Seatbelt Safety

Click it or Ticket. 

Nationwide safety program that has focused on wearing your seatbelt.  We are all guilty, or have been in the past, of just running down the road so you don't wear your seatbelt.  I have to be honest as much as I think about the importance of wearing my seatbelt it often takes that annoying "beep" to remind me to put it on.

The click it or ticket campaign gave out over THREE million tickets over the last five years.  That is a ticket every other second.  (NHTSA)

 

Seat Belts: Your Single Most Effective Safety Step (Taken directly from the National Safety Council):

"Seat belts are the single most effective traffic safety device for preventing death and injury, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50 percent. They save lives:

• Seat belts saved more than 75,000 lives from 2004 to 2008.
• Forty-two percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2007 were unbelted. A 2009 NHTSA study estimates more than 1,600 lives could be saved and 22,000 injuries prevented if seat belt use was 90 percent in every state.

The good news is, in 2009, seat belt use averaged 88 percent nationally, compared with 69 percent in 1998. NHTSA attributes this increase to the "Click It or Ticket" campaign, originally created by the National Safety Council as part of its Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign.

Nationwide, seat belt use is higher than ever. Yet seat belt use remains lowest among young drivers. NHTSA also reports that, in 2007:

• Seat belt use was lower among blacks than any other race.
• Seat belt use was higher among females than males.
• Seat belt use was lower among drivers who drove alone than drivers with passengers." 

If you want to know what the laws are about seatbelts or child restraints in your state click here.

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Common myth about cars: Part 3

Myth No. 3: Change your oil every 3,000 miles.





Not only are gas prices rising....but now they want us to get an oil change "service" every 3,000 miles.  It would cost less to quit your job and stay home than it does to drive your car anymore. 

I have to admit.....I have fallen for this one.  I never went more than 3,500 miles before an oil change...and it never failed every time I went in I needed a new air filter, oil filter, etc. and I fell for it.  (I think they took my air filter and ran it in leaves before they showed me)  Honestly, pound the stuff out, run a hose through it and it's clean....but no, I fell for it and paid (too much) for it.

Even though changing your oil every 3,000 miles won't hurt your vehicle....it will hurt your pocketbook.  Modern vehicles generally recommend an oil change every 7,000-8,000 miles. 

There are some synthetic oil that claim you can go 15,000 miles between oil changes (I couldn't do that...I would start to panic around 10,000 miles).

What should you do?  Follow your vehicle's manual for the recommended miles for an oil change.  (who thought that book in the glove box had so much information).

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Common Myth about cars: Part 2

Vehicles that require regular fuel benefit from a tank of premium gasoline once in a while.

With gas prices today do we really need Premium gas?  Jim Williams, senior manager at the American Petroleum Institute, says you have to experiment with your car to see if there is any improved performance.  Many premium grade "improvements" are just marketing gimmicks so make sure you do your homework.  It is recommended that you stick with your vehicle's recommended octane level.  If placing the wrong octane level in your car (going to premium when your manual recommends 89) you may mask a serious problem. 

The EPA (Environment Protection Agency) requires detergents in every grade so do what is best for your car.  It's not like it was years ago where the "cheapest" gas was really the cheapest gas and it could harm your car.

Want to know:  Next time you need a full tank of gas, pay a few cents more per gallon and track your mileage and performance.  If it helps than keep using it.  I tried this and didn't get any better gas mileage...in fact my mileage went down.

Do your homework, test your vehicle and decide for yourself.

No matter what your decision is on what type of gas to put into your car, please drive safe.

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Common Myths about cars: Part 1

Wiping your dashboard and tires with protective compounds.


You see people doing it all the time....cleaning their cars.  Cleaning them is one thing but when you go to the extreme of putting protective compounds; Armor All, etc. you can actually be risking your safety.  Shiny compounds on the dash can cause a glare while driving and on the tires can cause a slick surface during the wet seasons.

There are some experts that say that too much can cause deterioration of the dash or tires.  Okay, your dash gets cracks, no big deal but if your tires do...it can lead to your tires going bad sooner.  This can lead to an accident or costly replacements sooner than needed.

So what do you do?  Mild soap and water with a brush to the tires and a wet cloth to the dash of your car will work just fine.

Keep your car looking nice longer and keep yourself safe on the road.

