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Deadly Distractions on the Road

Submitted by Steve M on Thu, 2012-03-15 15:41

Watching YouTube videos of cats swimming in a pool, backyard wrestling, or babies dancing can do wonders for passing the time. Doing it while driving can cause a multi-car pile-up, then a reunion at the pearly gates with your late Aunt Mildred.

“I told you so,” she’ll scold you, with her finger annoyingly waiving in front of your nose.

Distractions are the leading cause of accidents on the road today and they are completely avoidable. Everyone has seen a driver feverishly texting on their cell phone as their car veers off the road oblivious to an impending disaster.

Whether you are working towards your license, already have one, or are an alien just visiting from Venus and driving on our beautiful planet, you may find it beneficial having this list of driving distractions.

Here is a list of some common distractions that are most likely to cause an accident. Study up, then prove Aunt Mildred wrong by abiding by them. The other drivers on the road will thank you as well.

· Adjusting the Music

Changing the radio station, swapping in a new CD or fiddling with an iPod can distract you long enough to lose your focus on the road. All it takes is a split second of distracted concentration for disaster to strike.

· Applying Makeup

Every woman knows that making herself pretty in the car on the way to work saves valuable time. It is also a great way to completely lose track of the road and cause a pile-up.

· Road Rage

The road can be a blistering inferno of anger, even for the most god-fearing, kind, and law-abiding individual. Cutting off or passing a driver are two examples of how to turn a polite motorist into an enraged demon hot on the pursuit of revenge. When you are not yourself on the road, poor judgments are made. Two wrongs don’t make a right. (See, this blog is filled with life lessons). If someone cuts you off, take a deep breath and think before you do anything crazy. Chances are the person made a mistake and didn’t mean to cut you off.

· Fiddling with Cell Phone, GPS, other electronics

Now that hands free earpieces are available, it has cut down on cell phone related accidents but they still account for roughly 18 percent of fatalities on the road. Texting, more capable internet-enabled phones, and camera phones have led to new dangers, but accidents can be avoided if phones are left out of reach.

· Working on car while driving

Unless you are driving on long trips on a daily basis, your car is sitting at rest for the majority of the day. Use that time to adjust gauges, seats, clocks, mirrors, and other general maintenance for your car, not while on the road.

· Eating

No one wants to let their Big Mac get cold after departing a drive-thru, but eating in the car can be a dangerous habit. It is easy to avoid. Put that burger down. You’re welcome.

· Talking with Passengers

Sure, you may want to hear what is going on with Tina from Geometry class as much as the next person, but listening to friends in the car can lead to lost focus and that’s when problems arise.

· Pets

The in-thing these days is to have a pet that can fit snuggly inside your purse, backpack, or shirt pocket. When these fluffy friends aren’t secure in a cage, they can become quite the distraction in the car.

· Scolding Kids

Are we there yet?

I need to use the bathroom.

I’m hungry!

Parents have heard it all, and sometimes even Mary Poppins can lose her cool at times. Attempting to teach your children a lesson in the car for misbehaving can distract you for far longer than the moment of time it takes for your car to head off course.

If you stay away from some of these simple distractions the road will be a better place, and you will live another day on this Earth.

Driving Safety

Winter Driving Safety Tips

Submitted by bob on Fri, 2011-12-23 10:14

Whether contemplating a new car or getting your current car ready for the road, these tips will help you drive safely this winter.Front, Rear, All, and Four Wheel Drive: Which one is best for winter travelGetting the Best Performance from Your Vehicle

Whether contemplating a new car or getting your current car ready for the road, these tips will help you drive safely this winter.Try a Winter Driving Safety Quiz

Front, Rear, All, and Four Wheel Drive: Which one is best for winter travel?

In order from worst to best:

A rear wheel drive vehicle with an open differential can't put down power if one of the rear wheels starts slipping. Fortunately, these are only seen today on base model trucks and vans.

Most newer rear wheel drive vehicles have a limited slip differential. If one drive wheel starts slipping, power is redirected to the other wheel.

A front wheel drive powertrain gets better traction because the weight of the engine and transmission is over the drive wheels.

When engaged, a four wheel drive system sends power to every wheel. This even power distribution can get the vehicle unstuck when the front or rear wheels are in a place that they can't get traction. However, this also means they can't compensate for different wheel speeds when turning, which can make handling unpredictable on dry pavement.

An all wheel drive powertrain automatically adjusts power to each wheel, allowing for both the traction capabilities of 4WD and the predictable turning behavior of 2WD.

Just as important are electronics systems: ABS can keep the wheels from locking under braking, traction control can keep the vehicle from spinning out while moving from a start, and electronic stability control can keep power in check while making a turn. Having these systems will improve traction with any drivetrain.

Getting the Best Performance from Your Vehicle

There is nothing that improves winter driving more than the right set of tires: While all wheel drive and advanced computer aids will get a vehicle moving, its the ability of the tires to grip the road that determines stopping distances.

While all-season tires are far better than summer performance tires in the snow, they're a far cry from true winter tires. The "M + S" label found on many all season tires stands for "mud and snow," but all that means is they have a thick tread depth. After just 20% of the tread has worn off, these tires lose 80% of their grip on ice and snow.

Winter tires are more than just deep treads: the compound has a special compound that wicks away water created when the warm tire melts the ice it's riding on. The compound also stays pliable in very low temperatures, and is soft enough to handle the bumpy surfaces left behind by compacted snow.

