With the new school year approaching your teenager or college-bound student may be asking you for a car. Selecting the right vehicle can become quite challenging, especially when their preferences can be quite different from yours. The automotive repair experts at Shade Tree Garage, in Morristown, New Jersey, have created a list of tips to keep in mind when purchasing a new vehicle for your teenage driver.
Dan O’Connor, Service Advisor at Shade Tree Garage says, “When purchasing a vehicle for your teenager, you’ll want to look at safety, affordability and reliability. If you evaluate each of these areas carefully, you will be confident you’re getting the best vehicle you can for the money you want to spend.” Here’s O’Connor’s list of tips.
1. Safety - According to AAA, automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. “Because safety is of primary importance, it’s critical to choose a vehicle that has the latest safety features designed to prevent crashes and minimize injury,” states O’Connor. Any vehicle considered should include features like anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, electronic stability control, adjustable/locking head restraints, and airbags.
2. Affordability - Insurance costs, fuel and maintenance will all affect the affordability of a car. According to O’Connor, “A lot of times a car might look great and be in your price range, but the owner is selling it right at the time it will need a lot of maintenance work done, like new brakes, tires, or the major service. Quality automotive repair shops, like Shade Tree Garage, can perform a pre-purchase inspection to let you know if the vehicle is safe, reliable and priced right.”
3. Reliability - Of course you want to know the vehicle won’t break down the first time your teen takes it out on the road. It’s a good idea to order the vehicle’s CarFax report. You should also determine if there’s a warranty for the vehicle. Again, you may want to have an automotive repair expert perform a pre-purchase inspection. In doing so, you’ll know the vehicle you are thinking of purchasing is roadworthy, mechanically-sound and equipped with operational safety components.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Driving with Pets: A Dangerous Distraction
Driving with your pets can be a dangerous business.
In 2008, there were 6,000 fatalities due to accidents caused by distracted drivers, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
And, in a recent survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and Kurgo, a pet product company, an overwhelming 80 percent of respondents said they've driven with their pets on a variety of car trips including day trips, local errands and leisure trips, the pet store, dog parks and to work.
But only 17 percent said they use any form of pet restraint system when driving with their dog, causing a distraction AAA says is equal to talking on a cell phone or texting while driving.
To help make the ride safer for you and your pet, "Early Show" Correspondent and Resident Veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner Bell shared some easy ways drivers with pets can prevent some of these dangers:
The most important headline for pet owners: Restrain your pet. Keep them in an enclosed area. This is safer for a number of reasons. First of all, keeping your pet in a tighter space will keep them from wandering around. If you have a pet wandering while you are driving, the chances you will be distracted are pretty good. Whether it's to get them from scratching the seats, or to stop them from barking, almost inevitably, your attention is going to be drawn away from the road. Having a driver distracted by a pet can be just as dangerous as a driving while texting or talking on the phone. Secondly, a dog or cat in an accident can create a deadly amount of force if thrown from the car.
TIP: USE SAFETY BARRIERS THROUGHOUT THE CAR
Safety barriers are important to your pets for two reasons. First, they stop your bet from being projected in case of a short stop. Second, they stop your pet from becoming a distraction by keeping them in one place. There are two different sets of barriers for your car. One fits in the opening between your trunk and your back seat. These are most often metal or plastic bars. These stop your pet from being projected forward in case of an accident. They vary in size depending on your model of car, so make sure that you get the proper one for your vehicle. These will run you somewhere between $50 and $100.
The other barrier sits in between the front seats and back seats. Most often these are made of netting, strong fabric or plastic. These created mostly for the driver, to stop a dog from suddenly jumping in your lap, or onto the gear shift. Again, you need to make sure when purchasing a barrier like this that it fits into your particular model. These are a bit cheaper than the cage barriers, and will run you between generally between $10 and $40.
TIP: MATCH DOG SIZE TO PROPER SEATBELT RESTRAINT
Dog seat belts are adjustable straps that keep your dog in place while he or she is inside your car. This is the best safety device intended to reduce the possibility of getting injured, especially for agitated animals like dog. Seat belt restraint ensures that your dog will behave properly while riding and prevents him from hitting the hard interior of your vehicle when there's a sudden stop.
