Five Simple Car Care Tips For Safe Holiday Travel Plus Online Support From The Hanover

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Nov 25, 2014, 05:01 ET

WORCESTER, Mass., Nov. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With the average age of cars on the road today at an all-time high and gas prices low, vehicle maintenance is increasingly important, particularly during the busy holiday season. Before a long road trip, even small maintenance tasks can increase vehicle safety and minimize more costly repair problems down the road.

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG) offers five simple tips before hitting the road this holiday season to help improve travel safety:

Whether your trip is 50 or 500 miles, take time to check, change or top-off your oil, coolant, brake and transmission fluids. This helps important car systems to perform well.
If your windshield wipers are not working well or are more than six months old, it's a good idea to replace them. Bad windshield wipers make driving in the rain on unfamiliar roads more dangerous.
Have your tires checked and consider having them rotated. Err on the side of caution by replacing any tires that look suspect, as tire blow-outs can be dangerous. Replacing a flat tire while on your trip can also deflate an enjoyable family getaway.
Check your headlights and taillights to make sure all are working. New bulbs are easy to install, inexpensive, improve visibility and safety. Importantly, in most states you can also receive a traffic violation for a non-working vehicle exterior light.
Perhaps the most simple and often forgotten pre-road trip tip is to clean your windows on the inside and out to increase visibility. During the holidays, many are traveling on unfamiliar roads and often in the dark, so having good visibility is important.

For year-round maintenance, tools like MyHanoverGarage, a free service to The Hanover's Platinum Experience customers, help consumers manage their vehicle health much like those that track personal health. This virtual tool helps diagnose car problems, locate mechanics, provide automate recall notices, and even specific repair cost estimates for vehicles by factoring the make, model, year and geographic market.

"Taking time in advance of a trip to ensure your vehicle is operating safely is well worth the effort. We hope tools like our service reminders combined with these pre-road trip tips will help to improve the safety of travelers on the road," said Richard W. Lavey, president, personal lines at The Hanover. "We wish everyone safe travels and an enjoyable holiday season."

ABOUT THE HANOVER

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. For more than 160 years, The Hanover has provided a wide range of property and casualty products and services to individuals, families, and businesses. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, the company offers specialized coverages for small and mid-sized businesses as well as insurance protection for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com.

Contact:
Karen O'Neil
[email protected]
508-855-6367

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SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.