by Kaitiln on February 13, 2009
GPS systems can be distracting - especially for new users. Images change and catch the eye, options need to be selected, voices come from nowhere. That is distracting. Period. It might save time, but it is important that people remain diligent when using these devices. Safety first, right! The device shouldn’t be programmed by the driver when the vehicle is in motion. Ever. It should be mounted out of the way of the windshield or windows, but not too low that the driver has to divert their attention from the road for more than a moment. The volume should be loud enough to be heard, but not so much that it startles the driver after long periods of inactivity. The map should only be referred to occasionally while the voice directions remain the primary navigational tool.
The benefits of the GPS, if used wisely, are great. Especially for those who haven’t been endowed the gift of the inner compass. As GPS directions become more accurate and foolproof, and as developers learn tricks to help drivers use the software to greater effect, more users drive straight to their destination. Businesses like hotels and restaurants are located for the weary traveler. OnStar uses even uses these systems to help drivers in emergency situations. Next maybe it will tell you where the best pizza can be found - and be correct!
If you want to do price comparisons about different global positioning devices, Consumer Reports has quite a significant section describing the different makes with myriad features and options. An [American] friend of mine thoroughly enjoys the dialect option of her device - I think she has a secret crush on the dulcet tones of the man who pronounces things not only with an Australian dialect, but using the vernacular from Down Under as well.
The most important thing to keep in mind, however, is that the driver should never be programming the device while the car is moving. Looking away from the road for even a second is always something to avoid.
by Kaitiln on February 12, 2009
Snowy areas in the winter months are notorious for producing a slew of windshield replacements. There have been many times where a giant truck sends a pebble toward the windshield in front of me and gives me a good startle. These dings - good for a window installer, bad for the driver’s pocketbook.
A crack that obstructs the driver is dangerous, and in most states illegal. Damaged windshields should be replaced as soon as possible. A crack, especially if it is obviously obstructing the driver’s view can, at any time, bring the police up behind you and bring a fix-it ticket in your window.
However, if it is caught early, a ding can stay a ding and be much lest costly. Usually dings only cost around $50 to be repaired while a new windshield can be up around $700. Insurance will sometimes pay for the ding repair, but coverage often dictates a high deductible on windshield replacement. So a person ends up paying the full amount anyway.
If you get a ding, here are some things that you can do to keep it from splitting out into one (or more) crack(s) until you have a chance to get it repaired:
- Resist putting pressure on it.
- Keep it clean and dry. Foreign substances in the damaged area increase the chance of creating a star that splits off.
- Avoid temperature changes. Keep the car in a temperature controlled area, like a home or parking garage, as much as possible. Try not to turn on the heat or air conditioning, since the sudden change of temperature, or the difference in temperature between the outside and the inside of the glass can add stress to the damaged glass.
- Put some clear packing tape over the pit. Make sure that the tape does not obstruct your vision - keep the square of tape as small as possible to cover the pit.
by Kaitiln on February 12, 2009
Driving in rain, snow or ice can be extremely tricky. Not every tip will work 100% of the time, so stay cautious and attentive, especially when driving in inclememt weather.
Tips for driving in rain:
Drive more slowly than usual. On the highway hydroplaning can occur at speeds as low as 35 miles an hour.
Back off from the person’s bumper in front of you. You should allow a five second gap between cars. This is a wider gap than the usual suggested three second gap. This will give you more time to react when something in front of you happens and your vision is impaired because of the water on the windshield.
Replace your wipers whenever you see that they are not clearing your windshield properly. Don’t wait until you are in a storm to replace them.
Turn on your headlights; this will alert other drivers to your presence.
Tips for driving in snow and ice:
Follow the tips for driving in rain and,
Don’t be arrogant, even if you are in a 4-wheel drive vehicle (after the next snow storm look at the number of SUVs that have skidded off the road), it is better to be safe than calling a tow truck.
Give yourself more than plenty of time to come to a stop; the slower your going the more control you will have and the less likely you will be to start skidding.
If you find yourself starting to slide, immediately remove your foot from the accelerator, slowly pump the brakes and turn into the slide. if you have anti-lock brakes then you should slowly and gently put pressure on the brakes and don’t pump them.
Watch for black ice conditions. If the temperature drops below 40 degrees then it is possible for the pavement to be icey.
If you live in an area that gets snow or ice during the winter, then remember to keep a warm coat and a blanket in the car. If you get stranded or the weather doesn’t allow you to get out of your vehicle and get to a warm place, then you will stay warm for a longer period of time.
Don’t panic. Be calm and steady.
by Kaitiln on February 9, 2009
When a flat or blowout occurs on the side of the road, taking a few steps to keep you and your passengers safe is a vital step to the tire changing process.
When possible, pull off of the road entirely to a flat surface such as a parking lot or driveway. If you are on the freeway, try to pull onto a side street where there is less traffic. But under all circumstances, try to get as far away from quickly moving traffic or vehicles as possible. If you are by yourself that means your attention is going to be on the task of changing the tire, and you won’t be able to keep an eye on cars coming toward you.
