Posted by Anonymous on 9:03 AM
A new study has found that many Americans are driving their car even thought they know they probably shouldn't. The survey didn't only look at impairment from drinking, but also at those who drove when they were tired or sick or when their car has some sort of mechanical issue that may not have been safe. Read more about the study in this article from KickingTires.
Nearly half of all drivers admitted to driving when they shouldn't have. That's one finding in a poll of 2,000 licensed drivers from December 2013, which CarInsurance.com released Monday. The website found that 46 percent of respondents admitted to driving once or twice in the past year when they knew they shouldn't have.
Eleven percent admitted to driving when they shouldn't have from three to 10 times in the past year. And 3 percent were serious repeat offenders, admitting to driving when they shouldn't have at least 11 times in the past year.
"I'm glad I don't know any of those 3 percenters," said Michelle Megna, managing editor at the Foster City, Calif.-based insurance advice website. Other survey results had no date attached, Megna told us, which means respondents only admitted to having ever done it.
It's not just alcohol impairment that precedes a poor choice to get behind the wheel. The survey dug up some interesting (if troubling) numbers: Drivers admitted to getting behind the wheel when they were sleepy (68 percent), experiencing a headache (53 percent), sick enough to be in bed (35 percent), less drunk than a friend (23 percent), weren't wearing necessary glasses or contacts (16 percent), taking narcotic pain medicine (15 percent) or had their arm in a cast (8 percent).
Note that these figures came from the general population. Not everyone has had their arm in a cast, and 25 percent of adults reportedly don't need glasses or contacts. That means, in all likelihood, that the portion of people who have ever had a cast and drove with it exceeds 8 percent. And the portion of visually impaired drivers who drove without glasses or contacts exceeds 16 percent.
Drivers also admitted to getting behind the wheel despite car problems, the survey found. What kind? Read on:
- 61 percent admitted to driving with the check engine light on.
- 32 percent admitted to driving when they couldn't see through snow or ice on the windshield.
- 26 percent admitted to driving when their windshield wipers weren't working.
- 21 percent admitted to driving with a broken speedometer.
- 19 percent admitted to driving with a broken horn.
- 18 percent admitted to driving with broken headlights.
- 17 percent admitted to driving on a flat tire.
- 10 percent admitted to driving when a door had to be held closed.
- 7 percent admitted to driving without a required car seat for their child.
- 6 percent admitted to driving a car filled with exhaust fumes.
- 5 percent admitted to driving with a missing or broken driver's seat.
Read the full article from KickingTires here: http://bit.ly/1ofx5VW
Posted by Anonymous on 8:33 AM
It's back to school time! In order to keep kids safe when getting to and from school, Kicking Tires has published this list of great tips for both parents and their kids as they head back to school for the year.
Before Carpooling
- Don't agree to drive more children than you have proper seating, seat belts and, if needed, child-safety seats for.
- Set rules for proper car behavior up front; kids cannot meet your expectations unless you spell them out clearly.
Driving Through the School Zone
- Create a distraction-free zone: Cellphones, loud music, screaming kiddos, breakfast, makeup touchups and more take our eyes and minds off the road. Research by AAA shows that taking your eyes off the road for just 2 seconds doubles your chances of getting in a crash.
- Obey the (stop) signs: Shockingly, studies show that more than a third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones and neighborhoods. If the sign says "Stop," you need to stop, people! Be aware of pedestrians: This is the time of year when walking and riding bikes to school is fun. According to AAA, pedestrians struck by vehicles traveling school-zone speeds (25 mph) are nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed than those struck by vehicles traveling just 10 mph faster. Young kids on bikes can be erratic while trying to get a feel for their new wheels; the chances of children riding in a straight line are slim to none, so plan for them to swerve into your path — even if they don't.
- Brake for buses, it's the law: According to a survey by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, on a typical day more than 75,000 vehicles pass stopped school buses. Yikes!
Speaking of buses, here are some safety tips for those of us lucky enough to have access to those awesome big yellow limos and their drivers, who risk life, limb and sanity driving our kids to and from school each and every day.
Before Getting on the Bus
- Allow enough time to get to the bus stop several minutes ahead of time. Children running to catch a bus can result in disaster.
- Coach kids to walk along the sidewalk, if available, and stay on the sidewalk at the bus stop. Yeah, I know it's much more fun to play football in the street, but I'm here to tell you about safety, remember? If a parent or two can be present at the bus stop, kids are much more likely to practice safe behavior. Gathering a couple of neighbors and splitting up the duties each week builds community and keeps kids safe.
