Driving on the left side of the road, in the USA?! Now you have to when you drive through a new DDI. Recently, at a major interchange in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the old freeway bridge over the interstate was demolished, and replaced with two bridges for Fillmore Road, in what is called a diverging diamond interchange (DDI). Apparently a DDI is a safer way for the traffic on the non-freeway road to go over the freeway. It does involve driving on the left side of the road. While you are only driving on the left side of the road for a short time, this is a major mindset change for anyone who has been driving in the United States. We just don’t drive on the left side of the road in the US. I have never driven on the left side of the road in this country before this new intersection forced me to drive on what Americans would call “the wrong side of the road.”
Right now this DDI is still under construction as it is close to completion. However the new traffic pattern has been set, the roadway is open, and people have been driving on the left side of this road over the new bridges for several weeks now. According to www.divergingdiamondinterchange.org, a DDI creates an efficient traffic pattern method by eliminating the need for left turn arrows, which is supposed to lead to less congestion in the area. I can understand this because one of the most common types of accidents is when a driver fails to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic while turning left. I just thought it was weird to see the cars going the wrong direction on the bridges as I was passing under them on the interstate. I was not able to find out how many of DDIs currently exist in the US, but it seems that we will see more as the years go on and old, outdated highway overpass bridges get replaced. These intersections are clearly marked and set up in a way to prevent you from driving into oncoming traffic. If anything though, I think this is major reason to not drive distracted or impaired, since you don’t know when you’ll go from driving on the right side of the road, to driving on the left side of the road at a DDIs. So please keep your eyes on the road, both sides of it!
My interpretation of this story is that big insurance companies are forcing body repair shops to do shoddy repairs and use non-original parts (OEM) when repairing the vehicle. Ok, I know people have their opinions about insurance companies and I won’t try to change them. We’ll see if the Department of Justice decides to proceed with this investigation as requested by Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. I felt this story was sensationalized and completely one-sided against the insurance companies.
This was a good story and the issue is important. However, my biggest problem with this story was that the body shops appeared to be the victims of bullying by major auto insurance companies. Auto Insurance companies do not repair vehicles, they pay for the repairs. If the body shop feels that they are being withheld funds for the parts and labor required for the vehicle to be repaired safely, why wouldn’t the body shop alert the owner of the car before they complete the work?
In the example illustrated in this story by CNN, a shop did inadequate repairs for a person’s vehicle that was in a car accident, and when they were called out on it, the shop blamed the insurance company for making the shop use alternate parts. I feel the shop has the responsibility to notify the customer if they feel that they cannot safely repair the vehicle with parts and procedures that the insurance company is offering.
When I get my vehicle fixed through my collision or comprehensive coverage with my own insurance company, then if my insurance policy states that like, kind and quality (LKQ) parts can be used, then my insurance company will ask the shop I chose to do the repairs, to look for those kinds of parts first. However, many times the alternate parts are too far out of the area, or when they try to attach the part, it doesn’t fit and the shop has to use an OEM part anyway. Do major insurance companies force alternate parts on their customers? Well see what the investigation and the pending lawsuits find out on that issue. I know I never forced certain parts on customers, and my company hasn’t done that to my knowledge either. There are anti-steering laws in almost every state that prevent an insurance company forcing a customer to use a certain shop for repairs. Also, the body shops and the insurance companies do not usually collude with each other. In my experience, they usually are at odds with each other because the body shop may want to charge whatever they want for the repairs, and the insurance companies argue with the shop that they are only paying for fair and reasonable repair charges.
My insurance policy is a contract with my insurance company. So I agreed to the alternative parts clause when I signed up for the policy. However, if I feel that the insurance company isn’t allowing the body shop to safely repair my vehicle, then I will contact my insurance company, complain, and a lot of times I will prevail because insurance companies usually make the right decision when it comes to safety issues. I had this happen to me before, and the shop said something to me, so I called and complained to my insurance adjuster and they corrected the issue immediately. Remember, you can change insurance companies pretty quickly now, and all of the insurance companies are aware of this fact. So hopefully, your insurance company will fight to retain your business.
If my vehicle was hit by someone else, and I go through his insurance company, then I don’t have a contract with his insurance company. So I can ask for OEM parts, however if I have an older car, that insurance company may say that they don’t owe it. Usually the insurance companies only use used, LKQ or aftermarket parts on cosmetic parts of the car only, not the parts that protect you in a car accident. They realize the ramifications of potential liability issues if they use these kinds of parts on the protective features of your vehicle if an accident happens, and they usually do not mess around, both when it is your insurance company or the other guy’s insurance company fitting the bill.
