December, 2023 | Boizelle Insurance Partnership

Defogging Your Windshield

You can’t drive if you can’t see. Safe driving stars with clear visibility. When it comes to maintaining good visibility behind the wheel, drivers should pay attention to their windshield wipers. Inspect them closely to see if they need to be replaced. If it’s raining and you notice that your wipers are not working as effectively as they usually do, it might to time to replace them.

Fog can be a real menace to your safety if you’re not careful. Depending on weather conditions, your windshield could become foggy in an instant.

What causes your windshield to fog? Well, when the difference between the temperature and moisture of the air inside your vehicle is dramatically different from inside your car, fog appears. This is because cold air does not retain as much moisture as warm air does. If it’s cold outside, the warm air inside your vehicle likely contains more moisture, thus resulting in your windshield fogging up.

How can you defog your windshield? Try these tips.

Use the “defrost” mode.

Manually adjust your climate settings.

• Turn up the heat. Set your heat to a high level and turn the defroster fan up to its highest speed.
• Turn on the air conditioning. Your air conditioning system will remove humidity from the air coming through your vents.
• Turn off air recirculation. The symbol for this button mostly likely looks like a U-turn arrow inside an outline or your vehicle. When it’s on, the car will recirculate the warm air that is inside your vehicle through the vents. When it’s turned off, your car is able to draw the cold, dry air from outside to help the defogging process.

Crack your windows. The air from outside your car can quickly reduce the humidity inside your car.

You may think that wiping the fog from your windshield is a quick and effective way of improving your visibility. It may be quick, but it’s not effective. When the condensation returns, it’s likely to leave streaks on your windshield, actually making visibility worse.

If windshield fogging is a common occurrence for you, you can purchase certain products at various auto parts stores to combat the problem. These products are specially designed to add a protective barrier to the glass that prevents tiny water droplets from sticking. Applying this solution and then wiping it away should greatly reduce your fog problems.

Tips for a Safe New Year’s Eve

Every new year, we all have new hopes and new goals that we want to achieve. Whether it’s paying closer attention to our physical health by watching what we eat or by joining a gym, a fresh start is something we all want for ourselves and our loved ones. As 2023 draws to a close and we approach the coming new year, we all want to put ourselves in the best possible position for lasting success and prosperity. While all of this sounds wonderful, none of it matters if something bad happens to us on New Year’s Eve. Here’s everything you can do to ensure that your New Years remains safe and fun for yourself and your family.

Consider your liquor liability: If you are planning on hosting a gathering where alcohol is to be served, take it upon yourself to make sure that no one who chooses to consume alcohol drives a car afterwards. In many states, you could be held legally liable for any personal injuries sustained or damage to vehicles if the person who left your party drunk gets into an auto accident.

Plan your activities: Games and activities for your guests are a great way to make sure that your party runs smoothly.

Serve plenty of food: Planning a menu is a great way to maintain your own peace of mind and to reduce stress levels. Procrastination is a real stress activator. Consult with your guests about food allergies before making your menu for your party. Having plenty of options for your guests, along with non-alcoholic beverages is a sure-fire way to ensure that your evening remains safe and stress-free.

Keep your guest list small: The usual saying when it comes to parties is “the more the merrier”. This may not be the case if you have people in your home you do not know very well or that you do not trust.
Again, in order to maintain that peace of mind and joy throughout the evening, be sure to keep your guest list to those with whom you have a close relationship and those whom you can trust.

Have a designated driver: Encourage your guests to have a designated driver for the evening, so that when the evening concludes, everyone can return to their homes safely. Other options could include Uber and Lyft, but the point is to not allow anyone to drive home drunk.

Shelve the fireworks: Fireworks are a potential hazard and can lead to house fires. They are especially risky when alcohol enters the equation.

Going out to celebrate the new year?

