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Why car safety is so important for you and your family

Car safety is extremely important when you are driving. Many people consider a car’s safety features the most important part of a vehicle, especially if they plan on driving with their families.

The statistics can be alarming. There are over five million car accidents in the United States each year, half of which are caused by overly aggressive drivers. Over two million people end up with permanent injuries from car accidents every year.

With statistics like those in mind, it would make a ton of sense to make sure that you choose one of the safest cars that you can find when you are shopping for a vehicle.
 

The list of the safest cars of the last few years

These were the safest cars on the market in the last few years:

1. 2020 Kia Optima – With the top spot on the list this year, the Kia Optima has no shortage of incredible safety features. It is equipped with a rearview camera, driver drowsiness monitoring, lane departure warning and much more. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration gave the car a five-star safety rating. The starting price is also very reasonable.
2. 2020 Toyota Camry – The Toyota Camry is second is the overall rankings but top of the mid-size rankings for the last few years. The features that the car offers are a rearview camera, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection and much more.
3. 2019 Honda Insight – With a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, the Honda Insight is another very safe choice on the list. It includes a bunch of great safety features and scored well during all of its crash tests.
4. 2019 Subaru Legacy – The Subaru Legacy comes in a fourth with a variety of great features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and lane keep assist. It also had a perfect safety score as well.
5. 2019 Hyundai Veloster – Another choice on the list with some incredible safety features, the Hyundai Veloster is a safe and affordable choice for you and your family as well.

Tips for safe driving

Use the following pointers to make sure that you are driving as safely as possible in order to avoid getting into any accidents:

• Do not follow too closely – “Tailgating” or following the car in front of you too closely is one of the leading causes for car accidents each year. When you follow someone too closely, you are not providing yourself with the proper amount of distance you need in order to stop or slow down in case the driver in front of you stops or slows down. This is a recipe for disaster, so do not do it.
• Obey the speed limit – This might seem obvious to some, but speeding is another leading cause of car accidents both nationally and globally. Speed limits are established in order to keep all drivers out on the road safe. So, do not be that one person who makes the roads unsafe for everyone else.
• Stay off the cell phone! – Cell phone use is the number one cause of distracted driving accidents on the planet.
• In bad weather, drive even slower – You should drive slower than the speed limit when roads are slick from rain, snow or ice because it will take more traction, distance and time in order to get your vehicle to a complete stop.
• Keep an eye out for pedestrians! – Always be on the lookout for pedestrians when you are driving. In 2016, a pedestrian was killed on average every 90 minutes because of traffic crashes.

Conclusion

When you are shopping for a new car in Alaska or anywhere else, you should always consider the car’s safety features with the highest importance and priority. There are a bunch of different things to consider when choosing a safe car as well such as features, safety test scores, crash test scores and more.

Jump to section:
How you can remove a bumper sticker without damaging your car
Getting your paint repaired if you have already damaged it
Final word
 

How you can remove a bumper sticker without damaging your car

If you have decided that you are tired of an old bumper sticker for whatever reason, you can always remove it. However, you will need to do so carefully without just trying to peel or scrape it off because you could end up damaging the paint on your bumper and/or scratching it. Thankfully, you have a few great options for getting a bumper sticker off of your car.

The first way that you can get a bumper sticker off of your car is to use a hair dryer and when it is on hold it a few inches from the bumper sticker and wave it across the sticker. Once you do that for a minute or two, you can start to peel the sticker. When you are peeling it, do so across the sticker instead of up. Once the sticker is off, use some automotive adhesive cleaner to clean the area that the sticker was on.

Another option you have for removing a bumper sticker will be to peel a small corner of the sticker. Then, take some WD-40 and spray it under the corner and peel a bit more. Repeat this process until the sticker is completely removed. After you have finished removing the bumper sticker, clean the area where the sticker was attached to your car using some automotive adhesive cleaner.
 

Getting your paint repaired if you have already damaged it

If you already damaged your paint when you were trying to remove a sticker from your car, do not worry, you will have a couple of options. The first is to buy some touch-up paint and carefully paint over the damaged area yourself. You must make sure you get the exact right paint, however. You can do so by going online and searching for the make, model, year and color of your car followed by the phrase “touch up paint”. You also have the option of taking your car to an auto paint repair place. This option will be the easiest, but it will also be the most expensive.
 

