Winter driving in Washington can be stressful due to slick, icy roads. If you must drive this holiday season, take precautions by preparing your vehicle (and yourself) for safe winter driving. These tips from Western Insurance Associates of Spokane, WA can help you drive safely during the winter holidays.

Winterize Your Vehicle

Winterize your vehicle in preparation for cold weather driving by checking the following:

• Battery – An old battery could easily give out during freezing temperatures, leaving you stranded by the side of the road. If your battery is old, buy a new one to ensure you don’t lose power in the middle of a storm.
• Tires – Like previous tip, upgrade old, worn tires by purchasing a set of quality all-weather or winter tires for cold weather driving. Check your tire pressure regularly during winter as pressure tends to drop in cold weather.
• Windshield Wipers – Make sure your wipers are working correctly and can clear snow from the windshield, so you have visibility while driving. 
• Emergency Kit – Keep a well-stocked emergency kit in your vehicle at all times in case you get stranded.

Winter Driving Tips

• Always check the weather forecast before hitting the road. If conditions look bad, avoid driving. Your safety is more important than holiday partying.
• Share all travel plans with a friend or relative, so someone knows where to find you if you get lost or stranded.
• Drive slower during winter for greater control on icy roads. Make gentler turns and stops and increase the distance between you and the driver you’re following to avoid a crash if they brake suddenly. If you start to skid, steer into the skid to make it easier to correct your position once you have regained traction.

It’s also important to have excellent auto insurance protection against holiday accidents. To update your auto insurance coverage, call or visit Western Insurance Associates in Spokane, WA.

Living in Spokane, WA, you really do need a car. Whether you’re actively looking for a new car or just dreaming, it never hurts to have a good plan to manage your auto insurance as well. One of the most common questions asked at Western Insurance Associates is, “How much coverage do I really need?” Here’s the definitive answer.

State Minimums

Washington, like other states, has rules for how little insurance you’re allowed to carry. It comes in five categories. The first is bodily injury liability, and you need to have $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Next is property damage which has to total $10,000 in coverage. Underinsured motorist injury coverage will look familiar: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Underinsured property damage has the same limit as the other property damage liability ($10,000), but it is a different category. Lastly, basic personal injury protection has to meet a minimum of $10,000.

If your policy has these minimums, you’re good. The most common time people end up being underinsured is when they move to a new state, so always be mindful of that.

Sufficient Coverage

Still, there’s a difference between legal compliance and sufficient coverage. A lot of people have answers to this old question, but it’s ultimately pretty simple. You need an insurance policy that covers enough for you to still be driving after a collision. If you’re a billionaire who can just replace any vehicle, state minimums are fine. If you’re not quite so affluent, you need to consider how much you can really afford to spend on a replacement vehicle. Make sure the insurance covers the rest.

Once you know how much insurance you need, the rest is a matter of finding ways to get the pricing right. There are plenty of tricks and tips to help you do that, and a chat with your Western Insurance Associates agent will get you started down that road. They’ve been serving the Spokane area long enough. They know how to help.