Loading the Bus
- Here's where I inject my opinion: Big kids should wait for little kids to get on the bus. I'm not suggesting sixth-graders wait for fifth-graders, but all kindergarteners, first- and second-graders should safely get on the bus before the gangly giants ascend the stairs.
- Pushing is rude and shouldn't be tolerated by anyone, even friends.
- In the non-opinion category, kids should sit down quickly and face the front of the bus. Looking up at the driver so he knows everyone is ready to go is respectful and helps the bus stay on time.
While on the Bus
- Don't block the aisles with backpacks, instruments or even legs. Having a clear path for exiting the bus is important if there's a crash.
- Keep all body parts inside the bus. (Did I even have to say that? Yes, yes, I did.)
- Speak quietly on the bus; the louder one student talks, the louder others have to talk to be heard, and distracting the driver is a horrible idea. It also goes without saying that screaming and horseplay are also distracting to the driver.
- Don't trash the bus. Bus karma will come back to bite anyone who spits in the seat or leaves a bunch of trash for someone else to pick up.
Getting off the Bus
- Students should always cross in front of the bus if they have to cross the street. Visibility from the driver's seat of a school bus is best about 10 feet around the front of the bus, so that's where students should walk.
- Students should never pick up something that's dropped in front of, near or under the bus. Always talk to the driver before leaning down to pick something up.
Biggest Rule of All
Listen to the driver. A bus driver's job is to get kids to school safely. Drivers may be sweet as can be or big ol' curmudgeons, but either way, dissing the driver is the worst safety violation of all — even if you're 15 and know everything there is to know (about everything).
Read the full article from Kicking Tires here: http://bit.ly/1rPj5Cq
Posted by Anonymous on 9:27 AM
Everyone knows that owning a car isn't necessarily cheap. But making any of these five mistakes could make your wallet a lot lighter. Some may even seem like you are saving money at the time, but in the long run it will actually cost you much more:
1. Putting Off An Oil Change
While oil technology has improved drastically over the past couple of decades, it's still important to change your oil as recommended by your car's manufacturer.
Motor oil gradually breaks down as it is circulated through your engine. After a certain number of miles, the oil doesn't provide adequate lubrication, causing your engine to wear out prematurely. A new or rebuilt engine can cost you thousands of dollars.
2. Changing Tires Without An Alignment
An alignment ensures that the wheels of your car are positioned properly on the road. When a car is out of alignment, the tires wear out prematurely or in places where they're not supposed to wear.
When you change your tires, always opt for the $75 alignment. Otherwise you could find yourself spending hundreds on a new set of tires.
3. Installing Oversized Aftermarket Wheels
While some aftermarket wheels are carefully designed to be compatible with certain vehicles, getting the wrong wheels can harm your vehicle's suspension and ride comfort. Also, if you buy wheels that are too large for your car, you can damage your fenders and wheel wells. Replacing a damaged suspension can cost thousands, and body work can be even more expensive.
4. Buying A Cheap Battery
A dead battery is a huge hassle. Often times, it means waiting for a jump start and then having to spend $100 for a replacement. There are many batteries available at your local parts retailer, and it's important to find the exact match for your car. Springing for an inexpensive substitute can damage your car's electrical system, requiring extensive repairs that won't be cheap.
5. Getting Cheap Body Work
If you have a dent on your car, sometimes you can be approached by a "professional" in a shopping mall parking lot, or a friend might offer to take care of the problem. Beware, because sloppy body repair can cost more to correct than the original damage. A dent that can be repaired for $100 by a professional dent repair expert might cost $500 to fix once an amateur has damaged paint and deformed the metal panel.
Posted by Anonymous on 10:02 AM
Where you live could greatly affect the rates your paying for insurance. This article from AOL Autos examines why insurance rates are higher in urban areas.
How exactly car insurance companies calculate rates is a mystery, but we do know that they use a closely guarded calculation weighing obvious risk indicators like driving history and age with more surprising factors, such as gender, credit score and zip code. In fact, where you live can end up costing you hundreds of dollars extra per year.
Insurers use something called the "territorial rating system" to determine high-risk zip codes. Essentially, the more urban the zip code, the higher the risk and the higher the rates, according to The Guardian. If a zip code is considered high-risk than insurance premiums go up. A lot.