Final word

Sometimes bumper stickers end up not representing you very well after a certain period of time. Maybe you just got tired of having any kinds of stickers on your vehicle. Regardless of the reason, if you want a bumper sticker gone, you will be able to remove it with a fairly minimal amount of effort. You just need to make sure you do it right and take the right amount of caution, otherwise, you could end up damaging your bumper’s paint which you will then need to get fixed.

Jump to section:
Booking in advanced
Car shipping preparation 101
Final word
 

Booking in advanced

When you book a car shipment to or from Alaska, you should always do so with as much notice as you can. As a rule of thumb, it is always best to book your shipment at least a month in advanced. This is because doing so will give you a better chance of being able to get your preferred pickup and delivery windows. On the other hand, the longer you wait to schedule your shipment, the more other people will book their shipments which could end up taking the spots on the carriers during the time slots that you want.

If you book even earlier than a month in advanced, you could even end up saving a few dollars on the shipment. That is because when supply of shipping availability is high and demand for it is low, the cost will be a bit lower typically.
 

Car shipping preparation 101

Thankfully, the preparation for your car shipment will not be too difficult at all. You will just need to do three main things. You must get the exterior of the car cleaned, remove any personal items and you must figure out a way to have yourself or someone that you trust physically present at the pickup and drop-off of your vehicle.

You need to get the exterior of your car cleaned because when your car carrier driver arrives to pick up your car, they will perform a visual inspection where they will look all over the outside of your car to see if there is any preexisting damage. If there is, they will document it on the bill of lading. This is done for insurance purposes. As far as removing any personal items, this must be done because any sort of personal item that is lost or damaged during your vehicle’s transport will not be covered by the car shipping insurance. Finally, you or someone that you trust must be there at pickup and delivery in order to give/receive the keys and sign the bill of lading.
 

Final word

Planning your car shipment in advanced not only can help you save a few bucks and get preferred pickup/delivery windows, but it can also help you focus on other things such as an overall move or relocation. When you are planning your car shipment to or from Alaska, you should do so at least a month in advanced. If you are looking to save a couple of dollars from a supply/demand perspective, schedule your shipment at least two months in advanced. One your shipment is scheduled, the preparation will be easy and will just entail getting your car washed, removing any personal items from the car, and preparing to be there for both pickup and delivery.

Jump to section:
Reasons to consider a paint job
Tips for getting a paint job
Conclusion
 

Reasons to consider a paint job

Getting your car painted is not something that you will do more than once unless you have been in an accident. In fact, you may never end up with the need for a paint job. However, a paint job can be well worth the effort and money for a few reasons.

One of the most popular reasons that people get a paint job is to get the car back to looking like new. In Alaska, inclement weather is a big part of the winter months. This means lots of snow which means lots of road salt and sand. All of that can kick up and leave small scratches and chips in your paint. Over the course of a few winter seasons in Alaska, these micro scratches and chips can add up to a crummy looking exterior. A good paint job can potentially erase all of that.

Another reason for getting a paint job is that it will serve as protection for your car’s body from rust. Over the years, your car’s original paint job can wear away a bit which would make the body of your car more susceptible to rusting.

Finally, a new paint job will increase the value of your car so that if you decide to sell your car, it will earn you a maximum amount of money.
 

Tips for getting a paint job

If you have decided to get your car a paint job in Alaska, you should be aware of the following:

• Take your time picking a provider – You should always do your own research on what type of paint job you will need, pricing and the reputation of possible providers. You can do all of this online. You can also always call a particular provider and ask them whatever questions you have.
• Get damage fixed first – Unfortunately, getting a paint job will not cover up more serious damage like bigger/deeper scratches and dents. In fact, it could make that damage look more pronounced. So, be sure that you get that damage fixed before you get your car painted.
• It will take time to get your car painted – A few places may be able to get your paintjob done in three to five days. However, most places will take at least a week to get the job done. So, make sure you have arranged other transportation options for at least a week’s time while your car is away getting painted.
• Take care of the paint job – Once you get your car painted you should do whatever is in your power to take great care of that paint job so that you can avoid needing to get another one in the future. You can do this by getting the car washed and waxed frequently, keeping the car in a garage as well as avoiding driving in in inclement weather.

