On the Horizon: Better Seat Belts for Seniors

One of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up. Now, researchers want to make the standard seat belt even safer for seniors who account for tens of millions of drivers in the United States.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, close to 600 older adults are injured each day in car crashes. Common life-threatening injuries include cracked ribs and broken pelvises. If the seat belt is positioned incorrectly around the neck or under the arm of an older driver, it can cause injuries and even fatalities.

Better Safety Solutions

Researchers at Ohio State University are collaborating with automakers to investigate other options to help reduce severe injuries in drivers 65 and older. Just one includes an inflatable seat belt. The project is also using simulations and smaller crash test dummies to help design better protection for older drivers.

Inflatable seat belts are in the back seats in some Ford, Lincoln and Mercedes-Benz models. Ford introduced inflatable seat belt technology in 2011 saying it would enhance safety for backseat passengers like young children.

In addition to inflatable seat belts, future technology may offer a personalized car key fob to activate a customized safety system within each vehicle. The key fob could adjust a seat belt based on a driver's individual physiology. To learn more, check out the source article on Reuters for more information.

Today's insurance tips and ideas brought to you by ERIE Insurance.

14 Hacks to Deal with Snow and Ice on Your Car

Even people who love winter do not enjoy one of the season's most unpopular jobs - clearing snow and ice off of their cars.

The good news is that the job can definitely be made easier by following a few rather simple tips. They include:

• Turning on your front and rear defrosters as soon as you start clearing. If you have a push start, now is the time to take advantage of it!
• Give yourself more time than you think. This can be a tough job, and you may need a break or two after scraping away at ice for a long stretch of time.
• Don't pull on frozen windshield wipers! This could TOTALLY ruin them. Instead, use an ice scraper to chip away at the ice and give the car defroster some time to do its job.
• Avoid hot water! Pouring hot water on ice-cold glass can cause the glass to break. (Plus, the puddle it leaves behind can lead someone to suffer a nasty spill!)
• Use a proper snow brush. Shovels and other brushes not marketed for safe use on cars can leave behind scratches.
• Start from the top. Clear snow from the roof and work your way down - clearing the top part of the car later could undo the work you did on the bottom half of the car. And you can't drive around with a roof full of snow anyhow.
• Consider using a de-icing spray. Commercial-grade sprays can make the job faster AND easier.
• Blow through a straw to let your breath melt a frozen lock. Another option is to apply a bit of hand sanitizer to your key and the door lock.

Of course, the best way to deal with winter is to park your car in a garage or carport. If that is not possible, try taking these steps beforehand.

• Place socks over your windshield wipers and pop them up. This will help prevent them from freezing.
• Put plastic bags over your mirrors. Use rubber bands to secure them into place.
• Spray a little cooking oil on rubber seals. This will help prevent them from sealing doors shut.
• Apply ice prevention spray on windows. You can find this at any auto specialty store!
• Cover your windows. A piece of cardboard, towel or folded sheet can help prevent ice from forming on your windshield.
• Face your car East. In for the night? Then try to park your car facing East so the rising sun can help melt the snow and ice!

Clearing the snow and ice off of your car definitely isn't the most fun job, but it helps keep you and other drivers safe -- and it might even be the law in your state!

Today's insurance tips and ideas brought to you by ERIE Insurance.