Once a dog car harness is worn on your pet during your long road trip, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your pet will not roam or create damage inside you car. At the same time, you dog can't jump over the window because he is properly secured. This will eliminate pet driver distraction.
The proper use of seat belt harnesses DEPEND SOLELY on the size of your dog. Big dogs require big seat belt restraints, and smaller dogs will only be restrained with smaller devices. Matching your dog's size to the belt is the only way that these restraints can be effective, and depending on the size the price can run you from $10 to $50.
TIP: DOGGY BOOSTER SEATS ARE ALSO SAFE AND COMFORTABLE
Another option to seat belt restraints are booster seats. Booster seats for dogs are a safe, effective way to keep your dogs safe in the car, providing a comfortable seat for the dog to enjoy while strapped in through the car's seat belt or booster seat attachments. Smaller breed dogs, especially, can benefit from a booster seat, as they can easily get jostled around in a seat belt restraint or large carrier.
If you have a mid to large breed dog, a booster seat is probably not a good option for you. Most booster seats on the market are only equipped for dogs up to 40 pounds. There are many other options available however, including back seat hammocks, seat belt restraint systems and zipline and harness restraint systems. For smaller breed dogs, booster seats are ideal.
TIP: WHEN USING A CARRIER, SECURE PROPERLY
First and foremost, if you are using a carrier to put your cat or dog in the car, make sure you have the proper sized carrier for your animal. If you get a carrier that is too small, the animal won't be comfortable, and if it's too large, the animal will get bounced around during the ride. But when using a pet carrier, it's important that it is secured properly, so that it doesn't fly around during a collision.
© MMX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
In 2008, there were 6,000 fatalities due to accidents caused by distracted drivers, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
And, in a recent survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and Kurgo, a pet product company, an overwhelming 80 percent of respondents said they've driven with their pets on a variety of car trips including day trips, local errands and leisure trips, the pet store, dog parks and to work.
But only 17 percent said they use any form of pet restraint system when driving with their dog, causing a distraction AAA says is equal to talking on a cell phone or texting while driving.
To help make the ride safer for you and your pet, "Early Show" Correspondent and Resident Veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner Bell shared some easy ways drivers with pets can prevent some of these dangers:
The most important headline for pet owners: Restrain your pet. Keep them in an enclosed area. This is safer for a number of reasons. First of all, keeping your pet in a tighter space will keep them from wandering around. If you have a pet wandering while you are driving, the chances you will be distracted are pretty good. Whether it's to get them from scratching the seats, or to stop them from barking, almost inevitably, your attention is going to be drawn away from the road. Having a driver distracted by a pet can be just as dangerous as a driving while texting or talking on the phone. Secondly, a dog or cat in an accident can create a deadly amount of force if thrown from the car.
TIP: USE SAFETY BARRIERS THROUGHOUT THE CAR
Safety barriers are important to your pets for two reasons. First, they stop your bet from being projected in case of a short stop. Second, they stop your pet from becoming a distraction by keeping them in one place. There are two different sets of barriers for your car. One fits in the opening between your trunk and your back seat. These are most often metal or plastic bars. These stop your pet from being projected forward in case of an accident. They vary in size depending on your model of car, so make sure that you get the proper one for your vehicle. These will run you somewhere between $50 and $100.
The other barrier sits in between the front seats and back seats. Most often these are made of netting, strong fabric or plastic. These created mostly for the driver, to stop a dog from suddenly jumping in your lap, or onto the gear shift. Again, you need to make sure when purchasing a barrier like this that it fits into your particular model. These are a bit cheaper than the cage barriers, and will run you between generally between $10 and $40.
TIP: MATCH DOG SIZE TO PROPER SEATBELT RESTRAINT
Dog seat belts are adjustable straps that keep your dog in place while he or she is inside your car. This is the best safety device intended to reduce the possibility of getting injured, especially for agitated animals like dog. Seat belt restraint ensures that your dog will behave properly while riding and prevents him from hitting the hard interior of your vehicle when there's a sudden stop.