Changing a tire on the freeway is dangerous, so the task should be done as quickly, but as safely as possible.
After the car is in a safe place, be sure to put it in park, or with a stick shift keep it in gear. Apply the parking break. Locate the spare tire, the lug wrench and the tire jack. The spare tire should always be in good repair with the appropriately pounds per square inch of inflation.
Bring the spare around and place it near. Loosen the lug nuts in a star shape, keeping them on, but loose enough that you can remove them by hand when you are ready.
Taking the tire jack, place it close to the tire that is flat, but in a place under the car that can hold the weight when the jack is elevated. pump up the jack until the vehicle is elevated just enough to remove the tire.
Remove the lugs and replace the flat with the spare. Try to get the spare on as evenly as possible and put the lugs on - again in a star shape. Don’t fully tighten, but get them relatively tight. The spare should be in evenly, both on the bolts and front to back.
Release the car jack and lower the car back down to the ground. Tighten the lugs, again using the star shape and get them as tight as possible.
As you fully stand up, be sure not to step into traffic. Collect all of your belongings and put them in the vehicle. Safel pull back into traffic.
Don’t forget to repair or replace the flat soon after. If you get another flat, you want to be prepared.
by Kaitiln on February 9, 2009
Starting January 2009, GM vehicles with valid OnStar memberships will be equipped with the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown technology. Stolen Vehicle Slowdown (or SVS) allows OnStar’s systems (GPS, cellular technology and the OnStar call center) to electronically reduce acceleration in a car that has been reported stolen. Carjackers beware. It is now possible for the law to take the joy out of your joyride, before it becomes a high-speed chase.
So let’s take the Big Brother aspect out of the equation. If a person opts into OnStar they know that they can be found any place they decide to go. Let’s just look at the safety aspect.
Carjacking can pretty much happen to anyone at anytime (not that it will happen to everyone). The FBI states that over 1 million vehicles are reported stolen each year. Of those around 30,000 end in a high speed chase. OnStar is hoping to reduce those numbers by intervening and slowing down the bad guys. Approximately 300 people a year are needlessly killed by these high speed chases. The plan to get the SVS technology in the GMs was announced in 2007, but the ’09s are going to be the first to use the system.
Imagine you are fleeing from the cops. You’ve got the loot in the back and you’re flying down the road, assuming you’re going to out run the fuzz. Suddenly the car decelerates and no matter what you do you can’t get the car to speed up again. It brings to mind the O.J. “chase,” where the driver headed down the L.A. freeway slow enough for lookey-loos and wanna-be papparazzi to catch up to the vehicle and peek into the window of the famous White Bronco. The Bronco was moving so slowly that it appeared the vehicle was loaded with the OnStar SVS.
by Kaitiln on February 8, 2009
In many professions experts have to continue their education; university professors need to keep publishing to stay current, nurses and doctors need to learn the latest medical developments, etc. However, hundreds of thousands of us drive vehicles, weighing upwards of 1,500 pounds, without ever having done more than a few classes and never again looking at the rules of the road once the driving test is passed.
There are many different laws for states, but here are some basic rules that, though they might seem like common sense, are never a bad idea to refresh in your mind:
Do - Pay attention. The longer people drive the more lackadaisical they become. Keeping your eyes on the road and your attention on the task of driving will help keep you and others in your car safer.
Don’t - Use a mobile phone - in any way, texting, calling, changing the ring tone, etc. Even if this is not illegal, mobile phone usage draws attention from the road and therefore could prove dangerous or deadly.
Do - Keep steady hands on the wheel. Steer with care and confidence; jerky or panicky movements can lead to rollovers or collisions with vehicles or road furniture.
Don’t - Change the radio, eat, put on your shoes, put on makeup or that diverts your attention. (This is a repeat, but it’s an important one.)
Do - Keep the vehicle in good working order. Tires should be kept at optimal PSI, oil changes should happen regularly, brakes maintained, etc.
Don’t - Drive with an excessively dirty windshield. Sun can reflect off of it causing a temporary blind driving.
Do - Try to have a good idea of the directions that will lead you to your destination. Turning down one ways is never good for anyone.
Being a technically proficient driver is a must, but being a conscientious driver helps keep the roadways clear of accidents.
by Kaitiln on February 6, 2009
Is gorgeous AND safe impossible? Not for this performance vehicle - it has roll bars!
The latest Roadster from Tesla Motors is a beautiful specimen. At the rock bottom price of $128K the lucky owner can have a comely exterior and an engine that will take you from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. High performance tires and l-retooled suspension provide the grab and steering safety that people look for in a sports car. Plus this car is nearly twice as efficient as your run-of-the-mill Camery hybrid with its patented electric power train. And it has roll bars!
OK, so as much as we would like it to be, it isn’t the safest car on the planet; especially when the driver has a lead foot. But its efficiency can’t be beat for a car of its class. So doesn’t a car that is inherently low emissions count toward safety? Fewer toxins in the air means cleaner breathing.
