Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Top Excuses Made in Police Pull Overs


“Well gosh officer, I didn’t see the speed limit sign!” – the most common excuse police hear when pulling drivers over, according to an article from Cars.com about a survey done by Insurance.com. The comparison pooled licensed drivers 18 an older. More than a fifth of the drivers polled said when they gave an excuse to the officer that pulled them over they said they couldn’t see the sign that told them not to do something.
There were 10 other popular answers given among drivers polled. They are listed with their percentages below:
1.       I couldn’t see the sign telling me not to do it :20.4%
2.       I’m lost and unfamiliar with the roads: 15.6%
3.       I didn’t know it was broken: 12.4%
4.       Everyone else was doing it: 6.4%
5.       I’m having in emergency situation in my car (for instance spilled a hot drink on your lap): 5.4%
6.       I missed my turn/exit: 4.8%
7.       I had to go to the bathroom: 5.6%
8.       I didn’t do anything dangerous: 4.2%
9.       I was on my way to an emergency (for example, to help someone who was ill or injured): 4.0%
10.   My GPS said it was the right thing to do: 2.2%
11.   I’m just helping out; I wasn’t even supposed to be driving (for example, your friend is intoxicated): 2.0%
To read the full article from Cars.com, click the link : http://bit.ly/15XAT5U

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

What Your Check Engine Light is Trying to Tell You


- A check engine light coming on in your car is never something a driver wants to deal with. The light could mean a vehicle needs expensive repairs, or it could be something as simple as a gas cap not being screwed on tight enough. But not matter what it is, the matter of the fact is you’re going to have to get your engine checked.

In 2010 CarMD published a list of the five most common check engine light codes. Here they are in order or frequency.
·         O2 Sensor (part of the emissions system monitoring and helping adjust the air-fuel mixture)
·         Loose gas cap
·         Catalytic converter
·         Mass air flow sensor (monitoring the amount of air mixed in the fuel injection system)
·         Spark plug wires

Read the full article here: http://edmu.in/im4vWF

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Common Car Maintenance Mistakes


A part of owning a car is coming to terms with the fact that things are going to go wrong. Parts are going to fail, bulbs will burn out, engine lights will come on, and belts will need to be replaced. Maintenance is inevitable whether you choose to do it yourself or take your car to a professional. There are a number of big mistakes do-it-your-selfers and sometimes even professional mechanics can make when “fixing” vehicle. This article (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/vehicle-maintenance/10-serious-mistakes-car-maintenance.htm#page=0) tells you some of the most common mistakes to watch for. Here are some of the highlights:

·         Roaming around with burned out lights – Headlights and high beams are easy to spot when they burn out, but tail lights, brake lights, and running lights burn out too. This is one of the cheapest and easiest car maintenance tasks, so don’t put it off!

·         Attempting a jump start without really knowing how – Sending electricity to places it isn’t supposed to be can fry your car…or you! Don’t let that happen. Learn how to jump start a car before you actually have to do it.

·         Assuming bald tires will last a bit longer – Tires give a car the proper contact with road it needs to drive safely. If your tires are bald the car’s contact with the road isn’t so good anymore. Get a new set when the tires go bald, even if the tread looks decent.

·         Forgetting to torque the lug nuts – After changing or rotating wheels you need to make sure there is a proper amount of force applied to the lug nuts. If there’s not, eventually the pressure of driving will force the lug nuts off, which could cause your tire to leave your car while driving. No one wants that.

·         Forgetting to replace drained fluids – Gasoline isn’t the only important fluid in your car. Oil and transmission fluid keep your engine running smoothly. Brake fluid helps maintain proper pressure in your brakes. Coolant keeps things from getting too hot or too cold. These things are all important in keeping your car from having serious issues, so always triple-check that the fluids have been refilled after being drained.

·         Ignoring warning lights – Warning lights come on for one reason only, something isn’t functioning right. The longer you let it go, the more serious the issue can become. Even if you think it’s something simple like your gas cap not being tight enough, get those warning lights checked!

Read all ten maintenance mistakes here: http://bit.ly/18YoBa2.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Some DUIs Are Stranger Than Others: An Infographic


Driving under the influence is one of the biggest dangers drivers can face; it’s no secret that consuming drugs or alcohol prior to driving greatly increases the risk of car accidents, highway injuries, and vehicular deaths. Drivers charged with DUIs often face criminal charges as well as deal with the emotional guilt associated with causing the accident.

Because individual states have different laws about driving under the influence, it’s important for drivers to be aware of the laws that exist in their area. For example, did you know that if you are intoxicated and you let another intoxicated person drive your car, both you and the driver can be charged with a DUI in Virginia?

And don’t think it’s just when you’re behind the wheel of a car that you can be charged, either. Check out this infographic to see some of the stranger circumstances people have been in when charged with a DUI – click the image to view a larger version.




Thursday, May 2, 2013

“But officer...”







“But officer...”

The two most universal feelings among drivers are the annoyance and dread we feel when a police officer pulls us over. When we’re stopped it’s common to want to try to make an excuse and not get that ticket the officer’s ready to issue. No one wants to pay a fine or deal with the points that may be slapped onto their record.

Sometimes our excuses may be valid, but most of the time the police could probably say them in sync with us. Can you guess which excuses are most commonly heard (and not accepted) by officers of the law? Write a couple ideas down, then click here to find the answers and see which ones you got right!

And then remember: drive safely. We’d prefer that you not be pulled over in the first place!

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