Monkey See, Monkey Do

Long before teens begin their formal driver training, they are quietly and subconsciously taking driving queues from their parents. Every time a parent fails to come to a complete stop, or drives over the speed limit, or changes lanes without a blinker, their kid takes a mental note for later use.

So, the best way to ensure your kids will drive safely is to be a good driving role model. Don’t fiddle with the phone, break or bend the traffic laws, or drive aggressively. Be a safe and smart driver and chances are your kid will do the same.

 

Teen Distractions

All teens, parents and psychology majors will find this article over at the Atlantic particularly interesting. Apparently, boys are distracted by girls, and girls are distracted by boys, and everyone makes poor decisions when they drive with fellow-teen passengers. It may sound obvious, but the biological reasons for these poor decisions, and the results of the psychological study are enlightening nonetheless. See the full article here:

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/how-gender-affects-the-behavior-of-teen-drivers/359979/

 

TWIT Spotting

If you like to text when you drive, then you might just end up on a TWIT (Texting While In Traffic) billboard. Passengers and pedestrians have been snapping photos of people texting for twitspotting.com, a website designed to let texting drivers know that they are being watched, and judged.

The TWIT project was created by San francisco graphic designer Brian Singer. According to Singer’s unofficial estimation, “For every nose picker, there’s 20 texters”. And so, the website was born, and the images started flooding in. Some of the photos have been posted on billboards throughout the San Francisco area.

Asian car driver woman smiling showing new car keys and car. Mix

Auto Insurance for Teens

Parents and teens looking for discounts on their auto insurance will be happy to know that the Auto Pros insurance finder system now includes discounts for teen drivers. The online comparison tool lets drivers anonymously compare insurance rates, including teen rates.

The insurance rates and price incentives shown are provided by each partner insurance company. For more information, or to compare rates, visit http://autoprosusa.com/auto-insurance.

Protecting Motorcyclists

With the warmer weather, drivers will be seeing a lot more motorcycles on the road. It’s important to be aware of the dangers that motorcycle riders face, and to always drive safely and respectfully no matter who you are sharing the road with. Last year, there were 4,762 motorcyclists killed in accidents, and any number of fatal crashes is too many. So this year, let’s keep an eye out for our friends on bikes. Here are a few tips to follow to prevent more motorcycle deaths this year:

– DO NOT TAILGATE! Motorcycles can stop much more quickly than cars, so be sure to give them plenty of distance in case they need to turn or brake suddenly to avoid an accident.

– Look twice before turning or switching lanes. Motorcycles are often unseen by people in cars and trucks.

– Give motorcycles a full lane width. There’s not enough room for the both of you. Even if you think they are turning, don’t attempt to pass until they have completed the turn. Many bikes have turn signals that don’t turn off automatically, and riders often forget to turn them off.

– DON’T DRIVE DISTRACTED!

A collision with a motorcycle is most often fatal for the rider, so drive safe this season and help keep our motorcylists alive.

Young Drivers and GM Recalls

The Seattle Times provides an in depth look at the GM recalls, and the reason why most of the victims were young, female drivers. See the full story here:

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2023272335_gmdeathsxml.html

How to Handle Power Steering Failure

After GM’s highly publicized recalls, we’ve learned quite a bit about the affected cars, their faulty ignition switches and the reasons a faulty ignition switch can lead to a crash. Without a properly working ignition switch, the engine can shut off while driving, which causes both power steering and power brake failure, as well as air bag malfunction.

For young and inexperienced drivers, as well as some older drivers, we may need to explain just how frightening this can be. Power steering allows drivers to turn the wheel with very little effort. When the power steering goes out, it takes all your strength to turn the wheel and navigate the car safely. The same goes for power brakes. When the power brakes fail, you may have to put both of your feet and all of your weight on the brake pedal just to slow the car down a little bit.

So, if you’re driving highway speeds and the engine shuts off, the steering begins to fail, and you realize the brakes aren’t working so well either, it can be pretty easy to react with pure panic. Even if you maintain a cool head and resist the urge to panic, it still takes great strength and finesse to bring the car to a safe stop out of traffic.

GM may not be the last company to have faulty ignitions switches, or other technical glitches that result in engine failure. As our cars become “smarter” and our engines become more integrated with computers, there’s always a risk that something similar may go wrong. Older cars are also at risk of engine failure, and poor maintenance can lead to engine stalling and a loss of power steering as well. So, why not learn how to deal with power steering failure now? Here are a few tips to help drivers prevent power steering failure, as well as how to handle the emergency when it happens:

– First of all, if you are driving a Cobalt, Pontiac, Saturn or Chevrolet, check to see if your vehicle is part of the massive recall. The following tips are for presumably-working cars.

