GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Driving a lorry at night can have several advantages, including reduced traffic, availability of parking spots, and a magnificent night sky. While nighttime lorry driving may be relaxing, it is critical to practice safe night driving to avoid mishaps. According to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways of India, road deaths increase three folds at night.

As human eyes have poor night vision, with decreased depth perception and peripheral vision, it is no coincidence that the highways are dreadful and dangerous after the sun sets.

The best safety tip would be to not drive after dark, but if your schedule mandates you to do so, here are some tips that will help keep you safe on the roads.

1. Adjust the headlights:
Check that your lorry's headlights are correctly set. When it's dark, use upper beams whenever it's safe to do so. Uppers beams can see twice as far ahead as dipper. Switch back to dipper when you're within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle.

2. Follow speed limits:
It's a fundamental reality that humans can't see as clearly during the night as in the daytime, no matter how excellent their vision is. So, driving slow at night helps you see the warning signs or other vehicles better. Slow down even more during severe weather and foggy conditions due to less visibility.

3. Reduce glare:
Maintaining a clean windshield is vital to reduce the blindness that an approaching vehicle's headlights may cause. Furthermore, replace your wiper blades regularly to maintain a clean windshield.

*Additional tip – Staring at an approaching vehicle's beams can slow your response time. When you see such lights, gaze toward the center or right side of the highway until traffic passes. Moreover, adjust your mirrors so that headlights from vehicles behind you do not blind you.

4. Beware of your limitations:
As per the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways of India, most police-reported truck collisions are caused by sleepy driving each year. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep before you get behind the wheels. If you ever start experiencing fatigue, pull over right away and rest or refresh.

5. Be responsible:
Do what you expect of others, don't use upper beams unnecessarily, don't drink and drive, always use your side indicators while driving, flash your lights before overtaking, etc. Remember, even a small thing can trigger a severe collision and lead to an accident, so be a responsible driver.

Additional Tips:

• Maintain the health of your truck by carrying a routine maintenance

• Cover the truck with motor insurance. You can also buy motor insurance online now

• Overloading is illegal as well as causes much trouble while driving

• Never forget to wear your seatbelt

• Turn on the mp3 player to avoid feeling drowsy but ensure you don't keep the volume too loud as it might prevent you from listening to the vehicles outside

• Take periodic refreshments breaks

Whether you're a novice or an expert, the roads are uncertain. As we earlier said, the best tip is to drive during the daytime, but if night driving is inevitable, these tips will surely benefit you in driving safely.

Visit HERE to buy motor insurance online now.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Asthma is a health ailment that can take a severe toll on your health. In this condition, the air passage observes inflammation, and the bronchioles of the lungs swell, making it difficult to breathe. Asthma affects the functioning of your lungs and can lead to various long-term diseases as well.

While you can control asthma most of the time, it can affect your daily activities and may even be fatal. If not addressed correctly, the symptoms can worsen over time and lead to severe asthma attacks.

Today we will look at a few ways you can control your asthma.

1. Identifying triggers:
Almost all cases of asthmatic attacks arise due to a triggering agent or underlying factors. It could be pollution, smoke, allergies, exercise etc. Identifying what triggers your asthma is essential to prevent attacks as much as possible. One handy way of doing this is by keeping notes for a few weeks. Take into account all environmental and emotional things that affect you.

2. Avoid allergens:
Once diagnosed with asthma, you can do allergy tests to learn what you are allergic to. A comprehensive understanding of what causes allergies can help you prevent them in the future. Contact with allergens can cause inflammation which may block your airway and worsen your condition due to poor respiration.

3. Immunotherapy:
Immunotherapy or Allergy shots are injected to help mitigate allergic symptoms. Over a period of time, these small doses of specific substances allow the body to adjust to them and become less reactive in the future.

4. Avoid smoke:
If you are asthmatic, you should avoid smoke from vehicles, incense sticks, and cigarettes. Even passive smoking can be a deadly trigger for your asthma. Always carry masks, inhalers, and your asthma medication wherever you go. When stuck in situations where you're unable to avoid the smoke, use masks to cover your face thoroughly. Protecting your air passage should be a priority when you're in crowded places.

5. Take medications:
Even if your asthma has been under control for a while, never skip your medications. Asthma medications are designed to help to prevent symptoms and attacks over time. Skipping on your medications can be dangerous.

6. Keep your environment clean:
Sometimes the bare minimum can go a long way. Regularly vacuuming your couches and floor can help keep dust at bay. Use a dehumidifier to reduce the air's moisture and prevent mold growth. Install air purifiers to get rid of dust mites. Lastly, don't forget to change your bedsheets and liner every week to ensure maximum protection from dust and allergies.

These are a few ways in which you can prevent an asthmatic attack. However, in case of a severe asthma condition, it is advisable to visit a doctor. Having medical reports handy at all times is a good idea to give the doctors a better understanding of your medical history.

We are often not prepared for the expenses we might incur during visits to doctors. Costly medical bills should be the least of your worries in such times. Having the backing of an insurance provider is especially helpful. Consider this a reminder of your health insurance policy renewal and prevent it from lapsing.