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Share the road...watch for motorcycles

The facts of motorcycle crashes:  Provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation:  (2010)

• 51% of all motorcycle fatalities collied with another type of motor vehicle.
• 1,999 of the two vehicle fatal crashes involved motorcycles and another type of motor vehicle.
• In 770 of these fatal crashes the other type of vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing or overtaking another vehicle.
• In 446 of these crashes both the motorcycle and the other vehicle were going straight.

It's not just the young ones who are hurt in motorcycle crashes.  Inexperience plays a factor but some to not start riding until later in life. 

borrowed from http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/Motorcycles

• The average age of motorcycle rider fatalities is 42.
• The 40+ age group makes up 39% of motorcycle fatalities.

This age group are MOTHERS, FATHERS, SONS, DAUGHTERS, AUNTS, UNCLES!!!  This age group has MANY people in their lives that need them to come home safely and it is up to everyone to do their part in making this happen!

Yes there are other factors in motorcycle crashes and fatalities such as speeding, alcohol and, yes the rider was, not wearing a helmet.  These factors are out of YOUR control.  What is in YOUR control is always looking out for motorcycles when you are behind the wheel.  As drivers it is OUR responsibility to drive safe and protect ourselves and everyone else on the road.  We cannot control all factors but we do have the ability to control what WE do and how WE drive.

Please drive safe and watch for motorcycles.

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Just how important is your car handbrake?

I have to be honest.....I don't think about my handbrake, I don't use my handbrake and, to be perfectly honest, had to go look to see where it was in my car.


In doing research for this topic I learned one thing about myself.....ooops.  I watched a video that a car rolled forward into a hotel because the handbrake failed.  (I am not attaching it to this because it just rolled toward the hotel and two guys were able to stop it...so this video doesn't give the "punch" that is needed for this subject....but keep reading..there is a video that does send the message).

I have been told that you need to check your handbrake a minimum of once a month..and like checking your tires it takes just a few seconds.

1. Find an ISOLATED place (video will explain why I capitalized and bolded the word isolated) and park your car on an incline. 
2. Lift on the handbrake.  The handbrake should engage within a few clicks.  (If you do not know what "clicks" are....welcome to my world).
3. If the handbrake takes too long then you need to get the cable and rear calipers checked by a mechanic.

It's that simple....so the next time you find yourself near an incline, with no possible chance of hurting anyone (or yourself....this video will explain that comment) test your handbrake.  The video is pretty boring for the first minute so if you need to forward it...the excitement happens about one minute 20 seconds into the video.)

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Understanding tires and how they can keep you safe

Tire tread....it is what will keep you safe while driving.



According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration):

Tire Tread
"The tire tread provides the gripping action and traction that prevent your vehicle from slipping or sliding, especially when the road is wet or icy. In general, tires are not safe and should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch. Tires have built-in treadwear indicators that let you know when it is time to replace your tires. These indicators are raised sections spaced intermittently in the bottom of the tread grooves. When they appear "even" with the outside of the tread, it is time to replace your tires. Another method for checking tread depth is to place a penny in the tread with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, you are ready for new tires."

Tire Rotation
"Rotating tires from front to back and from side to side can reduce irregular wear (for vehicles that have tires that are all the same size). Look in your owner's manual for information on how frequently the tires on your vehicle should be rotated and the best pattern for rotation."

A Tire Rotation Example
For maximum mileage, rotate your tires every 5,000 miles. Follow correct rotation patterns. 

Picture provided by the NHTSA website

I understand the trouble it takes and the time it takes to check your tires....a whole 30 seconds on each one....allowing 15 seconds to move to the next one.....THREE whole minutes and a penny. This reminds me of "I don't want to wrinkle my clothes so I don't wear my seat belt" reasoning. Imagine how wrinkled your clothes get from a car accident...or worse yet how damaged they get if the First Responders have to cut them off you.

Bad  tires can cause injuries that will take longer than THREE seconds to recover from.  Let's imagine you check your tires once a month for the entire life you drive.  Starting at age 16 and going to the age of 80.  This is 64 years of driving at 36 minutes a YEAR of precautionary measures is ONLY 2304 minutes which is LESS than TWO days of your driving life.  Now, if car accident injuries only lasted two days I would say, "ah, not worth it."  BUT THEY DON'T!!!  Car accident injuries can last a lifetime of recovery, pain and suffering....not to mention the emotional distress that can be caused if a life is lost in this accident. You and everyone on the road deserves to be safe....and for less than two days in your driving life you can help this happen.

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