5 Winter Driving Tips

After a rain storm last weekend, an employee of Insurance Services of America was in an auto accident. We are grateful she didn’t suffer any major injuries, but it reminded me of how important it is to be more aware of inclement weather and driving conditions during the winter season.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 1,440,000 vehicle crashes each year are weather-related. About 40% of the weather related crashes are related to winter driving conditions.

Weather-related crashes are defined as those that occur in adverse weather (i.e., rain, sleet, snow, and/or fog) or on slick pavement (i.e., wet pavement, snowy/slushy pavement, or icy pavement). Over 70 percent of the nation’s roads are located in snowy regions, which receive more than Read More »

How I Spent My Spring Break…

Dear Mom and Dad,

Spring Break is a blast, wish you were here. The ocean is just beautiful, and the water is so clear you can almost see the jellyfish before they sting you. Boy those little suckers really hurt! I think I might remember where I left my wallet, too. I sure hope so, ’cause for the past few days I have been existing on a diet of Chiclets that I purchased from one of the roadside natives here. I tell ya, people can be very friendly to tourists. Just yesterday, some people told me to take a hike. Read More »

Full Body Scans: Airport List

‘Tis the season for Holiday travel, and this year travelers are preparing for a whole new hassle at the airport- The Full Body Scan.

Now some travelers are all for enhanced pat-downs and extra security. Others feel their rights are being violated and are flat out refusing to fly. Whatever your opinion, a little knowledge and advanced planning is in order. Prepare for the inevitable delays and make sure to leave your gel shoe inserts in your checked luggage. Now for the updated list of airports with full-body scanners:

You will find full-body scanners at the following US airports:

• Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ) Read More »

On the Road Again

One of my favorite things about road trips are the fun new restaurants you can try along the way. I would never eat at a chain restaurant when I am in a different town; I like to sample the local ingredients and regional favorites. However, when you’re in a different place, you can sometimes be taking a gamble. The best thing to do is ask the locals. They are going to know about those off the beaten path places with the best grub and the cleanest kitchens.

I am a planner. I love to plan my vacations cause it kind of feels like they begin earlier that way, and I have a couple favorite websites I visit before taking a road trip:

Where the Locals Eat lets you search by state to find the best eats in the area. You’ll probably even find something in your own back yard that you haven’t tried yet.

Road Trip America is an awesome planning tool that lets you search by area or route. You can even print out points of interest to read along the way and annoy the other people in the car with you.

RoundTrip Trip Insurance from Insurance Services of America. Since I am taking a road trip, I use the zero trip cost feature, which gets me all the coverage of the regular plan minus the airline benefits—for a fraction of the cost.

Read More »