Safety reports for the latest Roadster aren’t in yet, but crash test videos for the 2007 models are available.
Emerging safety feature considerations for newly emerging electric vehicles? The batteries. Outlets retrofitted to work for an electric car have quite a bit of voltage flowing to them. Tesla has thought this through (and likely other manufacturers). The power cord for the Tesla electric cars are specially designed so that no metal is exposed. The design is also such that the cord, the car, and the wall talk to one another. So unless the connection is deemed to be safe, then no electricity is allowed to flow. The battery casing is accessible only with specific tools. This means a person would have to work hard to get an electric shock.
Obviously this is a high-end vehicle, but the innovation and forward-thinking engineering will eventually lead to the mainstream vehicles.
by Kaitiln on February 6, 2009
OK, so here are some statistics about child safety seats. 8 out of 10 seats are installed improperly. That means nearly every child who is sitting in a seat specifically designed for safety and costing upwards of $200 is still at great risk if in a crash. Seats for newborns to children up to 30 pounds should be faced backwards in the back seat. If installed properly car seats reduce the risk of death by 71 percent. For children weighing more than 30 pounds a front-facing car seat (properly installed) reduces the risk by 54 percent.
Parents and child care professionals obviously think that they are installing these seats properly, when in fact most of them are not. Most states hold safety inspections for new parents with new car seats; for instance, local emergency workers in Austin-Travis offer inspections free of charge - they take the process very seriously. For a list of child safety inspection locations, click here.
Then there is the question of design: Gracco recently recalled nearly 44,000 car seats that included a comfort pillow. This pillow obstructed the installation instructions. The design was to provide comfort to the child, but laws state that the install instructions have to be in plain sight. Britax is recalling certain versions of their Frontier safety seat. These models of the Frontier were designed with straps that can become detached (from a metal fitting in the back) if the straps in front are loosened separately. This is a design flaw that would not be able to be detected since it is at the rear of the seat and out of view.
Designers and engineers have a tough job. They have to make new, innovative and exciting products every year; possibly even manufactured without enough time to thoroughly test them through repetitive use and crash tests.
by Kaitiln on February 5, 2009
Driving drunk is dangerous. Then why do so many people still get behind the wheel after having a few drinks? Every day there are people out there hopping behind the wheel of their (or someone else’s) car and saying to themselves, “If I drive slowly and carefully, then I will be fine.” Well, what about the people that those drunk people hit? Will they be fine?
Jail doesn’t stop people from driving drunk; hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. were arrested. Over 178,000 in California alone. One third of them will drive drunk again - even after a conviction. Noteriety doesn’t stop people from driving impaired; in the first few weeks of 2009, Sam Shepard, Charles Barkely, Rip Torn and Vincent Jackson (among others) were all brought in under the suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Maybe there is a VIP section in jail that people are dying to get into.
So what will stop people from driving drunk?
If you can’t beat ‘em, deter them. Since 2002 Florida has required that certain DUI offenders use the Ignition Interlock gizmo that can be installed in vehicles to prevent the engine from starting. The driver breathes into a device and if the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is too high, you car no go. The Mother’s Against Drunk Driving Organization (MADD) are calling for across-the-nation use of the ignition interlock. MADD is asking people to call their legistators to get laws on each state’s book mandating the use of the ignition interlock in each convicted drunk driver’s vehicle and they claim that the majority of people support this kind of legislation.
The “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk” campaign started way back in 1979 (the posted video PSA was made in that year - the same year as the original Star Wars movie was released). 30 years later drunk driving is still a problem. Even if the Cantina band says don’t do it.
by Kaitiln on February 5, 2009
Starting December 18, 2008 the Cooper Tire Company began recalling tires that were produced during the period of September 7 - October 11, 2008. The reason stated was that the tires may not have been cured for an adequate amount of time. Anyone who thinks they have tires made during this time period - if you bought tires during or sometime thereafter - should bring the tires into a dealer. The dealer will investigate and if the production falls within that period the dealer will replace the old and mount and balance the new tires free of charge.
The curing process takes an absolute minimum of 15 minutes. Larger tires, or tires that will take a lot of abuse (such as off-road tires), are usually cured for much longer. If the tires are not cured for the correct amount of time, tread can separate and/or shred, which can cause steering difficulties and crashes. Temperatures of 350 degrees Fahrenheit and pressure of 350 PSI are used. Tires are composed of rubber, cords of polyester, steel, and materials. The curing at high temperatures causes a chemical reaction between these materials and gives the tires their strength. The high pressure molds the hard rubber into its final tire shape. Before this process is started the tires are referred to as “green.”
Cooper Tires states that the tires were not cured for an adequate amount of time, which means that either the heat wasn’t sufficient, the pressure was too low, or both. Since the checkout is free, it is a good idea to bring in your tires to a Cooper dealer. Otherwise you could live a scene straight out of the movie The Fast and the Furious.