Conclusion

Getting a paint job certainly has its advantages. Not everyone will need one but if you do you make sure that you plan ahead and do your research on whichever shops that you are considering. Finally, once you get your car painted be sure that you take care of it in order to avoid needing another paintjob in the future.

Jump to section:
Quick fixes for your windshield
Windshield crack prevention
Wrapping up
 

Quick fixes for your windshield

When you get a crack in your windshield, you want to get it repaired as quickly as possible because cracks will always get worse. If it gets to a certain point, it could become unsafe to drive and your view could be restricted. This can lead to an accident or, at the very least, an expensive ticket from the police.

You will have two main options for getting a crack in your windshield repaired: brining it to an auto glass repair shop or calling a mobile glass repair service such as Safelite to come to your location to repair it. As you might expect, taking it to the shop will be less convenient and will likely take more time but it will be cheaper. Using a mobile auto glass repair service will allow you to go about your day as your repair experts works on your windshield where you are. Availability for appointments could take a day or two however.
 

Windshield crack prevention

Your very best option will always be to prevent any cracks in your windshield in the first place. This will entail alertness and caution on your part. Specifically, you should drive more slowly because at higher speeds there is a considerably higher chance that road debris like pebbles can kick up and crack your windshield. You should also keep a good distance between your vehicle and any cars in front of you because their rear wheels can kick road debris back at your windshield.

Avoid driving on roads that are dirt or gravel because the volume of potential road debris is much higher than a paved road. Also, do whatever you can in order to avoid driving in higher volumes of traffic. Finally, this goes without saying but always avoid potential road rage incidents as an altercation can result in damage to your vehicle including a cracked windshield.
 

Wrapping up

Having a cracked windshield is no trivial matter in Alaska or anywhere else for that matter. When you get a crack in your windshield you must get it repaired right away. If you do not, it could limit your ability to see the road which could potentially cause an accident. You can get a cracked windshield repaired by taking it to an auto glass repair shop or by using a mobile glass repair service. The best idea is to prevent your glass from getting cracked in the first place which you can do by driving slowly, keeping your distance from other vehicles and by avoiding gravel roads as well as any potential road rage incidents.

Jump to section:
How using your phone while you drive can cause you big trouble
How a cell phone mount frees you up to drive carefully
Final word
 

How using your phone while you drive can cause you big trouble

Using your cell phone as you drive anywhere, not just in Alaska, is extremely unsafe and puts you, your passengers and everyone else out on the road in extreme danger. When you take your eyes off of the road for an extended period as well as use one or both hands to hold your phone you are asking for a disaster to occur.

Even if you do not get into an accident, you can very likely end up getting pulled over and end up getting a hefty ticket for using your phone while you are driving. According to the National Safety Council over one and a half million car accidents are caused each year by cell phone use while driving.
 

How a cell phone mount frees you up to drive carefully

You can momentarily look at your cell phone and keep both of your hands on the wheel in Alaska completely legally by using a cell phone mount. It will vary state by state but in Alaska you can legally mount your cell phone on your dashboard or windshield. This will free you up to drive safely as well as have limited use of your phone as you drive.

This will be helpful if you need to peek at directions as you are driving or want to view a quick push notification. It will also allow you to safely and quickly answer a call and talk hands-free on speaker phone. However, you should not try to text and drive with this as it will defeat the purpose of the mount because you will be taking your eyes off of the road for an extended period. You will frequently see rideshare drivers from apps like Uber making good use of cell phone mounts as an example.
 

Final word

It is extremely irresponsible and reprehensible to use your cell phone as you are driving without some sort of a device that allows you to do so hands free. Bluetooths are a good option but those will limit you to calls. A cell phone mount can allow you to make calls and glance at directions and notifications as you drive. Either keep your phone away or use a cell phone mount when you are driving your vehicle in Alaska.