– If your car makes noises when you turn the steering wheel, then you may be getting low on power steering fluid. Listen for whining, moaning or shrieking whenever you turn the wheel. Power steering fluid is cheap and easy to replenish, however you may need to check and see if you have a leak.

– If you notice a stain on the ground underneath your car, then you may have a fluid leak. Place a piece of white paper under the leak. If the fluid looks amber, pink or red, then it is probably power steering fluid. Make sure your fluids are topped off and get the leak repaired ASAP.

– Your steering wheel should turn freely with very little effort. If you find it difficult to turn the wheel, then your power steering system is going out.

– If your power steering fails while you are on the road, DO NOT PANIC! DO NOT SLAM ON THE BRAKES! Calmly release the gas pedal and use all your strength to maintain control and direction, then turn on your emergency lights to warn other drivers.

– Move toward the side of the road carefully. Without power steering, it will be much harder to steer your car.

– When you see a safe place to pull over, bring the car to a gradual stop. Slamming on the brakes may cause the car to lose control and skid, which will be nearly impossible to steer out of without power steering.

– If the power steering fails because the engine has stalled, then your brakes will also be harder to use if you have power brakes. You will need to press the brake pedal much harder and farther down to slow the car. If this does not work, then try downshifting to a lower gear or using elevation and friction to bring the car to a safe stop. Then, park using the emergency brake and call your local mechanic.

Woman Phone Car About To Crash

UDrive. UText. UPay.

Beginning April 1st, Distracted Driver Awareness Month kicks off and police will be on the look out for distracted drivers, especially those texting while driving. See the full story here:

http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_25452307/april-is-distracted-drivers-awareness-month-law-enforcement

GM Recalls

If it seems like GM has had a lot of recalls lately, it’s because it has. With 4.8 million vehicles being recalled in 2014, the company has recalled 6X the number of vehicles in three months as it did in the entire year of 2013… and those are just the figures for the United States.

It all started when faulty ignition switches in compact cars were linked to 13 deaths. This first, and most prominent, recall was for the Chevrolet Cobalt. The recall was then expanded to include six models: 2005-2010 Cobalts, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstices, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5s and Saturn Skys, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHRs and 2003-2007 Saturn Ions. Then, more recalls were added, this time in larger pickups, Suburbans and SUV’s, because oil transmission lines had loose fittings, which were linked to three fires.

It’s been a rough year under the new chief executive, Mary T. Barra, the first woman to become the head of a major automaker. However, it’s good to know that this new blood is cleaning up GM’s act. The company previously had a reputation for avoiding recalls, even at a risk of injury or death to its customers. In fact, it is now well known that the company delayed recalling the Cobalt for years.

Hopefully, GM has reached a turning point, and can begin to mend its broken reputation under new leadership.

 

 

National Car Care Month

April 1st is April Fool’s Day, but it’s also known as the beginning of National Car Care Month. So be sure to give your ride a good tune up, and you won’t end up looking like the April Fool who didn’t take good care of his car. You can either go to a trusted mechanic, or follow these 10 basic maintenance procedures to ensure your wheels are safe and road-worthy for the spring season.

1. Check the fluids. This includes windshield wiper fluid, antifreeze/coolant, engine oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid and transmission fluid.

2. Check the battery. Make sure your battery is clean, tight, corrosion-free and working right. Replace if necessary.

3. Check the hoses and belts. Make sure they aren’t cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or damaged in any way.

4. Check the brakes. Check your brakes annualy and make sure they are inspected at each oil change.

5. Check the tires. Inspect the tires for any bumps, bulges or bald spots. Use a penny to test your tread, and a tire gauge to check the pressure. Change as necessary, and get the tires rotated and aligned.

6. Inspect the exhaust system. Listen for any unusual noise. Check for leaks, damage, or broken supports. If there is any damage get it worked on right away.

7. Check the HVAC system. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are important both for comfort and for defrosting capabilities.

8. Check the wipers. Replace worn wiper blades so you can see during those inevitable spring showers.

9. Check the lights. Exterior lights are important both for safety and legal reasons. This includes the headlights, tail lights, brake lights and license plate lights. Yes, you can get pulled over for a dim license plate light.

10. Check the steering and suspension. This includes shock absorbers, struts and chassis parts.