Here’s the press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation

WSDOT: Gas prices and the recession can’t take all the credit for reduced congestion
OLYMPIA – Washington drivers are spending less time stuck in traffic despite growing vehicle volumes during peak commute periods in urban areas, according to a national study released to news media today. WSDOT’s own data crunchers attribute the trend to the declining economy, but contend that smart transportation investments and operational strategies are what will keep travel times reasonable well after the economy recovers.  
The 2009 Urban Mobility Report, a national study released today by the Texas Transportation Institute, announces that congestion is declining or leveling off across the country, and attributes the cause to rising gas prices and the declining economy. WSDOT agrees that commutes are improving, but draws other conclusions as to the cause.
Puget Sound region travel trends are somewhat different than those found nationally. The TTI report draws from 2007 data. For this period, Washington’s economy was still very robust and added jobs. Our own congestion data shows continued increases in travel times for key Puget Sound corridors in 2007, although the increase is at a lesser rate than in previous years.
The data supports that congestion is improving in part because of Moving Washington, WSDOT’s program for addressing congestion. Moving Washington is a three-part strategy comprised of adding highway capacity strategically, operating the system efficiently and managing demand.
 
“We’re fighting congestion with safety improvements, construction projects, advanced freeway operations and providing transportation options,” said State Traffic Engineer Ted Trepanier. “While it is clear that many factors influence congestion, there is no question that our strategies are making a positive impact.” he said.
WSDOT analyzed on seven major Seattle-area commuting corridors in the first six months of 2008, as gas prices surged above $4 per gallon. While it’s true that Washington drivers used 63 million fewer gallons of fuel in the first six months of 2008, peak period volumes still continued to grow on these key commuter routes. The most notable changes in traffic volumes were observed on weekends and evenings as drivers reduced discretionary trips, changed destinations or cut trips to save money.
Although congestion remains heavy on several corridors, travel times on six of seven key Puget Sound corridors either improved or remained level for the first half of 2008, compared to 2007.
Four of seven major corridors saw increased traffic volumes during peak periods, yet six corridors experienced better travel times as traffic flow improved and disruptions declined. Improved travel times through some of the region’s busiest corridors suggest that WSDOT’s congestion relief strategies and their associated projects, combined with higher gas prices and rising transit ridership, had a positive effect on the performance of these corridors in the first six months of 2008.
WSDOT is currently delivering the largest capital construction program in our state’s history, including hundreds of safety and congestion relief projects funded by the 2003 and 2005 gas tax, worth $6.5 billion. As of June 30, WSDOT has completed 192 of 391 projects with an additional 83 projects currently under construction. Combined, these projects represent 70% of the total number of projects for both the Nickel and TPA programs.
WSDOT publishes an annual congestion report that provides detailed travel time and traffic delay analysis and highlights “Before and After” case studies of its safety and congestion relief projects. It measures the results from the driver’s perspective for each completed project.
In King County, WSDOT widened the freeway and improved interchanges on I-405 between Kirkland and Bothell.  This $82 million project, the first of the multi-stage Kirkland Nickel project, was completed in October 2007. Based on travel speeds before and after the project was completed, drivers’ speeds have increased by 16%, from 37 mph to 43 mph. The Tukwila to Bellevue morning commute improved by 12 minutes in part due to new WSDOT auxiliary lane on I-405, opened in early 2009.
WSDOT recently completed one of the largest construction projects ever delivered in Snohomish County, the $263.4 million I-5 Everett HOV and Freeway Expansion project. This project combined added capacity, safety and operational improvements by adding HOV lanes to demonstrate that our Moving Washington strategy can reap big benefits. Before the project began in 2005, afternoon commuters headed northbound on I-5 between 128th Street and Marine View Drive spent up to 18 minutes moving through this eight mile stretch of highway.  After crews opened the new lanes in May 2008, commuters shaved their commute to 10 minutes. Without congestion, travelers can drive through this section of I-5 in eight minutes.
In Clark County, WSDOT widened two miles of I-5 between Salmon Creek and the I-205 interchange. This $44 million project was one of several aimed at improving traffic flow in the I-5 corridor between the Main Street interchange in Vancouver and the I-205 junction.
Result: Drivers’ travel speeds have improved 19% from 42 mph to 50 mph.
For more information about Moving Washington, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/movingwashington. For our detailed annual congestion report and the most recent six-month, incremental traffic trend analysis folio go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/.

