Jan 3, 2023 | Driver Safety, Driving
Your car battery is an important part for keeping things running properly. However, when it comes to replacing car batteries, many drivers don’t know when the time is right. Knowing the signs and factors of failing batteries can help you replace them before die for good. After all, routine maintenance is what makes a car go a long way…
Replacing Car Batteries: When is it Time?
Signs of a dying battery
Knowing what a dying battery looks like is an important part of replacing car batteries. There are a few signs that you can check for even without going under the hood. For example, if your car is cranking slower or your check battery light is on, that can indicate that your battery is in need of change.
There are also some more obvious signs of a dying battery as well. A bloated battery case is a sign of an internal issue with the battery. Having battery leaks or residue buildup on the battery are also signs of your battery needing to be changed.
Climate implications
The climate can also have an impact on replacing car batteries. High temperatures can evaporate the water in your battery’s acid, hurting its performance and lifespan. It also can lead to increased corrosion both inside and outside the battery.
However, cold temperatures can be just as harsh on car batteries. Cold weather means your battery has to work harder to keep things running. It also can make your engine oil thicker, adding even more strain on your battery.
Know your driving habits
How you drive certainly plays a large part in your battery’s life. Constantly taking short trips prevents your battery from having time to recharge. This can lead to an overall decrease in battery life and performance.
Even not driving can lead you to needing to change your battery. Your car batteries will continue to drain even when not in use. If your car hasn’t been used in a while, you might need to check if your battery still has some juice in it.
Driving with a dying battery can be quite risky. You run the risk of being left stranded if it dies while you’re driving. Knowing when and why you might need a battery change is helpful for avoiding this potential outcome.
Dec 27, 2022 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety
Modern tech has helped to make driving easier and safer than ever. However, aside from the technology that’s in your car, there’s also car gadgets to consider. These gadgets can not just make your next drive easier to do, but also more enjoyable as well…
Car Gadgets: Helpful Solutions
Hands-free devices
Some of the most popular car gadgets are hands-free devices and software. While smartphones are very useful, they can be dangerous when behind the wheel. Still, plenty of people use their phones to play music or for GPS directions. As a result, they’re not sure how they can find a safe way to use their phone’s features.
This is where hands-free compatibility comes in handy. Many modern cars will allow for you to connect your phone via Bluetooth, an app, or a charger. This will allow you to do things on your phone through your car’s touchscreen or steering wheel. Not only is this easier, it’s also safer than having to hold your phone and drive at the same time.
Rear entertainment systems
Driving with kids can always be a bit of a struggle. It can be hard to keep them occupied, especially on longer trips. While smartphones and tablets can help, it may be that you don’t have enough for everyone to use, or that they’re too young. In this case, it can be handy to make use of some car gadgets.
In particular, rear entertainment systems can work wonders for keeping the kids busy. Many modern ones will allow for you to stream directly from a phone or tablet onto them. That way, everyone can watch without having to strain their necks. Some cars even have individual ones built into the back of the seats!
Multi-device chargers
One of the worst things is when your devices die while you’re still in the middle of a long trip. Eventually, things like your phones, tablets, and laptops will need to recharge. While this may be no issue with just a couple of passengers, it can be a problem when you have a lot. This is why multi-device chargers are becoming very handy car gadgets.
These chargers will let everyone be able to charge their devices at once. This is great not just for the convenience, but also for avoiding arguments. You won’t have to worry about trying to fight over who charges what while also trying to keep your attention on the road!
May 9, 2021 | Alcoholism, Driver Safety
Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12 Step type programs have become world-renown for help with alcoholism. If you’re considering going to your first meeting for AA or another type of 12 step program, you might not know what to expect. You’ll have an initial meet and greet time period, and then an introduction for the meeting. Next, you’ll probably have some time where you all learn a bit about a certain step of the program. Next, there will be time for people to share their experiences. And finally, you’ll wrap up and have time to socialize. Remember that you won’t ever be forced to participate if you are uncomfortable. Everybody there has gone through similar experiences as you and just wants to help you on your journey to sobriety.
What to Expect at Your First Meeting for AA or 12 Step Program
Arrival
When you arrive at your first meeting for AA, you’ll probably be in a church or meeting hall. Often there are light refreshments provided and chairs set in a semi-circle. There might be people socializing and saying hello when you arrive. Feel free to introduce yourself or sit quietly if that makes you more comfortable. Once the meeting begins, everybody will find a chair around the leader of the meeting. The leader will usually begin with an opening statement followed by a short prayer. You do not have to participate in the prayer if you do not want to.
Learning
The next part of your first meeting consists of learning a bit about the program. The leader might ask if there are any first-time joiners, at which point you can choose whether or not you’d like to respond. Some meetings are Step Meetings, that focus on one particular step of the healing process. If this is the case, the leader will probably read some literature about that step to help you better understand it.
Sharing
After the leader has explained which step will be focused on in your first meeting, they’ll invite members to share. This is the point in the meeting where members will most likely discuss their own journeys. You can feel free to introduce yourself at this point. If you’re comfortable, share a bit about why you’re at the meeting. Members will tell stories or share triumphs or hardships. This is meant to be a time where members can encourage each other and learn from others’ experiences.
Wrap-Up
At the end of your first meeting, they’ll probably wrap up with another short prayer or statement. Again, you do not need to participate in the prayer if you are uncomfortable with that. After the meeting is finished, there will be a time where members can mingle and get to know each other more. Feel free to socialize if you’d like. It’s also perfectly fine to leave at this point. Remember that you can take this at your own pace.
