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Do we all have to wear our seatbelts?

• Most states have passed mandatory seatbelt laws for the driver of the car.
• In many states, such as Florida, both passengers in the front seats are required to wear seatbelts, regardless of age.
• Most states have special seatbelt laws for minors and require child seats for young children.
• Not wearing a seatbelt could be a violation of your personal automobile insurance policy.

Why do summer rainstorms cause so many accidents?

These storms often occur during the heat of the day, when the heat has pooled oil on the surface of the road, before the rain has had the time to wash the oil off the surface. This will first make for an extremely slick and dangerous combination. You should slow down, allow for extra braking room and use your low beam headlights during rainstorms. Using your low beam headlights in a rainstorm is law in Florida and many other states.

How do I avoid confrontations on the road?

• Avoid the temptation of road rage. Honking and yelling at the drivers around you is probably more likely to make someone get out their tire iron than to help get traffic moving. Be patient.
• Also, read the next question and answer.

What are some of the road scams that I need to know about?

• Avoid flashing your lights at other cars that are driving without their lights on at night. This used to be a common courtesy, but unfortunately some gangs will drive around with their lights off and pick the first car to flash them as a victim to harass. You may think it’s just an urban myth, but our local police put out a memo about this to all the Rental Companies this year.
• Beware the pull over. If you’re in a new car coming from the airport that’s so full it barely clears the ground or you have those out of state plates, you’re targeted as an easy mark with a big payoff. Sometimes, criminals will try to get you to pull over by pointing and saying something is wrong with your car. They might even fake a small accident, a little tap on your bumper to get you to pull over. Since this has been used as a scam, you’ll want to be careful about where you pull over if you need to, be sure to pick a well-lit public place.
• Stick to the major roads, since you don’t know the side streets you might just pick the one all the locals avoid. You’ll also find more people and better lighting on the major roads; these factors make the "pull over" riskier for the criminals.

How else can I avoid being the victim of a crime?

• Always keep your car doors locked.
• Park only in well-lit parking lots. Keep an eye out for loiterers when you enter a parking lot. Check the lot for safety before opening your doors.
• Walk with confidence, strong body language will let criminals know you're not a victim.
• Consider using valet parking or park as close to the main entrance as possible. Remember to secure your valuables before you turn the keys over to the valet.
• If you have to leave your valuables in the car, they go in the trunk.
• Lock the doors since most cars have a trunk release inside that doesn’t need the key to pop the trunk. Many new cars also have a back seat pass through that makes for easy entrance into the trunk.
• Don’t make yourself a target, flashing expensive jewelry, lots of cash or even tourist brochures and maps left in the seats can label you as a potential victim.
• Use a local newspaper or magazine to wrap around the outside of your map or guidebook so you wont' stand out as a tourist.