The Big Apple! Home of Broadway, the Empire State building, the New York Yankees, and the worst drivers in America.
According to a study conducted by GMAC Insurance for 2009, New Yorkers are bad at knowing the rules of the road. The study tested 5,000 drivers from all 50 states on their basic knowledge of driving laws. While New Yorkers get the distinction of being the worst, the entire Northeast region of the country gets all around bad grades. Last year’s champion of worst drivers was New Jersey, they’re just 2nd to worst now.

According to the GMAC press release
“20.1 percent of licensed Americans – amounting to roughly 41 million drivers on the road – would not pass a written drivers test exam if taken today.”

While the Northeast was bad, the Northwest came out looking great. Washington ranked 17th, Alaska 12th, Oregon8th, and Idahotied for #1. Something that area drivers can be proud of. But the big question is, will this help our daily insurance rates? Probably not. This would be a miniscule fraction of the overall complex insurance formula. Translation-You’re not getting a break on your auto insuarnce cause the insurance companies like your money.

Here’s the complete list
 

Here’s the complete list from best to worst
 
1 IDAHO
1 WISCONSIN
3 MONTANA
4 KANSAS
5 SOUTH DAKOTA
5 NEBRASKA
7 UTAH
8 WYOMING
8 IOWA
8 OREGON
8 MINNESOTA
12 ALASKA
12 NORTH DAKOTA
14 VERMONT
15 COLORADO
15 MISSOURI
17 OKLAHOMA
17 WASHINGTON
19 NEW MEXICO
20 NORTH CAROLINA
21 VIRGINIA
22 INDIANA
22 MICHIGAN
24 ARKANSAS
24 TEXAS
26 ALABAMA
26 NEVADA
28 WEST VIRGINIA
29 ILLINOIS
30 ARIZONA
31 MAINE
32 DELAWARE
33 NEW HAMPSHIRE
34 OHIO
35 KENTUCKY
36 PENNSYLVANIA
37 LOUISIANA
38 TENNESSEE
38 MISSISSIPPI
40 SOUTH CAROLINA
40 MARYLAND
42 CONNECTICUT
43 FLORIDA
44 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
45 MASSACHUSETTS
46 RHODE ISLAND
47 GEORGIA
48 CALIFORNIA
49 HAWAII
50 NEW JERSEY
51 NEW YORK

 

See the article on Yahoo

You don’t live in Southern California. You don’t live in Florida. You live in the state of Washington where it rains a good 200 plus days a year (give or take some crazy summer). So when it comes to looking at buying a convertible car in Seattle, you ARE taking a chance. Rag top or hard top? The answer is simple, considering the convertible will be closed most of time, better make it a hard top. The last thing you want is to have a slight rip and you find a puddle in your passenger seat in mid January.

So if you must have a convertible for the summer months, here’s a list of some stylish ones that will make you the envy of Seattle, for at least 2 and half months.

2010 Ford Shelby GT-2dr Convertible (5.4L 8cyl S/C 6M)-The quintessential muscle car

2009 VW Beattle-2.5L Blush Edition 2dr Convertible (2.5L 5cyl 6A)-Not REAL manly, but gets the job done in the “fun” department.