For most drivers, studless winter tires are the best choice as they can handle slick roads without majorly compromizing dry surface performance. Studded tires have better ice performance, but they're terrible on dry roads, and are outlawed in many areas because they rapidly wear to road surfaces. A new category, winter performance tires, is biased more towards dry road performance. These are available in the low profile sizes popular on sports cars. Here's a helpful Winter Tire Decision Guide

There are a few more things you should consider when getting your car ready for winter travel:

Batteries take cold weather the hardest, losing 35% of their cranking power when it dips below freezing, and 50% once the temperature reaches 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius.) While most new batteries are sealed "maintenance free" units, they can still benefit from having clean terminal contacts. If the battery is a few years old, take it into a parts store for a load test. If it doesn't pass, it's better to get a replacement now instead of being stuck in a parking lot.

For severe cold weather, you may need to switch to a lighter oil. The "W" on the label of multi-grade oils doesn't stand for "weight," it stands for "winter." These oils have been tested to flow at the rate in front of the W at freezing temperatures: A 5W30 oil will flow like a 5 weight oil when cold, thickening to a 30 weight oil once the engine is up to operating temperature. Information on the proper oil weight for winter temperatures will be listed in your owner's manual as well as a sticker underneath the hood.

The resistance of the engine's coolant to freezing is dependent of the age and quantity of antifreeze mixed in with the water. Temperature testing can be done at an auto shop, or with a floating ball gauge available at your local parts store.

Wiper fluid is key for keeping the windshield clear of water and road salt. Look for wiper fluid designed for cold use and avoid any that is marked "summer mix." Likewise, winter wiper blades are designed with joints that resist ice build-up and heavy duty low temperature rubber for the blade surface, helping them cut through windshield build-up at any temperature.

Dangers of Driving and Texting

Submitted by Allison M. Reilly on Tue, 2011-11-22 12:49

Answering a text can take as long as five seconds. That’s enough time to travel the length of a football field. With one-third of your drivers (under age 24) engaging in driving and texting, it’s important to educate yourself and to warn your teenage drivers about the dangers of driving and texting.

Texting is considered the most dangerous activity to do with a cell phone while driving. This is why 35 states and the District of Columbia ban text messaging for all drivers. Another seven states ban text messaging for novice drivers, such as teens. Although these dangers, and these laws, may be well known, teens either haven’t learned the lesson yet or are choosing to engage in texting and driving anyway.

It’s critical that both parents and teenagers understand these risks, especially with the growing popularity of smartphones has made texting an adult activity as much as a teenage activity. Texting and driving falls into the category of distracted driving, which includes cell phone calls and reading emails as well. Knowledge of the risks of texting and driving, as well as all distracted driving, is something everyone needs to have, not just teens.

To start increasing awareness, it’s good to know what the laws are in your state. Most states ban texting to some degree, but not all prohibit using the cell phone to make calls. Some states, such as Utah, will only cite a driver being on a cell phone if caught committing another moving violation. If anything, the law may add extra incentive to stop texting and driving and other dangerous, distracting activities. If caught, the violation could end up on your driving record.
Another thing to do to try and cut down on the amount of time spent driving and texting is to turn the phone off while driving, or keeping it out of reach, such as in a bag or in the glove compartment. It removes the temptation of answering calls or texts while driving, but also keeps the phone in a place where you won’t end up forgetting it in the car.

Overall, texting and driving is dangerous, especially for teens and younger drivers who don’t have as much experience on the roads. It may be a hard behavior to eliminate or to overcome, but people’s lives depend on it. Don’t’ wait until an accident happens before deciding to make a change.

What to Do In Case of an Accident

Submitted by Free DMV Practi... on Tue, 2011-10-18 10:25

It’s called an “accident” for a reason. We don’t plan on getting hit by another vehicle or on running into that tree or pole. But, they do happen, even to the best of drivers. Which is why it’s important to know what to do in case of an accident. There’s no use panicking, so read and memorize these steps if you ever, God forbid, get into an accident. These steps are adapted from the recommendations of the National Safety Council:

1. Bring your vehicle to a stop, and as much as possible, move it out of the way of traffic. This is so the situation doesn’t get any worse by putting more motorists and pedestrians in harm’s way. Turn off the ignition for safety.

2. Do a first aid check. Check yourself as well as everyone else involved in the accident.

3. Call the police, and emergency medical services, if necessary – Yes, this is step three in the whole process, not step one. The absolute first this to do is to assess the situation by getting people and vehicles out of harm’s way and by doing a first aid check. Knowing this information will also be helpful to police and medical services.

4. Mark the scene of the accident. If possible, turn on your emergency lights. Put our flares and/or retroflective triangles on the ground for increased visibility. DO NOT go into the road or use yourself as a way to mark the scene. If you don’t have flares or triangles, then stay on the side and wait for the police.

5. Gather the names and information of all those in the motor vehicle and who witnessed the accident. Especially for the drivers, information should include insurance information and the driver’s license number. DO NOT discuss fault or make statements. Simply collect information.

6.Wait for the police to arrive.

After the police and emergency services arrive, follow their instructions about what to do next. They’ll ask for statements regarding the accident and probably advise you on what to do about your vehicle and your family members. Make sure to get a copy of the police report for your own records, and for working with the insurance companies.

Even though a majority of accidents are preventable, they do still happen and the best case scenario is to know what to do when you get into one. If you know what to do, then you have a better chance of remaining calm and in doing what’s necessary to make sure everyone is okay and that all the information is gathered so everyone can proceed appropriately.

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