Tag Archives: Vehicle

Safe Winter Driving Tactics -Forecasting Icy Roads

Posted on by Safe Driver

Best Winter Driving Advice for Parents to Teach Teens

Winter is not over, supposing there may be plenty of Icy conditions in the forecast, we continue to advice and caution parents of young drivers. We feel it’s important that parental involvement should be especially diligent during the most dangerous season for driving.

With an arctic outlook in mind, we have compiled specific suggestions and precautions. If you are a Parent of a Teen driver, reviewing these tactics with your Teen might save his or her life when hazardous weather  gets downright slippery.

Driving safely on icy roads
  1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
  2.  Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
  3.  Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
  4.  Keep your lights and windshield clean.
  5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
  6. Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
  7.  Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
  8. Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
  9. Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
If your rear wheels skid…
  1.  Take your foot off the accelerator.
  2.  Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they’re sliding right, steer right.
  3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
  4.  If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
  5.  If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.
If your front wheels skid…
  1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don’t try to steer immediately.
  2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in “drive” or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.
If you get stuck…
  1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
  2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
  3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
  4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
  5.  Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
  6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner’s manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you’re in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.

4 easy ways to save on your Car and Gas

Posted on by Jayne Ubl

Sharing a few ways to save if you’re thinking of buying a new car or simply needing to save on gas.

  1. Learn to Drive that Stick- Vehicles with stick shifts get more miles per gallon than vehicles with automatic transmissions. Manual transmission automobiles can also cost hundreds or even thousands less than automatic automobiles and need fewer and less expensive repairs.
  2. Use that Cruise Control- Your gas tank will get you a little farther on the freeway when you utilize the Cruise Control option.
  3. Buy at the Best Time Buy your car at the end of the month, when sales folks are trying to meet their sales quotas. Salespeople often earn bonuses and my share the wealth with you to close the deal.
  4. Twisted and Tight?- After filling up, twist the gas cap until it clicks. With older vehicles, check for tightness. One in six cars has improperly fitting or missing gas caps, which can cut a car’s mileage by as much as 10 percent.

For many more money-saving tips like these, visit the resource Aarp.org