2009 Smart Fortwo-BRABUS cabriolet 2dr Convertible (1.0L 3cyl 5AM)-Could offer the best MPG of all convertibles.33/41 MPG

2009 Porche Boxster-S 2dr Convertible (3.4L 6cyl 6M)-A classic.

2009 Mazda Miata-Sport 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6A)-It’s small but feisty

2009 Mini Cooper-S 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)-You either love it or hate it

2010 Honda S2000-CR 2dr Convertible (2.2L 4cyl 6M)-Honda reliability in a convertible

2008 BMW Z4M-2dr Hatchback (3.2L 6cyl 6M)-Can’t go wrong with this one.

2009 Cadillac XLR-Platinum 2dr Convertible (4.6L 8cyl 6A)-A head turner.

2009 Maybach Landaulet-4dr Convertible (6.0L 12cyl Turbo 5A)-Had to have a ridiculously expensive one. At $1.3 million… it is.

When you think of concierge service, images of the helpful attendant at the Bellagio or the Four Seasons comes to mind. Did you need last minute tickets to Cirque Du Soleil? No problem, just call the concierge and he can hook it up!  

That may be true for hotel service, but when it comes to auto insurance it probably doesn’t happen very often. However, if you’re a Progessive Insurance customer, you can get concierge-like service, without having to tip. It’s the Progressive Service Center.

The Ohio based insurer goes the extra mile in making things easier for their customers after an accident. While most insurance companies make you call the agent, who then makes you call an 800 number, and after that it’s more calls for you to get quotes and such, for Progressive policy holders it can be as easy as one call. For customers in Seattle, it can be as easy just dropping the vehicle off in Lynnwood and letting someone else do the dirty work. 

 “The focus is prompt, quality service for our customers,” explains Colby Smith, Progressive Service Center Manager in Lynnwood. “We feel this type of service separates us from the competition. People really seem to enjoy it because they find it so easy.

 Considering there are only 54 Progressive service centers across the nation, with the Lynnwood location being the only one in Washington, Progressive customers in the Seattle area are treated like VIP’s. While the service center people will do the majority of the hassle-work for you, the best thing about these service centers are the costs. There is none. There are no out of pocket costs.

 “There’s no extra charge for the service center,” says Smith. “It’s already built in. Anybody with a (Progressive) policy who’s been in an accident can use it. Customers will get a quality repair promptly, and we’ll ensure customer satisfaction.”

 But don’t think you can just drop in on any given Saturday to get the oil changed on the convertible you’ve had covered in the garage all winter. The Progressive service centers are strictly for accidents claims. And if these service centers are as popular with customers as they say they are, Progressive could start climbing the local auto insurance charts. They’re currently the 6^th largest auto insurer in Washington State.

Now they just need to find a way to get those Cirque Du Soleil tickets, that’d be real VIP! 

Locate a Progressive Service Center around the country

I drive around with my dog a lot. And when I say “a lot,” I mean most all of the time. So much that when I don’t take him, he looks at me with that “Where-in-the-heck-are-you-going-without-me look.”

It’s a look that bothers me, makes me feel guilty. So I talk to him and hope he understands that there are good reasons he’s being left behind – it might be 85 degrees and too hot to leave him in the truck; or I’m going to be somewhere for 10 hours, and I don’t think he’d appreciate hanging out in the back seat for that long.

His name’s Willie, and he’s a golden retriever. When I worked at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, I had the kind of job that allowed me to take my dog with me. This tradition started with my previous dog, another golden retriever named Murph.

As a sports columnist, I didn’t have to go to the office much. I wrote many of my columns from parks. The routine was pretty much the same – I’d make sure I had my laptop battery charged, and off we went – Willie swam after tennis balls in Lake Washington while I wrote and tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to keep my keyboard from getting splashed by my dog, who always seemed to shake right next to me when he got out of the water.

I’ve had goldens now for 20 years, which means that every vehicle I’ve ever owned has the lovely smell of wet dog. You know that smell, it’s the one you can’t smell if it’s your dog. And it’s the one that grosses everyone else out, especially my wife.

I know a good way to get rid of this problem – never take a passenger with you, aside from your dog of course.

It was worse before I got a 2007 Honda Ridgeline with leather seats. That’s a must for drivers who have dogs that shed – leather seats. The vehicle I had before this, a ’93 Honda Accord, had cloth seats. They have yet to invent a vacuum with enough suction to inhale dog hair, and the heck of it is, that same dog hair that seems glued to the seats always ends up on your clothes.