Your first meeting for AA or another 12 step program might have you feeling anxious. However, remember that everybody there has the same goal as you. To live a sober life without struggling with addiction. You’ll never be forced to participate or share anything that you’d rather keep private. Most meetings will follow the same plan of a welcome portion, followed by a short lesson. Then sharing sessions followed by a short wrap-up is very typical. These have proven to be helpful for recovery. Learning from others who are going through a similar journey can be so helpful. They can be a great source of help when you’re struggling. They’ll also share with you in your triumphs when you reach goals. Hopefully, your journey to sobriety starts with that very first meeting.
Jan 15, 2021 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety
Winter brings slick driving conditions. Depending on where you live, snow and ice can build up on the road. In order to counteract that, many regions put down road salts to help melt ice. While this can really help melt the ice on the roads, it can negatively affect your vehicle. Learn how to manage salt on the road during winter.
How-to: Manage Salt on the Road During Winter: Protecting Your Vehicle
Why Salt?
Cities and states put salt on the road because it actually lowers the freezing point of water. 32 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which water normally freezes. However, when water is exposed to salt, the temperature needs to be lower than 32 in order to get the water to freeze. In fact, the more salt you add, the colder it needs to be for water to freeze. If you treat the roads with a layer of a salt and water mix, this helps to keep the roads from freezing over. Therefore, they are safer for vehicles to drive on.
However, if the road temperature goes below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, the salt may not be enough to keep the roads from freezing. In this case, road crews may add sand to the top of the ice to provide more traction.
Salt and Your Vehicle
While salt on the road is helpful for keeping drivers safe, it is actually not good for your vehicle. Salt can cause any exposed metal on your car to start to corrode. This can be an issue for people living on an island surrounded by salt water, or those who drive on roads with salt brine on them. The brake and fuel lines are located near the undercarriage of the car. This area is where most of the salt damage happens. Therefore, the brake and fuel lines are very susceptible to rust and corrosion.
What to Do
In order to protect against salts on the road during winter, it’s important to be proactive. Give your car a good wax job to help protect the finish. If you have any scrapes, chips, or rust spots, go ahead and have those fixed before winter weather hits. Make sure to wash your car often. Spray down your car to wash away the salt. Invest in a car wash that will clean the undercarriage every few weeks in order to clean the areas of your car most likely to be affected by salt. Also, if you get on the road behind a truck spraying salt on the roads, stay back. This will keep your car from getting sprayed with salt too.
Oct 1, 2020 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety
When you are driving, you will notice there are so many different types of roads out there. From roads and streets to highways and freeways, you may wonder why they all have different names. It may seem very random as to how they assign names to the roads. Believe it or not, there is actually a method to how they assign road types as parts of names.
Types of Roads: What They Are
Large Roads
There is a category for the larger, higher capacity roads. There are many types of roads in this grouping. First, there is a highway, which is a major public road that usually connects multiple cities. Next, there are interstates. These are a large, federally funded network of roads that are part of a highway system. They may go between states, but don’t have to. Then, there is a turnpike, which is a part of a highway, and usually a toll road. Another part of the highway system is freeways. They are a large road with two or more lanes on each side. In addition, parkways are a large, decorated public road. A causeway is a raised road that passes across low or swampy ground or water. Additionally, a beltway is a highway that surrounds a city. As you can see, there are many different types of roads.
Smaller Roads
There are also smaller, lower capacity roads. This is also made up of many types of roads. The most common type is a road. It is a way that connects two points. Another type of road is a street. These are a public way with buildings on both sides. Often, they are perpendicular to an avenue. Avenues are very similar to a streets, and are common when driving in cities.
A lane is a narrow road that is often found in a rural area. Drives are often winding, and potentially long, roads that hug mountains or lakes. A way is a small street off a road. Ending in a circle or a loop, courts do not provide a throughway. Lastly, an ally is a small pathway between buildings. These may or may not be drivable.
As you can tell, there are many different types of roads. This list is not all inclusive, so there are many more. Now you know how they assign road types. When you see road names in the future, the designation will hopefully make more sense.
Aug 17, 2020 | Accident prevention, Driver Safety, Driving
Being in a hit-and-run accident can really ruin your day. No one wants to be in any kind of car accident. However, when you realize the car that hit you just kept going without stopping to exchange information, you will feel really upset. Although this can feel overwhelming, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself physically and financially. These steps are things you should think about before you leave the scene of the accident.
Hit-and-Run Accident: What to Do
What are Hit-and-Runs?
If one of the parties involved in a wreck flees the crash, the accident is considered a hit-and-run accident. This is true no matter how minor the accident is. Every state is different, but in some, there can be serious consequences for fleeing the scene of the crash. This could include criminal charges or fines. This could result in you having your license revoked or even going to jail.
The reasons a person may decide to leave the crash could be many things. For example, they may not have auto insurance. Additionally, they may be driving a stolen car, breaking other laws, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Immediate Reactions
If you are in a hit-and-run accident, do your best to stay calm. Being in a car crash can make you feel a lot of strong emotions. It is important to have a clear head since you are solely responsible for documenting the accident. Also, do not try and chase the other driver. You may be leaving valuable evidence behind if you leave the accident site. Move to a safe area off the road and check yourself and passengers to make sure medical care is not needed.
Try your best to remember as many details as possible. Try to make note of the make and model of the other car that was involved in the accident. If you get a chance to see the license plate number, try to remember it as well. Every detail you can remember will be helpful when speaking to the police or your insurance company.
Communicate and Document
When you are in a hit-and-run accident, you will want to call 911. This is especially urgent if there are any injuries. The police will come and write up an accident report. If there was anyone around, see if the witnesses will confirm what happened. This will be helpful when you are telling your story to the police.
You will also want to take photos of your car. Make sure to take pictures of every angle, including a full shot and close up pictures. Also, you’ll want to contact your insurance agent to learn how to proceed. They will walk you through the next steps and how to file a claim.