The average consumer doesn’t have access to the repair manual for their own vehicle. So how do you know if you are getting the correct repairs done or not? First, demand to see a copy of the estimate before you let the repairs begin. The shop has to have your authorization to fix your vehicle before they can start repairs. On the estimate, you may see “OEM” or “Remanufactured,” or “Alternate Part next to the parts listed on the estimate. However sometimes the estimate will not show the type of each part. So if it doesn’t, then ask the body shop appraiser what kind of parts they are using? If you don’t like their answer, contact the insurance adjuster and discuss your concerns with him or her. They may actually refer you to a Physical Damage Specialist because a lot of the bigger companies delegate the repair review to this person, and the adjuster doesn’t have authority over the repairs. If you don’ t know who the physical damage specialist is, then ask your insurance adjuster.
If after that, you really feel that you are not getting safe repairs to your vehicle, then you can contact the Department of Insurance in your state and let them know your concerns. They are the consumer advocate that decide if they want to investigate a particularly claim if they feel that there is wrongdoing by the insurance company. If they decide to investigate and find that the insurance company violated state insurance guidelines, then the Department of Insurance may levy a significant fine against that insurance company.
There are reasons why insurance companies have body shops look for alternative parts when it comes to repairs. One has to do with the age and mileage of the vehicle, and the rest usually have to do with money. I will tell you that I had to replace a power window kit on my car once and I priced out an OEM part vs. the aftermarket part. The OEM part was over $100 higher, even with a 15% discount that I had available to me. It did not make sense for me to use the OEM part because my vehicle was over 10 years old at the time, and the OEM part is what failed in the first place. I feel this aftermarket part works a lot better than the OEM part ever did. But that was my example and ever case is different. Sometimes the automobile manufacturer doesn’t recommend aftermarket or used parts, and that is where the shop and the insurance company have to communicate with each other because they usually have access to the manufacturer’s repair guidelines.
Remember, if the insurance company has to pay a lot in claims, they usually pass that cost onto their customers by way of rate adjustments. But I am all for safety, and I feel as a customer I will fight the good fight if I need to, for my kids sake. Also you pay a lot of money for your car, even an older car. So you want to make sure it gets back to pre-accident condition, and that you can sell it without taking a hit on the value later.
You can make sure that when you sign-up for your auto insurance policy, to ask the agent or the direct sales representative if this policy has a clause about alternative or LKQ parts. Let them know what your concerned about and they should be able to tell you if that company uses OEM or alternative parts in their collision and comprehensive coverage.
Now that the weather is changing, it’s time to check your tires to make sure they have good tread, and will keep you safe when the rain or the snow stars coming down.
You also want to make sure that if you see wear on only a portion of your tires that your alignment is correct. I have found that if your car is properly aligned and you keep the tires properly inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI, then you will get a lot of life out of your tires. They will keep you safe on slick roads too! That’s important because each one of these tires by themselves can be expensive, so a set of four should be treated like an investment to make your driving experience safe and enjoyable. You want to get the best deal you can on high quality tires so you can have ones that last a long time and can get you through almost any driving condition.
If you live in a state that gets a lot of snow like I do, then you might want to consider studded snow tires. These are great on ice and on roads with slush on them. However, it is recommended that you take those tires off in the summer as the studs can wear down on the hot pavement, and they can also tear up the pavement too. So that means you have to have 2 sets of tires, one for the winter and one for the summer. Except of course if you have retractable studs as shown in this YouTube video:
Having functional windshield wipers is an essential, yet often overlooked part of car safety.
Usually I don’t think about the fact that I haven’t replaced my windshield wipers in forever, until I am in a rain or snowstorm and I turned on my wipers for the first time in months. Well that does not usually work out for me because at this point, I am on my way to somewhere important like work or an appointment, or on my way home at night from a sporting event. So I don’t have time to go to Wal-Mart and get new wipers at this time. I try to think about getting new wipers every time I have to get an oil change, which is about every six months. Most service shops have started to ask “how are your wipers?” whenever I am getting maintenance done on my vehicle. However, I don’t like the prices they charge for new wipers because I feel changing out the wiper blades is a really simple process. So I try to go to Wal-Mart or order new wiper blades online when I am getting my oil change done, and I replace my old wipers with new set of wiper blades that day. This way I am not having to pull over and scrape/re-scrape the windshield in the spots that the old wipers miss. Also, I clean the inside of my windows periodically because this helps reduce them fogging up in the wintertime. I know this sounds really simplistic, but the condition of wiper blades are overlooked, and not having a clear windshield in a storm can be just as dangerous as texting and driving, because it is an avoidable distraction. It just takes a little bit of thought before the storm comes to town. If your wiper blades appear to be cracked, it’s probably time to replace them.
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Before I write about a car seat and why it is important to have a safe one installed for your child in a car, I am going to share some links to “car seat comedians” listed on youtube.com.
I had to post these as I have a two-year old boy who not only tells me what to do from his car seat when we are driving, but he also jams-out to different music, so this stuff rings true with me.
