Summertime Care Care

This is summer promises to be a hot one!  To keep your vehicle in tip-top shape all summer long, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you beat the summer heat: 

With the hot summer winds upon us, the last thing you want to do is get overheated because your car, truck or SUV can’t keep up with the rising temperatures. With the increase in heat come new potential problems for your auto that you can protect against with some preventative maintenance.

1. Keep in mind your coolant.
This is often the first thing people think of when it comes to cars and hot weather, but most people don’t pay attention to coolant levels until they see puddles of it in their parking space or their vehicle overheats.

2. Check your battery.
High temps can cause the acids and fluids in your battery to expand resulting in leaks. This increases the likelihood that your battery will fail. If your battery is more than two to three years old, consider taking it in to your mechanic to have it tested, and if need be, have it changed out.

3. Inspect your tire pressure.
As you drive around during the summer, you will likely see more tire debris along the side of the road and highway. Heat causes the pressure in your tires to rise. If your tires already have some wearing, this can lead to an early blow out. Get a tire gauge and check the pressure or have a pro do it for you.

4. Watch for stretched and worn belts and hoses.
Belts and hoses stretch and deteriorate with age. Heat accelerates the process. If you wear out a serpentine belt or have a leaky hose, you’ll likely end up stranded on the side of the road.

Read more here:  http://americanautoassurance.com/4-summer-car-care-tips/

Remember Dad This Weekend

Looking for a great gift for dad?  Here are some car-related gift ideas for dear old Dad: 

"Father's Day is a great reminder to show Dad your appreciation for all the times he has helped you out.
Chances are he taught you to drive -- and perhaps maintain -- a vehicle.
If dear ol' dad is a car enthusiast, you're in luck. There are a slew of car-related gift options from which to choose.
Sixty-nine percent of male drivers work on their car, truck, minivan or SUV, according to the Car Care Council. Whether it's just light maintenance, like changing the oil and replacing the wiper blades, or heavier projects, such as replacing brakes, most dads enjoy taking care of their vehicles.
Whether your dad is a do-it-yourselfer or a do-it-for-me type, consider an automotive gift for dad this Father's Day.
Automotive accessories, tools, parts and products make ideal Father's Day gifts.
"If Dad's a do-it-yourselfer, a gift certificate from the local auto parts store would be appropriate," said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "If he's a do-it-for-me, think about a gift certificate for an oil change or other service at his favorite repair shop."
From auto care kits and organizers to electronics and gadgets, gifts for dad's car are the best gifts you could choose."

Read more here:  http://sports.yahoo.com/news/car-care-tip-fathers-day-212906661--nascar.html

June is National Safety Month

Did you know that June is National Safety Month? Check out this driving fact sheet provided by the National Safety Council. Drive safe out there!

Learn more here: http://www.nsc.org/

New Trend Signals Trouble for Drivers

A dangerous new trend signals trouble for drivers.

A study conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers made a rather surprising claim when presented last week in Dayton, Ohio: Turn signal neglect is causing millions of crashes per year and may be more dangerous than distracted driving.
SAE observed a total of 12,000 lane-changing and turning vehicles and concluded 25 percent of drivers neglected to signal when turning and a whopping 48 percent neglected to do so when changing lanes. Applying these percentages to U.S. drivers as a whole translates to 750 billion instances of turn signal neglect per year – or more than 2 billion instances per day, according to the study.
The study estimated that approximately 2 million crashes per year are a direct result of this issue.
By comparison, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that about 950,000 crashes are the direct result of distracted driving (driving while texting, talking on the phone, eating, putting on makeup, etc.).
"This is a first-of-its-kind report on a subject that amazingly, has never been studied," said Richard Ponziana, president of RLP Engineering and author of the report. "The turn signal is one of the very original automotive crash prevention devices and this simple driver-to-driver communication device remains extremely effective, but only when it is accurately displayed as required by law."
"The turn signal can no longer be considered 'optional' and all drivers have an ongoing duty to use it, just as they have a duty to stop at a stop sign or at a red light."SAE proposed a "simple" solution in the report: The Smart Turn Signal. This system uses vehicle sensors and computer control to assist the driver in assuring that the turn signal is used regularly – in other words, it tells you when you forgot to do so – and also shuts this signal off if the driver forgets that it is on.
According to SAE, because the system uses the same sensors employed by a vehicle's stability control system (which is standard on all new cars), adding Smart Turn Signals would come at no cost to the manufacturer or, in turn, the consumer.
The report also notes that Smart Turn Signals save weight and space, as they eliminate the turn signal trip mechanism – a system that has been around since 1940 and has never really been improved upon, despite exposed defects.
"Smart Turn Signals are the perfect complement to the Stability Control System since Stability Control predominately prevents single-vehicle crashes, whereas the Smart Turn Signal prevents multi-vehicle crashes," Ponziani said.

Read more:  http://autos.aol.com/article/turn-signal-neglect-study/