Mercury Provides Tips To Be Sure Your Vehicle Is Winter Ready

USA - English

• USA - English

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With the recent occurrence of severe winter weather along the West Coast, Mercury Insurance wants drivers to use appropriate safety precautions when navigating the road.

Winter driving can be extremely dangerous for motorists and severely damaging to vehicles, so properly maintaining your vehicle is essential. On average, 1.3 million weather-related car accidents occur annually, accounting for 23 percent of all car crashes nationally and 480,000 injuries.

Always use extreme caution while driving and keep your autos fully insured are the best ways to stay safe on winter roads. Here are some things to consider when reviewing your auto insurance policy:

• Who will be driving your vehicle during the winter months? Consider upgrading your auto insurance if an inexperienced winter driver — perhaps a teenager who has little experience in cold, icy conditions — will be behind the wheel.
• How frequently will you be operating your vehicle(s) this winter? Reevaluate your car insurance coverage on any vehicle(s) that will be driven more during winter months when the most weather-related accidents occur.
• In what condition is your vehicle? You may want to increase your coverage if you drive an older vehicle that doesn't have the most recent safety features, such as anti-locking brakes, all-wheel drive and traction tires. In addition, a pre-winter examination of your brakes and tires by a licensed mechanic is highly recommended.

In the event of a winter breakdown, Mercury customers can opt to add roadside assistance coverage to their policy, which is available for all customers as an optional coverage. Through GPS technology, the service can even identify the exact location of stranded drivers. This service is network neutral, meaning it will work with any phone regardless of carrier.

Here are a few winter driving tips in addition to maintaining the proper insurance coverage:

• Winter driving precautions start before you ever get in the vehicle. Replacing old wiper blades, checking fluid levels (especially antifreeze and oil), rotating tires or putting on traction tires are essential to ensure your vehicle is ready for winter.
• Do not drive distracted. Keep both hands on the wheel and stay off your cell phone. It's important you are alert and ready to react. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, you are 23 times more likely to get into an accident when you text while driving.
• Control your speed. Quickly accelerating or stopping means trouble when driving on ice-slick roads. The Colorado Department of Transportation found that the number one cause of winter accidents is trying to change speed or direction faster than surfaces allow.
• Always buckle up. It's an old adage, but one that is still a requirement of the law in all states with the exception of New Hampshire, which doesn't mandate seat belt use for anyone 18 years old or older.

About Mercury Insurance

Mercury Insurance (NYSE: MCY) is a multiple-line insurance carrier predominantly offering personal auto, homeowners, renters and commercial insurance through a network of independent agents in Arizona, California, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia, as well as auto insurance in Florida. Mercury writes other lines of insurance in various states, including business owners and business auto, landlord, home-sharing, ride-hailing and mechanical protection insurance.

Since 1962, Mercury has provided customers with tremendous value for their insurance dollar by pairing ultracompetitive rates with excellent customer service. Mercury has earned "A" ratings from A.M. Best and Fitch, as well as ranking highest in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience StudySM and four consecutive "Best Auto Insurance Company" awards from Insure.com. For more information visit http://www.MercuryInsurance.com or follow the company on Twitter or Facebook.

Media Contact

Adrianna Solomon, Mercury Insurance, (323) 639-9917, [email protected]

SOURCE Mercury Insurance