Jon DeKok - DeKok Insurance Group, Inc.

Women Drivers

January 31, 2012 By Jon DeKok

Hello – Joy here.

Since I started driving in 1973, I have heard women drivers are by far the worst on the road. While I’m not a feminist, this has always bothered me. So, to find answers, I did some research.

Here are some interesting facts:

Women are involved in HALF as many accidents as men.
The majority of accidents involving women happen at lower speeds and
result in less property damage or bodily injury.
Women drivers pass the written and practical driving exams the first
time more often than men.

There have been a few statistical changes in the past few years as women spend more time behind the wheel.

Younger women are found to be more aggressive drivers than in the past and there’s an increase in speeding violations, but they are still less than their male counterparts. Young mothers in mini-vans are far more easily distracted by their passengers and there’s an increase in minor violations. Business women and women driving SUVs show an increased tendency to tailgate and speed.

Even with these increases, women are still considered safer drivers than men, and their insurance is less expensive.

While the gap between male and female drivers is closing, women have never been or are they now the worst drivers.

I admit, I really enjoyed writing that last sentence.

Two True Stories:

I was riding in a car driven by a guy (NOT my husband), and a car cut us off and was driving badly. He smacked the steering wheel and said, “That’s got to be a woman driver. Let’s get her license plate number.” At the next red light, we caught up with the car, and his eyebrows rose when we both looked at the driver: a man about the same age as the driver in the car with me. Suddenly reporting the erratic driving wasn’t important.

This morning on the way to the office to write this blog post, I noticed a Pontiac that was all over Hwy 52. The driver was crossing lines and speeding – I was going just over 65 MPH,, and this car zoomed past me. I noticed she was looking intently into her review mirror and I assumed she was watching out for law enforcement. I was wrong. A couple of minutes later, we took the same exit and traffic plus a red light forced the driver to slow down. I watched the driver (a young woman) applying mascara and fussing with her bangs, while she talked into the blue tooth device sticking out of her ear. She nearly poked her eye out when the light turned green.

So there you have it – the facts and a bit of “fair & balanced” reporting.

Joy

Joy DeKok, Marketing Assistant to Jon DeKok

Independent Agent for DeKok Insurance Group

Better coverage at better prices.

P. S. There are many resources like this one on the Internet, but I’ll share just one recent study about men and women drivers done by MSN in 2011.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=788126

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Graphic purchased at Fotolia.com © Norman Pogson – Fotolia.com

The Red Car Myth

January 26, 2012 By Jon DeKok

You may have heard that red cars are more expensive to insure and are often “targeted” by law enforcement officials. Let’s take a closer look at the what the statistics show.

More Expensive to Insure:

Insurance companies decide their rates based on statistics – not vehicle
color.

So why does it seem that red cars cost more to insure? To find the answer, we have to look at sales statistics. Sports cars are expensive and because they cost more to buy, they cost more to insure. The colors that outsell the rest are (in this order): red, black, and yellow.

Another factor: drivers of fast cars tend to speed more often than others.

Targeted by Law Enforcement:

Again, when looking at the numbers, this is another myth, we can bust. Law enforcement officers are targeting speeders and a high percentage of people driving expensive sports cars prefer speed. If you put these people in a
car of any color, they will exceed the speed limits and get ticketed more often. Statistics show these drivers usually prefer red and black cars – with red again being the number one choice.

When you combine the sales and driving statistics, it’s easy to see where the myth of red cars comes from, but the numbers bust it.

Jon

[tweetthis]The Red Car Myth. #RedCars #MNInsurance #Statistics[/tweetthis]

Specializing in auto, home, umbrella, business, and life insurance.

Graphic purchased at fotolia.com © -Misha – Fotolia.com

Cell Phones & Driving

January 10, 2012 By Jon DeKok

Most of us talk on our cell phones while we drive. This convenient source of communication is great in a roadside emergency, but it has a few dangerous negatives. Here are some facts I learned and want to pass them on to you:

According to the University of Utah, a driver talking on his or her cell phone while driving has the same response time as a driver with a blood-alcohol
level of .08.
People who use cell phones while driving are 4 times as likely to
get into accidents where they are injured.
Carnegie Mellon found that driving while talking on a cell phone
reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%.
Police report that 25% of the reported crashes involve a
“distracted” driver. While not all of these distractions are caused
by cell phones, the majority are.

In a recent survey, 8 in 10 drivers supports some kind of cell phone and driving restrictions. 80% would apply a ban on all texting while driving. 80% would also support a ban on emailing while driving. Most of the respondents wanted varying degrees of other restrictions, and the majority believes such laws should apply to all drivers.

Jon

507-226-8121

[email protected]

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Graphic purchased at fotolia.com © Igor S. – Fotolia.com

Deer in the Headlights

December 20, 2011 By Jon DeKok

If you have an accident with a deer, it’s easy to assume the claim will be filed as a collision – after all the animal and car collided right? However, a deer hit is covered by your comprehensive protection.

Other incidents usually covered under your comprehensive insurance: theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters, and collision with animals.

If you have questions about insurance in Minnesota, give me a call or email me at [email protected].

If you’re looking for quotes on your insurance, I am happy to tell you that 95% of the time I can offer you better polices at better prices.

Sincerely,

Jon

507-226-8121

[email protected]

[tweetthis]Deer in the Headlights. #DeerHit #MNInsurance #Comprehensive #Collision [/tweetthis]

Ice Dams

December 15, 2011 By Jon DeKok

My wife likes the way icicles glisten in the winter sun. They can be pretty, but they are a symptom of something very unattractive.

An ice dam is the build-up of ice along the overhang of your roof. When the roof warms up in the sun or due to warmer weather, other ice and snow higher up on the roof melts, and the water forms a pool above the build-up of ice along the edge of your roof. At this point, the water can back up under the shingles and leak into your home.

The damage from this leakage is covered under most homeowner’s policies minus your deductible.

To prevent ice dams, remove the snow from the edges of your roof. This allows the moisture to drain and decreases the risk of damage inside your home.

Do you have insurance questions? Call my office at 507-226-8121 or email me at [email protected].

I look forward to hearing from you,

Jon

507-226-8121

[email protected]

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