10 Safe Driving Tips to Help Lower Your Car Insurance

In order to own and operate a vehicle in Canada, you need to have a valid car insurance policy in place at all times. However, there’s more to owning a vehicle than simply having good coverage on it – you need to also maintain your vehicle and practice the rules of the road every time you take it out. 

Top 10 driver safety tips to lower your auto insurance

When calculating your auto insurance premium, insurers look at your driving history to determine your risk factors of making a claim. Therefore, maintaining a clean driving record can lower your car insurance premium – here's 10 tips on safe driving:

Safe driving tip #1: test your lights

Make sure you regularly check your brake lights, turn signals and headlights to see if everything is still working or if any bulbs need to be replaced. Also, make sure you actually use your lights – get into the habit of using your headlights at all times (especially in the dark or in poor weather conditions), and use your turn signals and brake before you turn.

Safe driving tip #2: check your tires

Do this regularly to ensure your tires are properly inflated. There should be a sticker on the inside of your driver’s side front door that tells you the recommended pressure in PSI (pounds per square inch). Keep a tire gauge in the glove box, so you can check the pressure when you fill them up. Tires that are under-inflated are prone to damage and contribute to higher fuel costs.

READ: What type of tires do you need?

Safe driving tip #3: replace your tires

As much as you might hate spending money on your vehicle, tires should be an exception to that rule. Tires don’t last forever – rubber ages, loses its elasticity, hardens, and can become brittle. Because of this, experts say you should replace your tires every 6 years (or if you’ve driven the number of kilometres included in their warranty). You can also improve safety (and save on car insurance in some provinces) by using winter tires when the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius.

Safe driving tip #4: check your fluids

Always have at least 25% of a tank of gas in your car (especially in the cooler weather); this helps keep the engine warm and running smoothly. Check all your other fluids regularly, including the window wiper fluid and oil. It’s also important to do oil changes every 5,000km, so you keep the engine well-lubricated – running out of oil while driving will cost you.

Safe driving tip #5: keep your hands at 10 and 2

O’clock, that is. This is one of the first things you’re taught, perhaps even before sitting in the driver’s seat. And it’s also one of the first things drivers tend to get into a bad habit of not doing after we getting their license. Keeping your left hand somewhere between 9 and 10 o’clock and your right hand behind between 2 and 3 o’clock is the best position to not only keep you going straight but also to give you full control if you’re in an accident.

Safe driving tip #6: obey the law

That means obeying the speed limits, following traffic lights, respecting signs on the road, etc. If obeying the law sounds boring, try to remember how much fun it is to pay a ticket (or worse yet, the aftermath of a car accident).

Safe driving tip #7: go hands-free

If you feel the need to use your cell phone in the car, make sure it’s setup so you can make or receive calls without having to actually touch the phone. Or better yet, just don’t use your cell phone at all. Humans survived for decades without using phones in their cars; surely, we can continue to survive this way. So leave it in your purse, pocket, or glove box, until you arrive at your destination. (And pull over, if you really need to make a call).

Safe driving tip #8: keep your distance

Whether you’re annoyed at the driver in front of you or truly just don’t understand how much distance should be between you and the vehicle ahead, don’t tailgate. Stay far enough back that you can always see the bottom of the car in front of you and its tires hitting the road. Be even more conscious of this in the winter or in any wet weather conditions as the extra room will give you more time to brake.

Safe driving tip #9: lower the volume

Whether you’re listening to music or talking with passengers in the car, keep the volume at an appropriate level. The louder the noises are inside your vehicle, the more distracted you can get – and the greater the chance you won’t hear important noises around you, such as sirens from emergency vehicles. Pay attention to what’s around you, so you know when to turn the volume off or stop talking completely, so you can pay full attention to a situation.

Safe driving tip #10: drive defensively

Don’t confuse defensive with aggressive – to drive defensively simply means that you should drive with the mindset that anyone around you could cause an accident at any time. Keep your eyes on the road, check your blind spots and use your mirrors, to see what’s going on around you and be prepared for the unsafe actions of other motorists.

The bottom line

Not only are these habits good practice to ensure your safety, but keeping your record accident ticket-free can help lower your car insurance rate. If you're currently shopping for an auto insurance policy, be sure to compare car insurance quotes with Ratehub.ca's car insurance calculator to find the best rate possible. 

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