Driving this Labor Day weekend? You might want to check the tire pressure before heading out on the road.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), hot asphalt can make tires blow out - when tires touch the hot road, the friction builds up causing extra heat.

Also, according to a tire industry survey conducted this year, 85 percent of drivers fail to properly check tire pressure. NHTSA estimates that crashes related to tire problems injure about 33,000 people per year and claim approximately 660 lives.

So head to the gas station to fill up your tires this weekend before you hit the road. Not sure how much air to put in? The number should be written inside your car’s driver side door.

Paper airline tickets will no longer be in use after June 1, 2008, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), meaning that the industry will only use an electronic system. By eliminating paper ticketing, the airlines hope to save $9 per passenger and 50,000 trees a year.

Not used to the electronic ticket system yet? Here are a few additional electronic ticket tips to speed up the check-in process at the airport:

1. Put your I.D. (license and/or passport) and a printout of your ticket in a handy place such as a front zipper pocket for easy access.

2. Spot the individual kiosks at the ticket counter. 

• You’ll need to type in each passenger’s name to start with.
  
• You might also need to enter the ticket ID or travel number which can be found on your electronic ticket printout.
• You’ll need to enter the number of bags you’ll be checking as well (1-2).

3. You’ll still need to keep your boarding pass and ID out in order to go through security.

Want more travel tips? Read our our blog Travel entries or our Be Prepared - Air Travel section.

Sending your kid off to college? Make sure to check and update your insurance coverage - auto, homeowners, health - before you do. Here are some tips we’ve pulled together as well as  advice from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC):

Auto Insurance

Be sure to list your child’s name on the policy if your child is a driver of one of your vehicle. If your child will be taking a car with them to college, “parents should check the specific rates for the college’s city and state before deciding whether to keep their child on the family’s auto policy,” NAIC advises.

You can also notify the insurance company if your child maintains good grades, as that accomplishment might lower premiums, according to NAIC.

Health Insurance

Usually, students are covered under their parent’s health insurance until they reach the age of 23. Check to see if your insurance plan will be compatible with the school’s services as well as the services, clinics and hospitals in the school’s town or neighboring areas.

Homeowners Insurance
You may need to add extra riders to your homeowners policy to cover those expensive electronics or take out renter’s insurance through your existing homeowners insurance if your child is renting an apartment.

Remember to take photos, video and write down the serial numbers of the electronics and other valuables your child will be taking with them to school. Keep a copy of this with you for insurance purposes in case things are lost, damaged or stolen.

Want more? Read our other blog entries on College or our Be Prepared - College section.

Nearly a fourth of U.S. families live in extended suburban or rural locations with no hydrants, according to USA Today. Why? It costs a lot to extend basic infrastructure to the many growing housing developments in these communities.

Why is a fire hydrant important? The fire department does carry water on a few of its trucks but depending on the strength of the blaze, this amount of water might not be enough. That’s when the firefighters turn to the hydrants and tap into the city’s water supply.

Also, according to the USA Today article, closer proximity to hydrants and fire stations means lower insurance rates:

“In Lexington, Ky., for example, the owner of a $100,000 home in the city limits pays about $400 a year, but the rate is $1,200-$1,500 a year on the outskirts of the county, says Donna Pile, president of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents.”

So it pays to know where those hydrants are located. Call your fire department and ask about hydrant location. Also, if you’d like a hydrant installed near your home, call your city administration.

We’ve all heard the saying “good fences make good neighbors,” but sometimes it can prove to be worthwhile to actually get to know your real neighbors.

Neighbors can keep an eye on your house while you’re out of town or even while you’re at work. Neighbors also can be vital witnesses should a crime occur. And more importantly, neighbors can lend a helping hand in an emergency situation.

So next time you venture outside to collect the mail or take in the trash, say hi to your neighbors. They might be more helpful to you than that extra cup of sugar every once in a while!

• Create a Neighborhood Watch
• Keep a Watchful Eye

Flash flooding and rising waters are cause for much concern across the Midwest this week. Many have died and thousands have lost their homes, roads and businesses. Texas and Oklahoma are also battling the floods left from Tropical Storm Erin as she makes her way up through the States.

Is this much flooding really a cause for concern? According to meteorologist Paul Douglas, “The National Weather Service confirms at least a 10% increase in flash flooding since 1900. No, the rain is not falling as gently as it did for your great grandparents.”

Remember, flooding can at any given time - from a severe storm, hurricanes, tornadoes…even blizzards and melting snow can cause flooding. It doesn’t matter if you live near a river or up a hill, flooding can and does happen so it’s best to get prepared!

• Get Prepared for Emergencies
• Get Prepared - Flood
• Purchasing Flood Insurance (remember flood and water damage isn’t usually covered under your current homeowner’s policy)

Worried about flight delays, lost reservations or poor customer service? MSNBC’s travel columnist, Christopher Elliott, writes about the top 4 travel companies travelers tend to avoid:

1. US Airways
2. Days Inn
3. Thrifty
4. Princess Cruise Line

Read his reasoning behind these choices here.

Want more? Here are helpful resources to battle lost luggage, car trouble and any other bumps you might encounter while traveling:

• Help - Air Travel (Lost ticket, luggage, boarding pass; flight problems)
• Help - Car Travel (lost, car trouble)

As Hurricane Dean heads towards Mexico and southern Texas, here are a few videos you can watch to help you prepare for the rest of this year’s hurricane season.

• Long Island Power Authority (NY specific)
• Hurricane Tips from SunSentinel.com
• Florida Public Service Commission

Want more? Step-by-step instructions and tips on how to get prepared for hurricanes…

Blog Tripso.com has 10 great tips on how to avoid weather delays when you fly (we posted additional summer air travel tips from WSJ’s Scott McCartney in June).

Here are my favorite tips from the article:

5. Remember: size matters. The bigger the airplane the less likely you will cancel due to weather. If you have a choice of aircraft, take the wide-body. It will also save you the annoyance of severe turbulence as the bigger the airplane the less weather bumps.

7. Get frequent. Use the airline that has many daily flights to your destination, not just one a day. You have much more of a chance to get to your destination if there are several options.

8. Ask, investigate, and complain. If your flight is delayed, ask for meal vouchers. If it is canceled, ask for hotel vouchers. If you think their weather claim is bogus, investigate and complain by mail. Many times the airline will reimburse your hotel expenses in the form of travel credit. Hey, it’s better than nothing, unless you are adamant never to fly with that airline again.

Read the full article…

Additional air travel tips…

A growing number of colleges are receiving more and more requests for roommate changes - from parents who don’t like the roommates’ Facebook profiles, according to USA Today. “Housing officials say parents who cite Facebook most frequently mention party-related content and photos as their primary concerns.”

If you’re worried about your roommate or your kid’s potential roommate, you do have the right to make a request for a change. Contact the college’s residential life office to ask any questions. But understand that a change might not be possible - many schools are already full to capacity and they also might have rules in place about how and when roommate changes are allowed.

For tips on how to live with (and peacefully coexist) with your college roommate(s), read this article, written with advice from two recent college grads.