Teens often get very excited when it comes to getting their driving permit. And while preparing teens for driving in harsh weather can sometimes be difficult, you can’t control the weather. It never hurts to get out and about and practice with them when the weather gets rough. If you’re considering teaching your teen how to drive in the fog, you’ll definitely want to keep the following tips in mind.

Use Windshield Wipers

Fog is moisture in the air, and it will stick to the windshield. This is why you should instruct your teen to always use wipers in the fog. Not only will this help your teen to see better out of the windshield, but it also helps prevent glare from any oncoming traffic. 

Understand How the Lights Work

Many newer cars come standard with daytime running lamps, and while these lights can prove to be of the utmost value during the day and at night, they don’t control a driver’s tail lights. Keeping this in mind, if your teen’s car has daytime running lamps, make sure you tell them that they will need to manually turn on the headlights to ensure the tail lights are lit in the foggy weather. 

Slow Down

The number one tip your teen needs to be following is to slow down in foggy weather. Even if it’s daylight outside, it can be extremely difficult to drive in fog, especially when it blocks the driver’s view from seeing oncoming traffic. If it’s extremely foggy, your teen should be doing well below the speed limit, preferably at least 10 to 20 mph slower than what the speed limit is. 

To learn more about driving in foggy weather, contact Colling Insurance Services Inc. today. 

When you’re driving in Lakewood, CO or anywhere else, you want to make sure you are as alert as possible. It can be difficult if you have been working long hours or have spent too much time on the road already. The good news is that there are tips to help you stay more alert and focused as you continue to drive.

Approximately 100,000 police reported crashes occur in the United States every year because of people driving while drowsy and it has been estimated that around 37 percent of drivers have fallen asleep at one point or another while driving.

The best thing to do is acknowledge that you are too tired to drive before you even get behind the wheel. Ask someone else to drive or call a taxi to take you to where you need to go. It is much better to spend the money on alternative transportation or be late getting home than to get into an accident that is your fault because you fell asleep while driving.

Follow these tips to be more alert:

• Don’t drive on the road for more than three hours at a time without stopping
• Drive with a partner or passenger
• Sing along to music to keep you more awake and focused

Auto insurance is of the utmost importance and you want to make sure you have the policy that’s right for you. At Colling Insurance we are going to work with you to find a policy by working with many insurance companies that are licensed to issue within the state of Colorado.

Call today and let us find the best policy. You can then be sure you are going to be well protected while on the roads – and you can make sure you are being the best driver by staying more alert.

If you’re going to operate a motor vehicle on a Colorado roadway, you’ll have to be financially responsible. That means you’re required to have liability insurance with minimum coverage of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per occurrence, and $15,000 for property damage. That includes underinsured/uninsured coverage along with $5,000 in medical payments coverage.

Although Colorado’s mandatory minimum liability coverage law is one of the best in the country, it’s still just not enough. It doesn’t take much to exceed $25,000 in damages in a personal injury claim. That’s probably an emergency room visit and a couple of days in the hospital. If a jury comes back with a $100,000 verdict and you were driving on a $25,000 policy, you’re personally on the hook for the $75,000 excess.

As independent insurance agents, we don’t want to see you put in an excess liability situation. We’re respected and established business people that live and work around the Wheat Ridge community. We want to see you well protected on the road, but we also don’t want you to be paying too much for car insurance.

Because we’re independent agents, we work with multiple car insurers and give you choices of your insurer, your coverage amounts and how much you’ll pay. That’s the unbiased and objective information that we’ll give you. Since we’re not married to one of the "big three" insurers, we’ll give you the best quotes available from a range of well established car insurers that you can choose from.

Whether you’re looking to insure a vehicle you just bought, or you’re tired of paying high premiums for the same coverage we can provide you with, call us for the best quotes in and around Zip Code 80034 . Our agents are happy to talk with you.

Lakewood, Colorado is a growing metropolitan and has a number of high-end real estate communities. The economy is strong and the city promotes small businesses. Recreational facilities are located throughout and there is also a considerable amount of tourism that comes through the city, both during the summer and winter months.

When there’s a learners permit in your home, you have to look at the coverage on your car insurance. If you used to have the minimum for the state of Colorado, you may want to consider increasing the liability for both personal injury as well as property damage.