Click HERE to know more about health insurance policy renewal.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

India's vast network of national highways is usually busy with trucks carrying hefty cargo across the states. Transportation of heavy-duty materials and goods is majorly carried out by trucks. Their labour happens to be an essential work that contributes to the entire country's economy and aids multiple industries in flourishing and growing.

As essential as the transportation of the loaded cargo is, it can be a complex process to manage. Hauling loaded shipments for kilometers at a stretch is a strenuous activity and can become dangerous. Due to their massive size and load, several rules and regulations are levied upon the lorries. There are standard weight limitations to be followed to avoid any road accidents. All shipment companies and truck drivers must follow these safety provisions.

What are the basic truck requirements to keep in mind?

1. The weight of the load or cargo must be evenly positioned in the vehicle. Distributing the weight evenly throughout the truck ensures that its balance is maintained while driving. It also guarantees that no part of the truck is heavier than the rest so that it drives safely across the distance.

2. The cargo must be positioned and secured firmly in its place. If any items of the shipment move with the truck's movement along the road, it can cause the lorry to tip over or fall while making a turn. This can cause major road accidents and distract the driver from driving.

3. The regulatory bodies imply a standard weight limitation depending on the truck's size. The driver must ensure that these weight limitations and norms are adhered to before setting off on their journey. Not only can they be heavily fined for disregarding these rules, but they can also cause significant weight displacement of the vehicle, leading to severe accidents.

What are the risks of overloading the trucks?

1. The mechanical components of the truck are proportional to its smooth functioning. The weight limits are placed to protect the vehicle's mechanical parts from the damage caused by overloading. Parts like the suspension and engine can be easily damaged.

2. Heavy loads cause high amounts of pressure on the vehicle's braking system. The driver is forced to push harder on the brakes to stop sooner, impairing the system. Extreme pressure on the brakes can significantly increase the possibilities of brake failure.

3. Like the truck's mechanical parts, tyres can also deteriorate due to truck overloading. It causes a significant chance of them blowing out. A tyre blowout can cause the cargo to shift, displace its weight and lead to accidents. If the driver is unable to steer the truck to safely move out of the road, it may cause a major road collision and pose a threat to other vehicles on the road.

Understanding the risks of overloading trucks is essential to securing yourself, people, and vehicles. Following the safety protocols and driving with alertness and lesser (permissible) load is key to avoiding landing into unwanted mishaps. Investing in a motor insurance scheme can ensure your truck's safety at all times and get you compensated in case of damages. A good motor insurance can help you secure your finances and make your journeys stress-free.

Click HERE to buy motor insurance to safeguard your truck.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

With the internet being easily accessible even in remote areas, today, people engage and entertain more through the digital world. Social media is proving to be a significant source of entertainment worldwide. However, it turns out that it is also one of the rising causes of bad mental health. Primarily, the rise of social media has long-term consequences and adverse effects on people's mental health, including cyberbullying, depression, and severe anxiety.

People think that social media is a mood booster, which is true but under certain limits. Excessive socializing can make things odd for you, majorly affecting your mental peace. Let's take a look at how social media is affecting people's mental health.

1. Comparing our lives with others:
The comparison is one of the primary reasons why people feel socially isolated. As we scroll down our social media feeds, we start comparing our lives with other people. This may be in terms of money, their day-to-day activities, looks, or happy moments. Unfortunately, the habit of comparing ourselves to others is linked with symptoms like anxiety, depression and loneliness.

2. It triggers sadness:
The more you use social media, the higher it triggers your sadness. For example, a person already dealing with mental health issues may see things that can make her feel down. This way, people feel the fear of missing out, leading to higher anxiety.

3. Low self-esteem:
People on social media are all about showing off materialistic things. We tend to feel excluded from these show-offs, which can lead to higher insecurities. Seeing someone ‘perfect’ on social media further lowers self-esteem. You'll begin to judge your self-worth, and that's dangerous.

4. Social acceptance:
Social media has taken over people's minds by its craze for ‘followers’ and ‘likes’. Youth indulge in the thoughts that if they don't get a certain number of likes or followers, they are probably not good enough or aren't socially acceptable.

5. Abrupt sleep cycle:
Social media is like that one toxic addiction you want to leave, but you can’t. According to research, almost two-thirds of the youth check their social media at least once before sleeping. Sometimes you may come across a specific post, and you decide to check about them more out of curiosity. Within a blink of an eye, you'll lose hours just scrolling on social media.

6. Leads to jealousy:
Besides comparing ourselves to others, another way social media affects one's mental health is by inducing jealousy. Seeing other people's success stories, luxurious accessories, and vacations can be envy-inducing. This vicious cycle of jealousy can lead to severe consequences.

The rise in the influencer culture has further brought plenty of side effects on today's youth. Unfortunately, draining mental health can affect one's physical health too. While these health problems may not look concerning, they can turn out more significant and take a toll on your overall well-being, productivity and finances in the future. Therefore, it is in your best interest to get HEALTH INSURANCE so you do not drain yourself financially to protect your mental well-being.

Social media is not just scrolling feeds and looking at what's going on in other people's lives. If you use it wisely, social media is a perfect medium to make you productive and happy. You will find profiles and posts related to improving your well-being, practising mindfulness, drawing positivity through education, and even the importance of mental balance, health insurance and a perfect lifestyle.

Click HERE to buy the best health insurance that fits your needs.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.