Spring Into Action! April is National Car Care Month

This month is dedicated to remind motorist everywhere to be aware and to keep their vehicle safe, dependable and on the road longer. To make sure your vehicle is always running at its peak performance though spring and summer, be sure to follow these basic maintenance procedures.  

1.       Check all fluids

2.       Check the hoses and belts

3.       Check the battery

4.       Check the brake system

5.       Inspect the exhaust system

6.       Schedule a tune-up

7.       Check the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system

8.       Inspect the steering and suspension system

9.       Check the tires

10.   Check the wipers and lighting 

For more on Car Care Month, visit here: http://bit.ly/1hoZztX

Car Jargon Everyone Should Know

When it comes to buying a new vehicle, it’s helpful to know as much as you can about the vehicle before you purchase. There is a load of car jargon out there. With automotive technology constantly updating, it can be difficult to keep up with all of this. We’ve listed a few terms below which you might already know or have never heard of. For the entire list of other terms, visit the links we’ve provided below.

ABS

This stands for Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) which is a safety feature that helps you to avoid skidding when braking suddenly. What it does is prevents your wheels from locking so that you can maintain control of your vehicle.

ESC

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP).  These two names both refer to the same feature. This technology works to prevent sideways skidding when making sharp steering corrections on surfaces that might be slippery.

RPM

RPM stands for revolutions per minute. It measures just how hard your engine is working. The higher it is, the harder it is working.

To view the full glossary visit Edmunds.com: http://edmu.in/1g60kWv

Another great terminology site is Car and Driver:  http://bit.ly/1g651zF

30 Essential Things You Should Keep in Your Car

It’s time to do some spring cleaning! No matter what you have in the back of your trunk, I’m sure we can all agree with its better to know we are prepared whenever an emergency occurs. Although everyone’s needs may vary, here’s a list of essential things that you should keep in your car. Some of these might surprise you. Visit the link below for reasons why these items are so important.

·         Spare Tire

·         Tire Jack and Tire Iron

·         Jumper cables

·         Your car’s manual

·         Tire pressure gauge

·         Duct tape and WD-40

·         Car repair information

In any case, your safety supplies should include:

·         First aid kit

·         Flashlight

·         Multi-tool

·         Matches or other fire starters

·         Energy bars or MREs

·         Water bottles

·         Weather radio

A few car-specific items:

·         Seat belt cutter and window breaker

·         Flares or reflective triangle

·         Maps

For winter/snow emergencies:

·         Ice scraper

·         Mylar space blanket

·         Cardboard or carpet remnant

In addition to the basics above, you might want to keep these things around also:

·         Paper towels

·         Tissues

·         Pencil and paper

·         Umbrella

·         Spare change/emergency money

·         Recycled shopping bags

·         Blanket

·         Change of clothes

·         USB mobile device charger

Content Credit: lifehacker.com. Visit here for more info on this blog: http://bit.ly/1fYeTYh

Hidden Distractions Behind the Wheel

When it comes to driving, most of us have heard time and time again to not text and drive. According to www.textingandriving.com 23 percent of car accidents in 2011 were caused by someone using a cell phone. That’s 1.3 million crashes!  With cell phones making up 23 percent, it got us thinking what makes up the rest of the other causes for collisions? Below is a list of a few of them that we discovered.

·         Loud Music

·         Scenery

·         Conversation

·         Mental Distractions

·         Kids 

For more information on this, visit the links below!

Content Credit to www.textinganddriving.com and http://expresslane.idrivesafely.com/hidden-distracted-driving/