Savvy drivers who cruise around with their dogs always carry one of those sticky rollers that removes hair from their clothes. Un-savvy drivers like me just try to pick the strands off my fleece sweatshirt, which never works very well, which leads to comments of: “So, I see you’ve got a dog.”

That’s right, Sherlock, I do, and boy is he spoiled. Willie spends most of his time in the backseat, but if he’s in the front seat and it’s a cold morning, I’ll turn on the seat warmer for him too.

There are advantages to driving with your dog. If I’m in a hurry or running late, I have to admit that I occasionally use the car-pool lane illegally.And when I use it, I’ll call Willie from the back seat to the front seat to give the appearance that there’s another living, breathing something in the vehicle. I picture the state patrol guy looking at us going by, and I’m assuming he can’t tell if we were two people, and thus legal, or one person and one hairy mongrel, thus illegal.

At 55 or 60 mph, can he really be certain? I tend to think not. My biggest problem is trying to keep Willie upright in a sitting position so his head is visible above the dashboard. He gets in the front seat and wants to curl up in a ball, which defeats the purpose.

I guess there are disadvantages too. He barks at every dog he sees, which wouldn’t be so bad if Seattle didn’t have so many dogs. And he doesn’t just bark, he goes nutball, barking his fool head off, as if he’d tear that dog apart if he could get out of the truck, when in fact, the opposite is what would really happen.

He’s docile, an I-mean-you-no-harm kind of dog. I’ve got proof. Two years ago my daughter

celebrated her 16^thbirthday at Buca di Beppo in Seattle. I parked in the lot across the street.  While I

was in the restaurant, a crook smashed my passenger window and took my laptop. But he left Willie alone, so I guess he was a nice crook. I’ve often wondered how Willie reacted when the window was smashed.

Did he:

-Try to defend my truck and laptop by snarling and biting the crook?

-Or did he wag his tail and wonder why the crook didn’t pet him before he ran off with my laptop.

My truck’s been damaged in other ways. The console and armrests have taken a beating from Willie’s nails – they’ve got little imprints all over them, signs of Willie-ness everywhere, sure to hurt resale value in the future.

Willie and I have gone on several long road trips – three to Cannon Beach, Ore., two to Phoenix and one to Banff. I always find a stream or a lake or some kind of body of water and let him swim along the way.

We typically stay at Super 8’s because they allow dogs for a nominal extra fee. I’ll ask for two double beds, one for him and one for me. But we’ve also stayed at motels that don’t allow dogs, which is always interesting. I’ll try to get a room a long ways from the lobby so I can smuggle him in and pray that Willie has a bark-less night.

I’m not sure why I’m so crazy about my dog that I enjoy taking him with me every day. There are drawbacks but not enough to leave Willie and those looks of his at home.

 Jim Moore is a former sports columnist for the Seattle P-I, aka The Go2Guy. He can still be found on Seattlepi.com as a freelance writer, and is also a contributing writer for Seattleauto.net.  

The more you’ve rented a car, the more you can learn. Here are two memorable debacles.

CAN AIR BE TOO FRESH?  UNFORTUNATELY, YES. 

March, 2006.  A trip I will never forget, because it featured one of the best basketball games I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness from press row (Brandon Roy and the Washington Huskies vs. Connecticut in the Sweet Sixteen in D.C.)… and one of my most egregious errors in my extensive rental history. 

Imagine being trapped in an elevator with a man or woman who has, quite literally, bathed in cologne or perfume.  Now imagine the heat being turned up in that tiny enclosed, nay, claustrophobic space. 

Clearly, an entire bottle of air freshener had been accidentally spilled in the cabin of the compact car I rented – the faux-tropical scent was suffocating.   The weather was particularly crisp that weekend, so I had to turn UP the heat but roll DOWN the windows in order to breathe.  SHEER.  TORTURE.

Solution:   Be sure to give your vehicle a hearty sniff before leaving the lot!
 