Drivers in urban areas can pay as much as $400 more per year than their suburban counterparts, and sometimes even more than that. Drivers in Detroit, for instance, pay the highest insurance rates in the country: $4,599 per year on average. Their neighbors only a few miles north in the suburb of Royal Oak, Michigan pay less than half that rate, according to the Noisy Neighbor tool at carinsurance.com.
While the cities' congested roads do increase the likelihood of a crash and the greater chance of crime in urban areas increases insurers' risk, research by UCLA sociologists Michael Stoll and Paul Ong shows the increase in insurance premiums for urban drivers is higher than those costs. That means those poorer city dwellers who can ill-afford additional bills are getting hit with much higher rates than they should. That higher cost leads to more drivers lying about where they live, or, like 19 percent of Detroiters, driving uninsured.
Since almost every state requires car insurance and ninety percent of American households own cars, there is little incentive for insurers to change their practices or make billing more transparent. For now, all we know is that some people are paying more than what seems to be necessary.
Click the link to see the full article from AOL Autos: http://aol.it/1rdyw69
Posted by Anonymous on 8:48 AM
Will you be car shopping for your teenager anytime in the near future? If you are, the IIHS has a few tips to help you look for the safest, most cost-effective vehicle for your new driver. Help make sure you're teen is as safe as can be while they're on the road.
The recommendations on teen vehicle choice are guided by four main principles:
- Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. Vehicles with more powerful engines can tempt them to test the limits.
- Bigger, heavier vehicles protect better in a crash. There are no minicars or small cars on the recommended list. Small SUVs are included because their weight is similar to that of a midsize car.
- ESC is a must. This feature, which helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads, reduces risk on a level comparable to safety belts.
- Vehicles should have the best safety ratings possible. At a minimum, that means good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front test, acceptable ratings in the IIHS side crash test and four or five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In the survey of parents, the mean purchase price for a teen's vehicle was about $9,800, while the median was just $5,300. There are many options on the recommended list for under $10,000, but just three that cost less than $5,300.
"Unfortunately, it's very difficult to get a safe vehicle for a teenager at the prices most people are paying," says Anne McCartt, IIHS senior vice president for research. "Our advice to parents would be to remember the risks teens take and consider paying a little more."
Click the link to read the full article from the IIHS: http://bit.ly/1oXXmXI
Posted by Anonymous on 9:00 AM
The smallest error in properly securing a child's safety seat can compromise the effectiveness of the device in the event of an accident. AAA has put together a list of 12 of the biggest mistakes parents are making when installing a car seat. Read the tips here and learn how you can prevent them.
AAA has put together a list of the twelve biggest mistakes parents make when using a car seat. Some items on the list may seem like insignificant oversights, but even the smallest error in properly securing these safety devices can compromise their effectiveness in the event of a crash.
Read on to see the mistakes parents are making and how you can prevent them from happening to you.
1. Moving a child out of a booster seat too soon.
Seat belts are designed to fit adults, not children. Putting a child that isn't ready into an adult seat belt can result in an abdominal or neck injury in the event of a sudden stop or crash. AAA recommends keeping your child in a booster seat until they are absolutely ready to fit into adult seat belts, which usually occurs between ages eight and twelve, depending on growth and development. Children should be able to sit with their back against the seat, knees bending at the edge of the seat and feet touching the floor. The lap belt should be positioned low across their hips and upper thighs with the shoulder belt across their chest and collarbone.
2. Not installing the car seat tightly enough.
If a car seat is installed too loosely, it can subject a child to much greater force during a crash. A car seat should not move more than one inch front-to-back or side-to-side when installed correctly.
3. Harness straps too loose.
Having the harnesses too loose on a child is very dangerous, as they will not be properly restrained in the event of a crash. This can result in subjugation to much greater force and even ejection from the seat entirely. Harnesses should lie flat without any twists. Ensure that they are snug enough that you cannot pinch any extra material at the child's shoulder.
4. Retainer clip (or chest clip) is too low.
The retainer clip helps keep the child secure in the car seat. If a retainer clip is too low, a child can come out of the harnesses or the hard, plastic retainer clip can cause internal damage. AAA recommends ensuring that the clip is placed at armpit level.
5. Turning your child forward-facing too soon.
According to AAA, children in the second year of life are 5 times less likely to die or be seriously injured in a crash if they ride in a rear-facing car seat. A child should remain in a rear-facing seat until they reach the upper weight or height limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer. Once this happens, then switch to a rear-facing convertible car seat with higher height and weight limits.
