Hopefully you’ll never be required to have an SR-22 filing. An SR-22 is not a type of insurance, but rather documentation proving you are insured. Typically, a driver is required to have an SR-22 filing if they have been a habitual offender of traffic offenses, been convicted of a DUI or been caught driving without insurance.

An SR-22 filing is proof that you carry the required insurance for your vehicle and if sought, must be filed with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. SR-22 requirements and procedures vary by state. If you are required to file one, you must receive it from your insurance company. However, not all companies issue them. And if they do issue them, they may not issue one to you. Each company can use its own discretion to whom they decide to issue these SR-22’s to.

There are a few states that do not require an SR-22 filing. They are Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. However, if you have an SR-22 and move to one of these states, you’ll have to continue to meet the requirements from the state where the SR-22 was issued. If you are required to have an SR-22 filing, you don’t have to carry it on you at all times. Since it must be filed with the State’s Department of Motor Vehicles, it is on your record, which is accessible to all law enforcement.

Hopefully you won’t have to file for an SR-22, but if you do, check here for some good rates.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein.  No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

Airbags are designed to save lives. When a vehicle is involved in an accident, sensors automatically measure the impact. If the crash is severe enough, these sensors will send a signal that inflate the bags and cushion the occupants. This all happens in a fraction of a second.

Although airbags are designer to prevent and limit injuries; there have been instances where an airbag has injured occupants. Most injuries caused by airbags are minor scrapes and bruises. In an effort to reduce injuries arising from airbag deployment; the Federal government started allowing manufacturers to reduce the energy of force in which frontal airbags are employed, without sacrificing the effectiveness.

There are certain measures a motorist can take to avoid an airbag related injury. For drivers, it’s recommended to sit with your chest at least 10 inches away from the center of the steering wheel. However, as technology advances, manufacturers are developing new airbags that sense where the driver is sitting and deploy accordingly. If the driver is sitting closer than 10 inches, the airbag would deploy with less force. If you have an older vehicle without this feature, you can purchase pedal extenders which would allow you to sit a bit further away from the steering wheel.

It is also important when traveling with children and infants to take extra precautions to reduce their risk of being injured by an airbag. Never sit your infant, especially with a child seat, in the front. This would put the infants head too close to the airbag, possibly resulting in an unnecessary injury. Rear seats are always best for children and infants. If for some reason you are traveling with many children and one must sit in the front; make sure the oldest child is the one sitting there. Have the child sitting in the front sit with the seat as far back as possible.

Airbags are safety measures that have saved so many lives over the years. To be extra safe, make sure to follow these recommendations next time you get in your vehicle.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein.  No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.