IF YOU LEAVE THE TOP DOWN, YOU’RE INVITING TROUBLE

Everybody loves a convertible and Vitamin-D starved Northwesterners are particularly vulnerable to relishing the feeling of a few extra rays.  But just as warmer destinations (Florida and Hawaii come to mind) are known for sunshine and blue skies, these climates can also be active breeding grounds for some of the largest, most prolific insects on Planet Earth. 

People, we can’t disparage undiscerning critters craving comfort as much as we do.  Which is why in Hawaii of 2003, I shouldn’t have been surprised when a courageous brown cockroach crawled across the top of my be-sandaled foot.  One bug alone would be pretty gross… but this particular convertible was home to a HATCH of roaches.  I’m not kidding.  Enter the apocalypse!  To keep “new” bugs out, we put the top up one night… and the dome light revealed a shocking scurrying of roaches across all four floors of the cabin.  

We turned that convertible in, drove off in another, endured the SAME infestation in car #2, and I haven’t rented a convertible since.   Eeeewww! 
 
In the part 3, the final installment of Car Rental Tips From a Traveling Journalist,  find out what the car renter is responsible for?

Cara Capuano has worked in television, mainly in sports, for over a decade, spending the last four years covering the Northwest Sports Scene for Fox Sports NW and before that on ESPN News. A dedicated storyteller, from time to time she’ll be lending some “female perspective” to SeattleAuto.net.

“When weather hits here in Washington it’s pure chaos,” says Cook. “Most folks don’t want to change their tires when the weather is bad, it’s easier to use AAA. We offer an all encompassing emergency service. If you’re locked out we’ll send out a locksmith, we can replace a battery if needed, we even deliver gas.”

While most Seattle drivers know AAA for jumping a dead battery or changing a tire, their services go way beyond the tow truck, as long as you know what you’re buying.

“AAA Washington is so much more than just our emergency road service,” explains Jennifer Cook, the spokesperson for AAA Washington. “We offer full leisure travel services and personal lines insurance as well. And our discount programs can save you more in a year than it actually costs to be a member.”

There are a number of money saving discounts to take advantage of. Card holding members can receive discounts all over the state and across the nation.  While most people are careful how they spend their money these days, AAA can be an untapped resource to just about any Seattle area driver.

Who Doesn’t Love a Deal?
Here are a select few discounts AAA Washington offers:

• 30% off for eye wear (Lenscrafters, Pearlevision, Sears Optical)
• 20% off Sirius Satellite Radios
• 20% off at the EMP/Science Fiction Museum
• Up to 20% on Prescription Drugs
• Pay $20.09 Jiffy Lube Signature Oil Change

Considering the low annual price on just the basic service, using AAA just once or twice a year is well worth the cost.  If members utilize the services and discounts, AAA could be worth every penny. It’s all in one shopping for your road traveling needs. Plus, you never have too many maps!

Check out the automotive section for AAA Washington

While we recommend a defensive driving class to truly learn defensive driving, here are ten easy tips on how to improve your own defensive skills every day:

1. Minimize Distractions: Ironically, the person that is the greatest threat to your own safety on the road is yourself. Cell phones, music, passengers or munching on a burger are examples of distractions in the car. The NHTSA and various scientific studies have all shown that distractions are the number one reason behind car accidents and fatalities on the road. Teen drivers in particular suffer the most from distractions and incidentally, are the most accident prone.

Reality check: We at Seattle Auto are human and understand that you’re going to talk illegally on your cell phone (yes, we’re talking to you Seattle residents), rock out to your iPod or have the occasional taco in the car. It just happens. What you can do, is limit yourself to one distraction and tone it down. So don’t talk on the phone and stuff french fries at the same time, but wait until your call is over to eat. While you’re talking, focus on the road first rather than your phone call – and better yet, make the conversation short and call back later if necessary.