This is a serious issue though because these little ones are so important to us and we want to do everything in our power to keep them safe. So why not get them a decent car seat that keeps them safe and secure if some bozo runs a stop sign and hits you or the guy behind you is so enthralled in his texting conversation that he forgets to look up and rear-ends your vehicle.
You also have to make sure not to forget to properly secure the car seat in the vehicle, especially if you just moved the car seat from another car. So be careful and remember to properly secure your bundle in the back seat and away from all airbags.
Now, if a person tells me that their car seat was occupied by a child when the accident occurred, I have to reimburse them for a new car seat through the auto claim. That is because when the impact happens, the child’s body pulls on those straps which may compromise their integrity for the next accident that happens. If the car seat is not in use when the accident happens, then we do ask if there is any visible damage to the car seat. If there is no photographic evidence of damage to the car seat, then we usually do not pay to replace it and I do not know many insurance companies that would in that situation. I wanted to let you know though in case you have a claim where your child was riding in the car seat when the accident happened. It is the law in some states that the car seat replacement gets reimbursed by the at fault insurance company. In other states it is not the law, but most insurance companies may pay for the replacement as a good business practice. Make sure you contact your adjuster to find out if your car seat would be reimbursed if you replaced it after an accident. Also remember to save your receipt as you will need to submit it as supporting documentation for your claim.
Be safe out there!
Bestcarwreckinfo.com strongly advocates car safety. Being safe while driving will vastly lower your probability of being involved in a car wreck. It starts with keeping a proper lookout while driving, avoiding distractions, and wearing your seat belt. Driving the speed limit, staying off of your phone for both phone calls and texting and driving defensively help as well. Car safety is more than that though because if you fail to maintain your vehicle and replacing worn items can make driving difficult and may lead to an accident if you let these issues go on for too long.
Items you should maintain include windshield wipers, having a crack-free windshield, headlights and tail lights that properly, putting your child in the proper car seat that is strapped into the seat correctly, decent tires that are inflated to the manufacturer’s specifications and have good tread on them, and an engine that gets its oil changed royally.
There are other items that should work on your car, but some are easier for you to maintain than others so you just need to remember to take the time to maintain these items that you can find at your local Wal-Mart or Auto Zone at affordable prices.
I will tell you that as an adjuster, if you were to tell me the accident happened because something on your car failed which lead to the accident, I will ask you when was the last time you maintained the vehicle and I will also ask for documentation as proof. Otherwise you could be found negligent and thus the cause of the accident. So make sure to properly maintain your vehicle in order to avoid this issue. Some accidents you just cannot avoid, but try to avoid the other ones that are easily avoidable with proper attention to the road and your vehicle.
Sometimes, you cannot avoid an accident. How could you stop a person from rear-ending your vehicle while you are stopped at a red light? However, I feel that for the most part car wrecks can be avoided. If an accident is avoided, then you do not have to deal with the insurance companies, repair shops, rental car agencies or attorneys. Also, most insurance companies will raise someone’s rates if that person is deemed at fault for the wreck and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my rates to go up.
Today and throughout this week so far, there have been some inclement weather conditions causing a lot of dangerous road conditions in much of the US. I was thinking about this on my way into work this morning while I was stuck on the icy freeway in heavy traffic while in 3 degree weather. I thought today was going to be a busy day because of how bad the weather has been lately and how that usually drives up the volume of claims. The news was telling me not to go on the roads unless I have to and the schools were closed. However, I had to report to work as scheduled as the economy, while it is better than it has been in recent years, still doesn’t allow me to stroll into the office whenever I feel like it. We all have to be at work on time usually.
What can we do? This is not meant to be a lecture, but maybe we should reflect on our driving habits a little in order to lower our own probability of being involved in an accident. When we know the weather is going to be bad, maybe we should set our alarm clocks earlier the night before so we get dressed and leave our house in the morning with plenty of time to get to work. Let us remember that it’s 4-wheel drive and not 4-wheel stop, and that it is a good idea to slow down and leave more distance between the cars when the roads are wet and/or icy. If we tend to speed then let us think about how much time going 15 mph over the speed limit is really going to save us. If we get in an accident or pulled-over by a police officer, we pretty much lose any amount of time gained. Let us understand that we should not pass someone when it is not safe to do so, or that we cannot run into the back of the car in front of us. Let us make sure that we have enough time to turn left in front of a car that is coming towards us from the opposite direction and if that car hits us, let us conclude that we did not have enough time. However, if you do get into the accident, I am not saying you should admit liability, because it is not a good idea discuss fault with the other party as a lot of times it leads to confrontations. Also, liability is for the insurance adjusters and the lawyers to figure out, not the parties involved in the wreck. If you find yourself in the accident, do what you were told to do by whoever taught you how to drive or refer to my page ‘What to do right after the car accident occurs.”
Thank you for reading my post and please be safe out there on the roads!
