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Driving
With Car Smarts
Safety Tips from The Car Coach
by Lauren Fix
PARENTGUIDE NEWS May 2008
As parents, we have a responsibility
to be safe drivers when we carpool, take the kids to school, shuttle them
to soccer practice or just drive around town. However, drivers often overlook
the important responsibility to be safe drivers during the course of their
busy lives.
Many drivers take their cars’ safety items for granted. We assume
that when there’s an accident, those safety items we invested in
when we purchased the vehicle will protect us. It’s crucial to understand
what we purchase on our vehicles and know how the features can protect
our precious cargo and us.
Part of driving with car smarts is to see things before they happen and
to respond in a way to avoid bad situations. In an effort to promote safe
driving, here are the “Ten Commandments” when it comes to
car smarts:
1. Pass on the left when clear, and always move to the
right as soon as you can. Don’t hang out in the high-speed lane.
2. If your lane is ending, merge into the next lane;
don’t cut anyone off.
3. When changing lanes, always look in the mirrors and
check your blind spot.
4. Don’t forget to use that turn signal for changing
lanes, passing and turning. Yes, we know about the turn signals, but it’s
easy to forget them.
5. If your exit is coming up on the right, get in the
right lane. That may seem silly, but every day I see people cross over
three lanes in order to make an exit. Don’t be one of those people.
6. Never tailgate. If somebody “forces” you
to tailgate because he or she cuts you off, use your horn. Then back off.
Getting mad or “even” is always a mistake— just like
we tell our kids.
7. If you are driving well below the speed limit, use
your four-way flashers.
8. In a parking lot, realize that people can’t
always see you. If a car starts to back out, and you can’t see the
driver— guess what— the driver can’t see you. Many minor
fender benders can be avoided by giving another glance, putting down your
cell phone, shutting off the radio and moving slowly.
9. Don’t park closely to other cars. Nobody wants
door dings and scratches. Take that extra second to return shopping carts
to their racks or move them on the grass.
10. If you are tired, not feeling well or totally distracted
with work, kids or life, don’t drive. If you are already driving,
pull over, get someone else to drive or call for help. Driving in any
of these instances puts vehicles, your passengers, other people and you
in serious danger. It may sound obvious, however, there are sad situations
with people who take these risks and the results are deadly.
As a mother, professional race car driver, performance driving instructor
and engineer, I see many poor driving decisions. Most of these can be
avoided by not driving while on a cell phone. If you have to talk, don’t
get into a heated or involved conversation, especially one that requires
you to reference paperwork or documents. When your eyes aren’t on
the road, who’s driving the car? No one! That scares me, and it
should scare you, too.
What about that cup of coffee? Many of us require this morning starter
for our engines. Just keep one thing in mind: We all spill our coffee
at one time or another. Sadly, our first reaction is to grab the coffee
to avoid the mess on us or our vehicle. But, driving the vehicle is the
most important part of driving, whether you have coffee in the car or
not. It’s our responsibility to control our 4,000-plus-pound vehicles.
Likewise, try to limit the distractions of food, cell phones, children
and life, as it’s easy to get distracted and take your eyes off
the road. If things really go crazy, pull into the nearest parking lot
and sort out your issues. When things have settled, then get to where
you need to be. If you are five minutes late, it’s not the end of
the world.
One last pet peeve: Nothing upsets me more than seeing families traveling
without seat belts. Every single day, children sustain serious injuries
and die in motor vehicle crashes. Many of these injuries and deaths can
be avoided with the correct use of child safety seats and safety belts.
Many adults insist on the use of safety seats and belts, but some people
are unaware that they are using the safety restraints incorrectly, thereby
placing their chid at risk. Safety experts believe that between 80 to
90 percent of child safety seats are installed and/or used incorrectly.
Your local police station can help you properly install such seats.
Following are pointers on safety seats and belts.
•Infant Seats
Infant seats are designed for babies from birth until 1 year of age, weighing
at least 20 pounds. Children must ride rear-facing in their safety seats
until they are at the appropriate age and size.
•Convertible Safety Seats
These seats convert from rear-facing for infants to forward-facing for
toddlers who weigh at least 20 pounds. Until they reach about 40 pounds
and 4 years of age, children should remain in forward-facing seats.
•Booster Seats
These seats are used as a transition to safety belts by older kids who
have clearly outgrown their convertible seat and are not quite ready for
the vehicle’s belt system.
•Safety Belts
When a child is old enough and large enough to “fit” an adult
safety belt, he or she can be moved out of a booster seat. To fit a safety
belt, the lap belt should stretch snugly and properly across the upper
thighs. The shoulder strap should cross over the shoulder and across the
chest.
Now that you have your car smarts, you should be ready for anything that
comes your way on the road.
Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, is a nationally recognized automotive
expert in car care, repair, safety issues, driving skills and buying and
selling new and used cars and trucks. Lauren’s Guide To Loving Your
Car (St. Martin Press) is now available at your local bookstore and online.
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