Jump to section:
What types of bumper stickers are legal and where you can place them
Advice for putting a bumper sticker on your car
Conclusion
 

What types of bumper stickers are legal and where you can place them

You might think that some bumper stickers could be illegal if they are particularly offensive. That is actually not the case unless the bumper sticker is a hate symbol of some kind. However, if you do put an offensive bumper sticker on your car in Alaska or anywhere else there are definite consequences that you can end up suffering.

Even though it might not be against the letter of the law, having an overly offensive bumper sticker can easily get you pulled over and even arrested. Eventually in court proceedings, these cases do not lead to jail time or fines, but you could initially be arrested and then you will need to spend money on some defense fees. An offensive bumper sticker could also lead to a road rage incident which can lead to serious injury or possibly even worse. Overall, keeping your bumper stickers light and unoffensive is the best bet for everyone involved.

In terms of where you are legally allowed to put a bumper sticker or sticker of any kind on your vehicle, you can have stickers where they do not obstruct your vision of the road in anyway. However, there is room for loose interpretation of this rule. So, if you do not want to get pulled over for having stickers in the wrong place on your vehicle be sure that you do not place stickers on your windshield, front passenger windows, side view mirrors, rear view mirror or anywhere near the middle of your rear window.
 

Advice for putting a bumper sticker on your car

Putting a bumper sticker or even a window sticker on your car is no big task at all. As we mentioned you do need to make sure that it is not too offensive and that it does not obstruct your view out of the windows in any way.

However, you also need to consider that you need to put the right type of sticker on your car or else you could end up damaging the paint job. Be sure that you only place stickers that are made and intended for cars on your vehicle. If you place a regular sticker on your car, it can possibly harm the paint in a few different ways so stick to non-temporary decals that were made for use on vehicles.
 

Conclusion

Bumper stickers are a fine and creative way of adding some personality to your car’s appearance. If you do decide to use one in Alaska or anywhere else for that matter, be sure that it is not offensive or else you could be pulled over for it. You also should be sure that you absolutely do not place any decals or stickers on your windows or mirrors in any way that could be considered obstructive to your view of the road, otherwise you could be given a ticket.

Jump to section:
Who qualifies for handicapped parking?
The penalty for parking in a handicapped spot without a permit
Wrapping up
 

Who qualifies for handicapped parking?

Obviously, handicapped parking is reserved for those with a legitimate handicap. However, many people might not understand what qualifies as a legitimate handicap. Regardless, you will need to have a valid unexpired handicapped parking permit or license plate in order to park in a handicapped space. Even if you do have a handicap and park in a handicap space without the permit, you will still likely be ticketed.

Handicaps that will qualify for a handicapped parking permit will typically include people with heart and/or lung disease, those with any disease that considerably decreases your ability to walk, people with certain vision issues and those who have lost a leg or hand. The specifics of this will vary from state to state in the US. In Alaska, those eligible for a handicapped parking permit can include people who cannot walk two hundred feet without stopping, those who use assistive tools such as a cane or wheelchair and people who are on oxygen. If your disability is permanent, you will qualify for handicapped license plates.

In order to get a handicapped parking permit, you will have to get the application online or from the DMV office. You will then need to fill out the portion for you and your healthcare provider will also need to fill out a portion in order to verify your handicap. You can then submit it through mail or in person. If you are not handicapped but have a handicapped person in your car who has a valid permit with them, you will be allowed to park in a handicapped space on that occasion.
 

The penalty for parking in a handicapped spot without a permit

If you park in a handicapped parking space without a legitimate permit or license plate giving you the permission to do so, you can be ticketed and fined. For a first violation in Alaska, you will receive a fine of a hundred and twenty-five dollars. For a second violation, you will be fined two hundred and fifty dollars. If you are caught using someone else’s parking permit or license plate while you illegally park in a handicapped spot in Alaska, the first fine will be two hundred and fifty dollars and the next time you are caught, the fine will be five hundred dollars.
 

Wrapping up

If you are handicapped, you will be entitled to special spaces close to the entrances of businesses in Alaska so that your walk from your car will be as limited as possible. Handicaps that will qualify for a pass will include those with heart and/or lung diseases and people who are very limited in their ability to walk. If you are not handicapped, do not park in a handicapped space under any circumstance, even for a few minutes, because you will be preventing a handicapped person from getting the space they need. You will also be ticketed and fined.