If you choose to go out for the evening to celebrate, follow these tips to make sure you get back home safely:

Choose a designated driver: Driving under the influence of alcohol creates a dangerous situation for yourself and other drivers on the road. Whether it’s Uber, Lyft, calling a cab, or having a friend not consume alcohol for the evening, we all want to stay safe. Do not drink and drive.

Celebrate with friends: You’ve seen a football team gather into a huddle to call the next play at a game. Well, gather with your friends and make sure that everyone looks out for each other during the evening.

Charge your phone: Make sure your phone has a full battery before leaving your house for the night. Having a dead phone makes it a lot more difficult to get a safe ride home if you need to.

Eat before you leave: Any food that you’ve consumed before leaving your house will help slow the effects of alcohol.

Don’t leave your car overnight: Leave your car in the driveway or in your closed garage. Don’t forget to lock the doors. New Year’s may be a time to celebrate with loved ones, but it’s also an opportunity for criminals to do what they do.

How to Protect Your Data From Smart Toys

With the introduction of the I-Phone on June 29, 2007 -- life as we knew it – changed forever. How much so is something we wouldn’t fully understand, certainly back then.  In the years that followed, other smartphones would be created as well. The way in which we shared and consumed information would not only change forever, but our access to such information would be accessible at a rate we couldn’t imagine. Although we’ve seen a lot of upside to this newfound luxury, nothing comes without its downsides.

Internet-connected toys typically have a built-in microphone and speaker and could potentially expose children and others to harm, including but not limited to theft of data or identity.

Smart toys do run the risk of being accessed by criminals, just as with as other smart device. What should you know about these toys?

• Search the internet for articles or complaints pertaining to these products regarding their security or privacy issues.
• Using such words as “toy name” or “firmware” or “software” update in your search should give you plenty of information.

If you are not familiar with these types of toys, there are a few features that you should become aware of. First, you should know what the microphone and speaker within the toy will be doing. What is its purpose? Does it communicate back to the child and answer questions? Does it record? How long does it hold onto a recording? Be careful with the kind of data that you share. Always review the terms, conditions and privacy policies of these items in order to understand how the data being collected will be used and protected.

If the toy has a Bluetooth function capability, what does the Bluetooth connection do? Is there a PIN associated with it? Without a PIN, that Bluetooth connection may be accessed by anyone and monitored to find vulnerabilities. A PIN does add another layer of security, deeming the connection locked, so that other devices cannot access it.

What data is being accessed by the pairable app? Does it need access to an email or credit card? Does it connect to social media accounts or pages? Does it require access to a photo gallery?

Search for parental controls. Are there parental controls inside the app or toy? How can a parent manage data and its use?

How Fast Can a Christmas Tree Catch Fire?

Christmas tree lights symbolize love, joy, and unity. They are part of a long-lasting tradition in which families and friends come together in celebration. While Christmas can be a joyous occasion, if you’re not careful, your holiday has the potential to go up in flames. Why? House fires.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of 160 home fires are caused by Christmas tree every year. These fires burn rapidly and can destroy everything in its path, sometimes resulting in up to $10 million in property damage.

What Causes a Christmas Tree Fire?

If you have a real tree that is decorated with Christmas tree lights, that tree is going to need ample amounts of water to stay hydrated. Otherwise, it can and will dry up. A dry tree can become a dead tree. And a dead tree can become a serious fire hazard. A tree that is well-maintained will not catch fire as easily as one that has dry branches and needles.

How to Prevent Your Christmas Tree from Catching Fire

Water your tree. Filling your tree stand with warm water when you first get home will allow it to absorb the water more quickly after a long drive.

Choose the perfect spot. In order to prevent fires, choose a location for your tree that is a free from heating vents, fireplaces, or candles.

Inspect your lights. According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 20% of Christmas tree fires start because of decorative lights. Before you begin decorating, inspect your string lights for any frayed wires or damage that could potentially cause a fire.

Turn the lights off when you aren’t home.