limps. Having been around for almost 160 years, Lehman Brothers was always recognized as the most distinguished and powerful body in American financial system. Nevertheless the crisis was merciless to this company as well and actually swept it away on September 15, 2008 when the company was forced to file bankruptcy before losing all its assets. In that case the US government didn’t take any preventive measures.

In spite of recent failures that happened to the biggest corporations in the US, it seems that the crisis passed most people, including debtors, round. Most financial experts are quite positive about the present situation. They say that prices flatten out fast and there are many favorable conditions for mortgage or car loans. Since the new economic growth is a regular occurrence after such events, car owners are recommended to buy car insurance now before the services recover in value and the prices are up again.

Tip #1. Be smart when you choose a car.

The first step one can ever take to cut down money expenses for gas from the very start is to buy a car which consumes less fuel than other brands. Some cars with a low-powered engine burn less gas and are quite suitable for living in a city. You might also consider buying a green car most of which were designed to preserve the environment by burning less fuel.

Tip #2. More haste, less speed

Driving at a lower speed will definitely lower your gas consumption. Every time you accelerate you spend more money. Air resistance lowers the speed of your car and works as a barrier that makes the engine spend more gas to reach the desired speed. Using a cruise control will help you maintain the speed.

Tip #3. Any gas would do.

There is a common misconception which makes people believe that using premium-priced gas will make their cars perform better on road. However the majority of cars were built to consume any regular gas. So, there is no difference which type of gas you use, except that you do pay more for the premium-priced one.

Tip #4. Don’t waste gas if you stop your car.

Kill the engine each time you bring your car to a stop somewhere for more than half a minute. Just imagine how much gas you could burn while standing at one spot with your engine on for a minute, and what a long distance you could have overcome within that period of time.

Tip #5. Take care of your car.

It goes without saying that an unattended car with a clogged air filter and no tunes-up for several months will consume more fuel that a car with all parts functioning normally. So, check and tune up your car every month to make sure it runs well. Even such a simple thing as inflating your tires regularly can reduce gas consumption.

Tip #6. Carry fewer things.

Take less heavy things in your car because each additional pound requires more gas to be spent to carry it. Even the weight of your gas tank matters. That’s why it’s recommended to keep your gas tank between half and empty most of the times.

Tip #7. Find good deals.

Some big supermarkets, fuel station and retail warehouse clubs offer better deals on gas for those who pay their special membership fee. It’s useful for people who can go to their stations and refill their tanks regularly, thus the membership will be money’s-worth.

Tip #8. Help your friends and let them help you.

Those who live in the same area with their coworkers can use it to their advantage. Your friends and you can take turns to drive each other to work. Carpooling has become quite popular lately and many people prefer it not only because it lets them save money on gas. They enjoy it because it is better to go to work with a friend instead of going there alone.

Tip #1. Buy a newer car.

Does it sound rather vague to you? Some new cars from a manufacturer can last for years without any repairs. It mostly depends on your driving habits indeed. Once you have a new car you can forget your mechanic’s address for a while even though regular maintenance is still required. But if you already have an old car… well, see below.

Tip #2. Get good auto insurance.

Good car insurance is the best way to save on car maintenance when it comes to breakages and failures. Try to do some research and find such car insurance which best fits your needs. When you get car insurance with a low deductible payment it will help you reduce your technical maintenance expenses considerably. If you already have auto insurance with a high deductible… hm, continue reading.

Tip #3. Do it on your own.

In case you have a mechanical breakdown, try to fix it by yourself. There are many online support services that can help you check your car and discover the fault. If you still need to take it to a repair service keep in mind that they get new car parts to change the broken ones with a high markup. Thus in some cases buying spare parts by yourself (if you know exactly what you need) will help you reduce the expenses by 4 times! Just shop around and look for better offers online.

Tip #4. Prevention is better than cure.

You can save money and prolong your car’s working capacity if you take some preventive measures. By changing oil, charging batteries in time as well as doing total check-up of your car once a month, you can help your vehicle last longer.

Tip #5. Use your car wisely.

You’ll be surprised how much you can save if you give some thought to the ways you use your car. One should stop the engine at red traffic lights and in the jams.

Tip #6. Maintain your speed level.

From my own experience I can say that when I speed up and pull up fast, it does good neither to my brakes nor my fuel economy. One should stick to some certain speed level. That way one can achieve the lowest fuel rate and save the brake pads from wearing out. Using deceleration technique to make your car come to a halt is better than applying the brake.

Tip #7. Check your tires.

Partially deflated tires do not help save money at all. First of all if there isn’t enough air in the tires they can wear out faster. Secondly underinflation increases fuel rate by 4-6% which makes you spend more fuel than usual. You can read technical characteristics and check the best tire inflation pressure for your car.

Tip #8. New spark plugs every once in a while.

Statistics show that changing old spark plugs in time cuts fuel costs down by 25-35%. Moreover new spark plugs also help improve car’s performance and capacity.

Tip #9. Wash it in time.

At first blush one could say that washing doesn’t reduce maintenance costs at all. However cleaning your car in time will help you prevent if from corrosion which is caused by accumulation of mud and dust that stay wet and stimulate corrosive wear.

Tip #10. Read the manual.

When you know your car as the back of your hand you are definitely aware of what it needs, when its engine has to be tuned-up or what oil it’s better to use. It’s always helpful to read the owner’s manual and look under the hood once in a while.