Jump to section:
What will it cost to own a car in Alaska every year?
Why it costs that much
Final Word
 

What will it cost to own a car in Alaska every year?

Owning a car in Alaska comes at a cost just like it does anywhere else in the country or the world for that matter. Specifically, owning a car in Alaska will primarily incur the cost of registration, insurance, gas and maintenance.

According to data assembled in 2019, the average five-year cost of owning a car in Alaska is $22,766.

This includes average insurance cost which came out to $1,183 each year. Now, that is a very rough estimate which can change based on demographics about you including age, gender, average commute distance, auto insurance carrier and more.

The average cost of owning a car in Alaska also includes the average cost of gas which ran $2,461 in Alaska over the course of a year. That comes out to per $47 week. That seems like a lot because, on average, Alaska’s gas cost almost a dollar more than most other states in the US. So, that means that Alaska’s gas prices are typically over three dollars per gallon whereas the rest of the country is usually been well under three dollars recently.

Average repair cost also is factored into the total average cost of owning a car in Alaska. In Alaska, the average repair cost ended up running about $362. This is obviously another subjective figure because your costs could end up being much lower or higher depending on how well you take care of your car. However, Alaska also averaged an additional $360 of added repairs because of the road conditions.
 

Why it costs that much

Alaska still turned out to be one of the cheaper states on the list primarily because it had one of the lowest auto insurance costs in the entire country. This helped negate the high average costs of both gas and repairs.

Gas and repairs were higher in Alaska than in other places in the United States because the cost of transporting gas costs more to Alaska thus the prices are higher. Repairs cost more in Alaska than in most places mostly because the poorer than normal condition of the roads. Unfortunately, because of the amount of snow during the year in most places in Alaska, the roads tend to have more cracks and potholes as a result.
 

Final Word

Overall, it is not that expensive to own a car in Alaska. Certain things like gas might cost more than it does in many places, but the total cost is lower than the majority of US states. We highly recommend that you have a car in Alaska because it is difficult to get around otherwise. If you need your car shipped to Alaska, you can always call the car shipping experts at Alaska Car Transport at (907) 331-3100.

Jump to section:
Child car safety 101
Child car safety statistics
Final word
 

Child car safety 101

Nothing is more important when you drive than keeping any children in your vehicle completely safe. This goes for when you drive in Alaska or anywhere else in the world. Many times, children can be their own worst enemies when it comes to safety. So, the most fundamental part of keeping children in your car safe as you drive is to check on the kids (when it is safe to do so, such as at a red light) to make sure they are not doing anything dangerous such as removing their seatbelts. One great tip to get kids to avoid doing anything dangerous is by keeping them occupied with a toy or entertainment such as an iPad.

You should also make sure that if the children in your car are using car seats that the car seats are properly and safely installed and secure. When shopping for a car seat, be sure that you do not skimp on cost because cheaper car seats may not provide as much safety as more expensive ones.

Finally, it is obvious but deserves to be mentioned that exercising extra and extreme caution while driving will go a long way to keeping the kids in your vehicle safe. Drive defensively, slowly and un aggressively at all times. If you need to pull over, do not hesitate and do so as long as there is a safe space on the side of the road to do so. With kids in the car or without, never drive while distracted.
 

Child car safety statistics

Back in 2018, one third of all children twelve years of age and under who were killed in a car accident were not wearing a seatbelt at all. So, you must make sure not only to drive safely and defensively with children in your car, but you must also always ensure that the kids are always buckled in.

Car seats can actually reduce the risk of an injury to a child in a car accident by an incredible seventy to eighty percent. For children too old to use a car seat, just using a seat belt reduces the risk of injury in a crash by about fifty percent. It is clear, buckling your kids in is an absolute necessity and makes all the difference in the world.
 

Final word

Keeping any children that are in your car safe when you are driving is of absolute critical importance. You should always drive as safely and defensively as possible with kids in the car, but you can go beyond that. You need to check on them when it is safe to do so and, most importantly by far, you must make sure that they are always buckled into their seat safely.