8 Important Things to Know About Your Car

You want the peace of mind in knowing you are protected in the event of an auto accident. In today litigious society, you need insurance to protect you from the financial burdens of possible law suits when you are at fault. While we all know accidents happen, we also know the consequences can be rather costly.



1) Collision insurance provides the peace of mind of repairing or replacing your vehicle in the event it is damaged or totaled in an accident. Other valuable auto insurance coverages available are comprehensive insurance, medical payments, towing reimbursement, uninsured motorists and more.



What we wish we could provide, however, is the peace of mind in knowing you won’t experience an accident. Unfortunately, that is not possible. But you can use preventative measures that will increase your chances of avoiding an at-fault accident just by proper vehicle maintenance.



2) Did you know that an improperly inflated tire can cause loss of control while driving? An under or over inflated tire will wear irregularly and become stressed. An under inflated tired may loose up to half it’s air pressure and not appear to be flat. It is important to check your air pressure on a scheduled regimen. Find your regimen by checking your tires weekly until you see a difference and measure the time frame.

3) Pot holes, speed bumps and curbs are all culprits in damaging your vehicles alignment as well as damaging your tires. Should you ever find your vehicle pulling toward one direction, be sure to have both your tires and your alignment checked. Also have your tires checked for “eggs”. “Eggs” on a tire are bubbles formed usually caused by rubbing a curb or a manufacturing issue. “Eggs” will also cause your vehicle to pull in a certain direction. Problems like this that are not tended to in a timely manner put you at risk of an accident while driving this vehicle. Any time your vehicle has this problem, visit your auto service center for a check up.

4) Regularly rotating your vehicle’s tires will help you achieve more uniform wear. Advanced and unusual wear reduces the ability of the tread to grip the road which can quickly result in loss of control. When you find your scheduled regimen for checking your air pressure, also check your tires for uneven wear, unusually smooth areas and damage.

5) Tires must be replaced when the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch in order to prevent skidding and hydroplaning. An easy test is to place a penny into a tread groove. If part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with the proper amount of tread. If you can see all of his head, you should buy a new tire.

6) Always replace burned out or damaged exterior lights on your vehicle as quickly as possible and be sure to use lights and signals whenever necessary to keep other drivers aware of your next action and avoid accidents.

7) Proper vehicle maintenance can give you the peace of mind in knowing you can prevent an at-fault accident.

8) Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent will handle the rest. We help you through the maze of auto insurance coverages, carriers, and premiums, and we find the best personal coverage for you at affordable rates. Remember, when it comes to insurance one size does not fit all.



If you are on the Gulf Coast, contact your Trusted Choice agent, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com/ , SERVICE TEAM: Angelyn Treutel, Tammy Garfield, Dawn Garza, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Wendy Johnson, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Susan Monti, Kayleigh Davis, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: atreutel@southgroup.net , phone:228-466-4498, fax:888-415-8922,

FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast , or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel ! We now have 3 locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Ste 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS.



Thanks to Susan Monti for her WORDS OF WISDOM!!