Myth #1 - Greenest Cars Are Very Expensive

Most people believe that environmentally friendly cars are sold at a high price and are not affordable for people with low income. However there are some electric cars that cost as much as average gasoline vehicles.

Myth #2 – With a Green Car There Are No High Maintenance Expenses

Even though a green car may seem to be a reliable mechanism made of durable parts, driving and using such a car has some hidden maintenance expenses. Since electric cars run on rechargeable batteries they need to be recharged quite often which might be rather costly considering the price for electricity nowadays. Moreover sooner or later rechargeable batteries will have to be replaced with new ones which are quite expensive as well.

Myth #3 – Greenest Cars Are The Most Environmentally Friendly

It’s true that green cars help to reduce pollution and produce less exhaust fumes than most conventional gasoline vehicles but as a matter of fact greenest cars are not that green. Even though some hybrid cars run on electric power or hydrogen at low speeds combined with usage of a gasoline engine only at higher speeds, they still use a lot of gas and do pollute the atmosphere. Some specialists believe that buying a small economy car is more environmentally friendly than buying a powerful hybrid car.

Myth #4 – Greenest Cars Are Widely-Spread

With all the big talk and spirited debates about green cars one may come to a conclusion that these cars are best-selling, widely-distributed and they start “driving” gasoline cars out of the car market. However the production of green cars makes only 1.8 percent of the whole US car market and it will take quite a long time before they start playing any considerable part in it.

Myth #5 – All Green Cars Are Absolutely Safe

Driving some types of environmentally friendly cars such as most cell-powered and some hybrid cars with hydrogen engines makes them extremely dangerous on the road. In case of any collision the explosion of hydrogen accompanied by oxygen which is also used in such engines might cover vast areas.

Myth #6 – Most Green Cars Are Small and Uncomfortable Inside

This statement might be fair only if we talk about such a representative of green cars as a Smart car. However the majority of environmentally friendly cars is as spacious as conventional vehicles and has a rather big storage space.

Myth #7 – Electric Cars Can Operate Long Hours without Recharging

In fact most electric cars can be driven only 35 miles. After that the batteries need to be recharged. Thus if you travel long distances by car an electric vehicle is not what you need.

Here are the common types of environmentally friendly cars:

- Electric cars;

- Fuel-cell-powered cars (hydrogen and oxygen cars);

- Hybrid cars;

- Solar cars.

Electric cars operate on rechargeable batteries which are the most expensive parts of this type of vehicles. Most electric cars look like conventional vehicles and one usually cannot tell them apart. Electric cars are very quiet and produce no exhaust fumes at all. The interior of the cars is stuffed with wiring harness.

Fuel-cell-powered cars operate on chemical reactions between different fuel cells (like hydrogen and oxygen) which merge to turn into a new matter. As a matter of fact fuel-cell-powered cars are similar to electric cars because they work on electricity which comes as a result of such chemical reactions. They are also as quiet and ecological as electric ones, plus fuel-cell-powered cars almost don’t need any maintenance or repairs because there is almost no friction between the car parts of such vehicles. All in all this kind of environmentally friendly cars is supposed to be very economical and ecological and could be the champion among green cars but for one essential aspect – hydrogen is a very flammable gas and when it comes with oxygen a car accident can be very destructive.

Hybrid cars are something in between electric cars, fuel-cell-powered cars or gasoline cars. They are very ecological and produce almost no exhaust fumes. Hybrid cars are more widespread than other environmentally friendly cars.

Solar cars operate on the solar energy which they accumulate with the help of built-in solar panels. Solar cars have a very peculiar shape which most likely resembles spaceships from Star Wars. They are more uncommon and are not produced on regular basis. They can be driven at high speeds for a long time powered only by the energy of the sun.

Environmentally friendly cars have become the choice of many people who decided to reduce the influence of burning fossil fuels on the nature.

Even though men love saying that a woman behind the wheel as well as the one on board the ship causes trouble, the fact remains – women are safer drivers than men.

The whole issue here is about two completely different things – being a better driver and being a safer driver. If you are skilled enough to drive your car with your eyes closed and your hands in your pockets it’s great. However, is it worth the risk? Statistically most men are more predisposed to taking risk and adventures than women. They might be and most likely are better drivers than women. The word “better” here means more skilled, professional or resourceful. Men are better convergers and decision makers. One can see that at least by the fact that there are very few famous female racers while there are many professional male racecar drivers.

Thus we see that men are more skillful drivers. But here comes another question – are men safer drivers than women? That is the aspect where most men lose their superiority over women and sink in the estimation of insurance agents. Have you ever seen a man who drives along wide open and suddenly rushes through the traffic to pass the lights before it flashes red exposing his family members and himself to unjustified risk? I think you have, and probably many times. Have you ever seen a woman doing the same thing? I doubt it.

Any insurance company wants to make sure the drivers are not going to cause problems. They don’t want an experienced racer like Michael Schumacher or Mario Andretti who’ll be running around at high speed and demonstrating how cool he is. They want a cautious lady who’ll understands the responsibility and can actually feel the velocity.

Another considerable distinction in male and female behavioral and driving habits is that men express their aggressiveness in a more physical way especially when it comes to driving. This makes men less safe drivers as well.

It goes without saying that all these aspects are absolutely individual and one cannot judge about someone’s ability to drive by his or her sex. However insurance companies rely on those conceptions but they do apply individual approach when they check your driving records and even your grades at school. So, don’t blame yourself for being born a man (if you’re a man) – just try to find other ways to reduce your insurance premiums.