2. High Eyes Driving: Race drivers use a technique called “high eyes” that call for the driver (you) to focus not on the car in front of you, but on the road horizon. Many drivers become fixated on the car in front of them and go into auto-pilot mode, braking when the car in front brakes, accelerating when the car in front accelerates and so on. The problem is that in a panic stop situation, if the driver in front wasn’t paying attention to begin with – guess what – you’re probably going to eat the end of his bumper. Both 520 and I-90 have little to no blind corners, so it’s no excuse to suddenly find yourself slamming on the brakes because you “didn’t see” the traffic jam up ahead.

By keeping your eyes high up, you’ll be looking at the entire traffic pattern up ahead instead. This gives you ample time to react to a sudden emergency up front – even giving you time to decide if you need to perform a quick lane toss or start slowly braking to give the guy behind you a warning.

3. Minimize Lane Changes: It’s rare for a car to be rear ended while traveling the speed limit in it’s own lane. It is common for accidents to happen while a car is changing lanes; perhaps by suddenly cutting off a car, swiping another vehicle in it’s blind spot or two cars merging into the same lane. By choosing a lane and sticking with it for the majority of your trip, you will remove a great deal of the factors that are known to cause accidents on the highway.

4. Spot Fast Lane Changers: The flip side to not being a lane changer, is that you must be highly aware of the drivers who are. These are often the drivers who dangerously dart in and out of traffic, cutting off and swerving around drivers in the process.

Regularly monitor your rear and side view mirrors to be on the lookout for drivers that are approaching rapidly from behind or the lane next to you. These are bad drivers that will often cut in front or around you at the last second, narrowly missing your car. Deal with these drivers by maintaining your speed or even slowing down if you feel they are going to cut in front of you. Don’t become a vigilante and speed up to box them into the adjacent lane; you don’t want an erratic driver who likely has road rage tailing you on the freeway. Simply let them pass and be happy they are away from your car.

5. Spot Blind Lane Changers: Not only are there the jerks driving recklessly, but you have to worry about the absent minded driver that never checks their blind spot before changing into your lane. These guys are actually harder to spot than the jerk drivers, because it’s harder to predict when these types drivers are about to change lanes.

The best way to avoid these drivers is to not drive in their blind spot to begin with. If you ever find yourself in the another car’s blind spot, you should either A) accelerate so that your car is parallel to the other vehicle so they can easily see you or B) slow down so that you are tailing the vehicle and no longer next to it. Option B is the more preferable method depending on your car’s positioning and you should only use option A if you are already close to the front hood of the other car.

It’s hard to keep by this rule in heavy traffic, because you’ll always be next to a car, but you can usually identify a driver that is about to change lanes if the driver looks in their side view mirror, the car has just merged from an on-ramp, the driver is suddenly accelerating or decelerating or if the car is slowly starting to drift toward one lane. With practice, you can become very good at figuring out when another car is about to lane change and avoid being in their blind spot when it happens.

6. Don’t Make Eye Contact: Studies show that many road rage incidents occur when drivers make eye contact with each other and a situation ensues. As a defensive driver, you need to realize that road rage drivers are often looking to instigate trouble, rather than simply reacting to perceived sleights against them. Making eye contact with these types of drivers is playing into their twisted game, so you want to avoid getting into a petty fight with someone driving a 2,000 pound vehicle; regardless of who is right or wrong.

So next time you see that tail gating jerk come next to your car and pace you, just ignore them and don’t give them the pleasure they’re looking for. Simply drive on as usual and they will eventually leave you alone.

7. Look Both Ways at Intersections: Intersections are inherently dangerous places and the scene of many t-bone accidents. Most drivers, upon seeing a green light, amble straight on through without a second thought; and that’s usually when the driver running the red light smashes into their side.

If you are ever the first car at the intersection when the light is turning green, you should be extremely aware of your left, then right side traffic as you make your way through. I’ve almost been hit twice this way and both times slammed on my brakes before the other car barely clipped my front-end. Any police officer will tell you that the amount of drivers who run red lights is astounding – enough to make you think twice and look twice before going through an intersection.