6. Allowing a child under the age of 13 to ride in the front seat.
Children under the age of 13 are almost always too small to ride in the front seat, and they can be seriously injured by air bags in the event of a crash. Be safe and do not allow a child up front until they are a teenager.
7. Forgetting the top tether.
Neglecting to use the top tether on a car seat will subject a child's head and neck to excessive forward movement. When recommended, always use the top tether with either LATCH or seat belt installations.
8. Adding additional toys, padding or mirrors to a child's seat.
Don't add additional stuff to a car seat, as it can interfere with the seat performing the way it was designed to during a crash. Toys and mirrors can turn into dangerous projectiles in the event of an accident, as well. AAA recommends only using products that come with the seat or are recommended by the seat manufacturer. Secure all loose items in a vehicle trunk or storage space.
9. Installing a car seat using LATCH in the center rear seat of a vehicle (when not permitted by the manufacturer).
Most vehicles do not support LATCH in the center rear seat. Using lower anchors intended for the outboard seats could cause the whole system to fail and the car seat to be thrown in a crash. Refer to the vehicle's owner's manual and only use lower anchors in approved seating positions.
10. Transporting unsecured, heavy items (including pets) in the vehicle.
Loose items can turn into nasty projectiles during a crash. Secure items in a trunk or other storage location. Properly restrain pets with approved devices.
11. Installing a car seat using both LATCH and a seat belt.
More is not better in this scenario. Using more than one system to secure a car seat can put unnecessary stress on the seat, affecting its performance during a crash.
12. Having children wear bulky coats/sweaters while buckled into a car seat.
Unapproved padding, including coats and sweaters, placed behind or under the harness can compress in a crash, resulting in slack in the harness system. AAA says that you should always place blankets or jackets over the child after the harness is snug and secure.
Click the link to read the full article at AOL Autos: http://aol.it/18upxb8
Posted by Anonymous on 9:02 AM
Do you ever do car maintenance in your own garage? If you do make sure you have these tools! AOL Autos has listed tools you don't want to be without when you do DIY car maintenance:
1. Screwdrivers
Quality screwdrivers are some of the most basic tools you should buy. While you should have one medium-sized flat head screwdriver and one medium-sized Phillips screwdriver at the very least, you can often buy quality name-brand sets for less than $15 at your local home-improvement store. Having multiple sizes of screwdrivers can help you get into tight spaces, and can also prevent you from stripping delicate screw heads.
2. Pliers
Pliers are very versatile tools with many different uses. They can be used to adjust metal parts, cut wires and grab objects in tight areas. There are many types of pliers, and they can also be purchased in sets relatively inexpensively. A decent set of three-to-six pliers can be purchased for less than $20 and will often include expandable combination pliers, needle nose pliers and wire cutters.
3. Ratchet set
Depending on your vehicle manufacturer, you should have either a metric or SAE ratchet set. Imported vehicles tend to have metric bolts, while many domestic models tend to use SAE. Before deciding what to buy, do some research or call your dealer. Ratchet sets tend to vary tremendously in quality. While a quality consumer-grade ratchet set can cost as much as $100, it can last for many years, so consider it an investment.
4. Wrenches
Although wrenches are used on the same types of bolts as ratchets, it's important to have both tools in the correct sizes (metric or SAE). While you can sometimes use an adjustable monkey wrench as a substitute, it's often much more convenient to have a set of different sized wrenches. These can be used on bolts that are inaccessible with a ratchet. They can also be used to hold a nut while you use a ratchet to loosen the adjoining bolt. Name brand wrench sets can often be purchased for less than $50.
5. Allen wrenches
Many modern vehicles also require Allen, or "hex," wrenches. These are L-shaped steel wrenches that range in length from two to six inches. While these are the most simple and inexpensive types of wrenches, they can be lifesavers if you come across certain bolts. Of course, double check if your vehicle is SAE or metric. Often, a set will include both types for less than $20.
6. Jack with stands
If you plan on doing any work under your car, make sure to pick up a jack with at least two stands. If you have a large truck or SUV, you may need a heavy-duty set that can support the full weight of your vehicle. Make sure you don't skimp on the jack stands, as they're used to support the vehicle when you're working underneath it. We don't have to tell you why that's important. Expect to pay $50 to $100 for one of these.
Click the link to read the full article from AOL Autos: http://aol.it/SqYYx7