A new driver is still learning. They may know the rules of the road, but they are inexperienced and they haven’t developed fast reaction times yet. They are at a greater risk for being involved in an accident. There is a good chance that the accident is going to cost a lot of money.

By increasing the liability coverage on car insurance, the insurance company would pay for the damages and hospital bills instead of coming back to you. If you’re only covered for $25,000 worth of property damage and the accident results in $50,000, you would be responsible for the remainder – and that’s a lot of money.

By working with agents, you can make sure your learner’s permit in Lakewood is properly protected. If there is an accident, the coverage is in place so it doesn’t end up costing you a lot of money. You should be able to pay just the deductible and let the insurance company take care of the rest.

Determining how much to increase the liability to can depend on the driver as well as your budget. Call and talk to one of our agents today and let us help you get a policy you can rely on.

When you move out of your parents’ house and start your college or professional career, the world seems to open up. The independence that comes with that move is both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. But newfound freedom comes with a couple caveats. One of the biggest? The financial obligation.

From groceries and rent to clothing and apartment decor, you have many bills to account for once you live on your own. If you drive a car, your auto insurance rates add to this increasing list. But there are ways to decrease that bill if you know a few tricks.

Compare Companies

The first step you must take toward finding your best auto rate is to shop around. Many people ignore this step and simply renew with their current company or sign with the most popular establishment. That quick choice could hurt your bottom line. But it is difficult to compare auto insurance quotes on your own because you aren’t familiar with the process.

Work with an independent agency that will find the best rate for you. Professional agents use their skills to access the policy that gives you the coverage you need at the price you want.

Take Care on the Road

You should already do your best to drive safely. There are inherent benefits that come from safe driving practices, but lower auto insurance rates is an added bonus.

Whenever you get into a fender bender or receive a speeding ticket, the state notes the incident on your driving record. Most states use a points system to track your violations (and their severity). Some minor infractions like forgetting your proof of insurance or driving with a broken taillight do not incur points. Instead, you will likely just pay a fine. However, larger violations accrue points, and those points increase your rates.

At its most basic, insurance is a gamble. You bet that you might have an accident one day, so you choose to pay premiums. Insurance companies gamble that its customer base will pay more premiums than the company must pay out.

So, if you show insurance carriers that you are a high-risk gamble by speeding or causing accidents, they charge a higher premium to offset the risk. But the other side is true as well. If you display a clean driving record and continue to drive safely, insurance premiums decrease.

Study Hard

In School

Your classroom performance affects your transcripts-and your insurance rates. Young drivers often pay higher rates because they have less experience behind the wheel, and that inexperience creates a higher accident risk. Good grades can reduce some of that cost. Insurers give many reasons for this policy, but the most common is that the high GPA shows you are attentive in school, which could translate to caution on the road.

In Defensive Driving Courses

In addition to standard school classes, consider taking a supplemental driving course. Many insurance companies offer discounts if you complete a defensive driving class, but make sure that you speak with your agent before you sign up. He or she will inform you about the discount rates and accredited classes in your area.

Recover (or Build) Your Credit

Many insurance companies review your credit before they offer a rate. Why? Like their school comparison, they believe that if you are careful with your credit, you will be more careful with your car. If your credit is on the low side, don’t worry. There are many things you can do to improve it:

• Get a low-interest or secured line of credit.
• Make all payments in full every month.
• Keep credit accounts open as long as possible.
• Maintain a low balance on all credit accounts.
• Review your credit report, and dispute any mistakes.

Your higher credit score may translate into lower auto insurance rates, so inform your agent when that important number raises.

Choose Age Before Beauty

Sleek, new cars may look great in the driveway. They may even make you feel great when you cruise around town. But they won’t make you feel great when you see your insurance bill every month. Top-of-the-line vehicles tempt thieves, and their repairs tend to be expensive.

To cut down on insurance costs, choose an earlier model. However, always choose a vehicle that you will feel safe in and that will survive your commute. It’s not worth finding a car that has low insurance potential if it has to visit the repair shop once a month.

Install Security Features

If you already have a late-model vehicle and need a way to decrease your current insurance, install a few anti-theft features.

Speak to an agent about discounts for car alarms, hood and tire locks, tracking systems, and kill switches. Some of these devices are pricey, so weigh them against the discount amount before you make an investment.

Now that you know a few ways to decrease your insurance rates, get started. This is an important step for any driver, so don’t wait to get your affordable coverage today.