NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Winter's
grasp is slowly but surely letting go with warmer weather on the
way for most of the country. If this winter wasn't wicked enough,
its effects will be felt by drivers for months to come in the form
of the dreaded pothole. It's something drivers might not be able to
prevent, but there are simple things that can be done to escape
damage to a car.
"Potholes can destroy tires, throw off a car's alignment or
worse," said Pam Dufour, president
of Allstate Roadside Services. "One of the most important things
people can do is to make sure their tires are adequately inflated.
This helps to protect and cushion the rim of your tire from
damage."
Allstate offers the following tips to protect cars from
potholes:
- Make sure your tires are properly inflated.
- Leave plenty of room in front of your vehicle so you can avoid
potholes without getting into a crash.
- If you can't avoid a pothole, slow down before you hit it and
don't brake. Braking can actually cause more damage.
- When driving over the pothole, hold the steering wheel firmly
to avoid losing control.
- Use caution and drive slowly when driving over a puddle of
water or through the snow because it might be hiding a particularly
deep pothole.
"Every driver who encounters a dangerous pothole should consider
contacting their city to make road crews aware," continued Dufour.
"Cities around the country will be dealing with fixing hundreds of
these road hazards and may not know where the worst of them could
be forming."
If a driver has damage to their car or vehicle from a pothole,
they should contact their insurance agent to determine if they
should file a claim. Some cities may also offer reimbursement for
pothole related damage and drivers should check with their local
government to see if such a service is provided.
Also, drivers may want to consider downloading Allstate's Good
Hands RescueSM app, a free app that allows stranded
drivers to request roadside assistance from anywhere in America
through their smartphones. You don't have to be an Allstate
customer to use it and you pay only when services are used. Once
service is requested and location is determined, a cost is shared
along with an estimated time of arrival. If you accept the service,
a network provider is dispatched and you can use your smartphone to
track the provider's en route status. On average, through the
mobile app, a tow charge will run $99
for the first five miles, a battery jump will cost $69 and having a tow operator come to change a
flat tire may run $69. Learn more
about Allstate Roadside Services by visiting
http://www.allstate.com/auto-roadside-services/good-hands-roadside.aspx.
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16
million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home,
life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance,
Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Now celebrating its
85th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is widely known through
the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®." The
Allstate brand's network of small businesses offers auto, home,
life and retirement products and services to customers in
the United States and Canada. In 2015, The Allstate Foundation,
Allstate, its employees and agency owners gave $36 million to support local communities.
Allstate employees and agency owners donated 230,000 hours of
service across the country.
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SOURCE The Allstate Corporation