8. Know When and How to Swerve: This is probably the absolutely hardest point to get across, because it honestly takes hours of experience behind the steering wheel to learn. The concept of swerving is applied to emergency situations where you don’t have enough time to avoid an accident (which is why we have rule #1 above).

If for example, a child suddenly runs into the busy street 20 feet in front of your car, it will be physically impossible for your car to stop in that amount of distance while traveling at 40mph. In that specific situation, your only option is to try and swerve and steer clear of the object in front of the car as fast as you can. This same principle applies to a sudden wreck on the highway, fallen tree, deer or any other danger that takes you by surprise.

To properly swerve (also called a “lane toss”), you need to be certain that A) the lane you’re swerving into is empty B) your car can handle the maneuver and C) you correct your swerve immediately afterward so you don’t end up on the side of the road. Item A can be achieved by constantly being aware of your surroundings, but for B and C, you can only understand those by taking your car out to an empty parking lot and practicing for a few hours with cones. That- or you can take a defensive driving class.

9. Get Away From Bad Drivers: You should always do your best to keep a healthy distance between yourself and other bad drivers on the road. Problematic drivers include: drunks, speeders, tail gaters, road ragers, lane changers, extremely slow drivers and any other erratic behavior. Most of the time, this involves switching lanes and slowing down so that a speeder or drunk can pass you safely. You never want erratic drivers behind you because there is always the potential of getting rear ended.

In other scenarios, if you see a erratic driver and need to pass, make sure you do it quickly and safely as possible – trying to keep a lane between you and them if possible. If you cannot keep a distance in front of the car, due to traffic or other reasons, try to stay a distance behind the other car and never drive directly next to it. You should also report erratic driving to the Washington State Highway Patrol or the Seattle Police department (you can call 911 directly) as the police will be on the lookout for erratic or drunk drivers if enough reports come in.

10. Don’t Follow Too Closely: Saving one of the best tips for last, don’t follow too closely behind the car in front of you. Always give at least 2-3 second of buffer room. Experts will tell you 4 seconds, although this author’s personal opinion is that it actually invites other drivers to cut into the lane in front of you. If you drive an SUV however, you must make this at least a 3 second rule because your vehicle is heavy and takes much longer to come to a complete stop than passenger cars.

While this may sound like a tip that applies to simply being a better driver, this tip actually has defensive driving principles for emergency situations as well. The reason is that in the event of a panic stop in the lane up ahead, you will ideally have buffer room to brake and stop. This helps the driver behind you as well because it aids in their reaction time and stopping distance – a big plus if they haven’t been paying attention, are slow to react or drive a vehicle with long braking distance (like a SUV).

We hope you enjoyed these quick tips on defensive driving. If you are interested in getting professional training behind the wheel, we recommend you visit any one of the defensive driving courses throughout the Seattle area.

The insurance company’s local ads have been memorable and effective in capturing the different kinds of people in the Northwest.  While some might be close to instigating a Seattle stereotype, such as Profile #76 – Super Long Coffee Orderer – they are creative and well thought out.

The ads poke fun not only at pecular Seattlelites, but find targets throughout the state. You may see Pemco ads featuring such dubious profiles like the: “Walla Walla Wine Woman”, “Tri Cities Select Sports Hostages”, and “Quiet Everett Aerospace Engineer” to name a few.

As the largest local insurance company that only operates in Washington, Pemco decided to hire an outside research firm to do an in-depth analysis to find what makes us Washingtonians tick. Their results?  Washingtonians enjoy their um, uniqueness.

“People here in Washington are a little different and they’re proud of that,” explains Jon Osterberg, Pemco’s Marketing and Communications Manager. “They value their individuality and celebrate their differences.”

Loaded with that information and the desire to distinguish themselves from bigger national insurance companies, Pemco hired DNA Brand Mechanics of Seattle in 2007 to come up with ”something different”, which coincidentally, turned into their slogan “We’re a Lot Like You, a Little Different.” The company even has a tongue-in cheek acronym for the ad campaign: WALLY.

“We wanted to say something no other insurance company could say,” says Osterberg. “All of us [at Pemco] live here in Washington. We can relate to the customers because we’re the same people. And so when we poke fun of people in the Northwest, we’re really poking fun at ourselves… I am absolutely the ‘Blue Tarp Camper’!”

Chances are, you either know someone who fits one of the many Pemco profiles- or you ARE one of these profiles. How many “Relentless Recyclers” have you come across at the PTA meeting?

Since these Pemco ads are for insurance after all, the humorous profiles naturally include the type of vehicles that us Northwest people drive. The “Bumper Sticker Idealist” drives a 80’s era 2-door Mazda (aka Mazdaratti), while the “East Coast Transplant” rolls down 520 in the BMW.

Well thought out and uncanny in their accuracy, the Pemco WALLY ads have struck a nerve.  

“We hear from people, that they love such and such a character,” claims Osterberg. “They say ‘That’s Me!’”

There are numerous profiles to be seen. Check out the We’re A Lot Like You site for the complete list.

Here are the unofficial top 5 Pemco profiles, courtesy of the Seattleauto.net staff:

1. Accidental Tech Millionaire
Spotted: Getting Testa Rose Detailed at the Country Club.
Vehicle: American SUV
This guy hit the dot com jackpot and doesn’t have to work again. This is number #1 because it sounds like people we know at SeattleAuto.net.

2.4 Way Stop, You Go. No You Go. No You Go Guy.
Spotted: When you least have time for it.
Diet: Anything out of a slow cooker
Vehicle: If you’re behind it, you’ll get a good long look.
Everyone gets the right of way, in this passive-aggressive display of patience and politeness.

3. Marymoor Off Leash Dog Lady
Vehicle: Station wagon with a head out.
Diet: Iams and a double latte.
Could be seen saying to a dog, “You’re so attentive, and best of all you never interupt like some silly selfish self centered man would. That’s a good boy. That’s a good, good, good, good, good, good boy.”

4. First Snowflake Freakout Lady
Vehicle: 4×4SUV, with snow chains, flares,and an extra 200lbs of sand in the back.
Perfectly good AWD’s… abandoned! More bundled up than an Iditarod winner. Visiting Alaskans and Spokanites want to slap her.

5.Pony Tailed Software Geek
Vehicle: Aging Japanese sedan.
Diet: Nacho chips and highly caffeinated soda.
An avid fantasy gamer. Proficient in many languages such as C++, Javascript, and as an added bonus speaks fluent Klingon.

If you’ve ever uttered this phrase after a car accident, chances are you weren’t happy about it. Surprisingly this happens a lot in the state of Washington.

According to the Insurance Research Council, in 2007 Washington had the 10th highest uninsured motorist rate in the entire country. The national average for uninsured motorists was at a rate of 13.8% in 2007, with the state of Washington owning a rate of 16%.

But why? According to those in the insurance industry, it comes down to jobs and the economy.

“There’s a strong correlation between the uninsured motorist and unemployment,” cites Darrin Sanger, Communications Director of the Northwest Insurance Council. “And according to the study, with national unemployment rates going up, so are uninsured rates. With all those rates going up, we can expect overall insurance rates to go up as well.”

Insurance rates are based upon stats and history generated from research studies. Insurance companies use these numbers to set what they charge in their rates. Those who drive without insurance make a significant impact on those overall rates.

“Uninsured and under insured motorists cost insured motorists over $80 million in Washington state, claims Sanger. “It’s something we all pay for.”

What’s the solution if you’re involved with someone without auto insurance and you don’t have adequate coverage?  Small claims court or cash settlements are the most likely solutions. But in any loss the NW Insurance Council encourages drivers to fill out an accident/police report, take pictures, and get information from the other drivers, and witnesses.

“Contact your insurance provider if there’s been any accident,” says Sanger. “They can tell you all you need to know about rates and how they handle uninsured motorists.”

Top 5 Uninsured Motorists States for 2007
1. New Mexico
2. Mississippi
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida
*10.  Washington

To find out more about auto insurance rates check out the Northwest Insurance Council website.