Once a dog car harness is worn on your pet during your long road trip, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your pet will not roam or create damage inside you car. At the same time, you dog can't jump over the window because he is properly secured. This will eliminate pet driver distraction.
The proper use of seat belt harnesses DEPEND SOLELY on the size of your dog. Big dogs require big seat belt restraints, and smaller dogs will only be restrained with smaller devices. Matching your dog's size to the belt is the only way that these restraints can be effective, and depending on the size the price can run you from $10 to $50.
TIP: DOGGY BOOSTER SEATS ARE ALSO SAFE AND COMFORTABLE
Another option to seat belt restraints are booster seats. Booster seats for dogs are a safe, effective way to keep your dogs safe in the car, providing a comfortable seat for the dog to enjoy while strapped in through the car's seat belt or booster seat attachments. Smaller breed dogs, especially, can benefit from a booster seat, as they can easily get jostled around in a seat belt restraint or large carrier.
If you have a mid to large breed dog, a booster seat is probably not a good option for you. Most booster seats on the market are only equipped for dogs up to 40 pounds. There are many other options available however, including back seat hammocks, seat belt restraint systems and zipline and harness restraint systems. For smaller breed dogs, booster seats are ideal.
TIP: WHEN USING A CARRIER, SECURE PROPERLY
First and foremost, if you are using a carrier to put your cat or dog in the car, make sure you have the proper sized carrier for your animal. If you get a carrier that is too small, the animal won't be comfortable, and if it's too large, the animal will get bounced around during the ride. But when using a pet carrier, it's important that it is secured properly, so that it doesn't fly around during a collision.
© MMX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
How Automobile Car Alarms Work
Car Alarms are essentially designed to give your car a complete security network, which is hard to detect by a goon or a thief or an imposter. There are different types of car alarms available in the market, and every alarm offers unique set of features and functionalities, though the purpose of these very smart and subtle car audio systems is common - to prompt the car owner about the theft; and alert him or her to take the necessary action altogether.
Different car alarms work differently. Expensive cars and SUVs have more complex working alarm systems, while the less expensive cars have basic or the elementary models of car alarms installed in them.
Car alarms are nothing but a series of sensors which are installed in the car’s fuselage and other secret areas of the car body making them quite hard to detect. It is the use of stealth technology that ultimately make car alarms completely successful and more of practical advantage to the users. The sensors are connected to the car stereo system wherein the speakers generate the sound when the sensors are triggered due to movement of live objects in the vicinity of your car or vehicle.
As the part of basic installation of car alarms, wires pass through the driver’s door, to the rear doors and finally the passenger’s door in the front just adjacent to driver’s seat. In most of the normal used car models, both the front doors are equipped with the car alarms sensors and which are further connected to car stereo system. The procedures for installation of car alarms is very simple, and involves fixing a switching circuit somewhere under the dashboard, with the network of wires spread all across. Finally, it is the car audio system that works together in sync with the sensors. On the whole, basic functioning of car alarms is quite simple, and you don’t need to perform any kind of complex manipulative actions before you get set and trigger the sensors. Car alarms are automatic in operation. The moment there’s any human intervention, sensors sense them, and sounds from car audio begin sounding.
Many car alarm manufacturing companies are innovating on new genre of electronic car alarms. The companies are manufacturing car alarms for all kinds of cars. Remember! Today, car alarms are playing indispensable role in preventing car thefts, and saving car owners from all the angst and undue trouble. If you are really looking for good and effective car alarm for your car, you need to go for comparison shopping. When you go for comparison shopping, you are likely to get affordable car alarm for your car.
Different car alarms work differently. Expensive cars and SUVs have more complex working alarm systems, while the less expensive cars have basic or the elementary models of car alarms installed in them.
Car alarms are nothing but a series of sensors which are installed in the car’s fuselage and other secret areas of the car body making them quite hard to detect. It is the use of stealth technology that ultimately make car alarms completely successful and more of practical advantage to the users. The sensors are connected to the car stereo system wherein the speakers generate the sound when the sensors are triggered due to movement of live objects in the vicinity of your car or vehicle.
As the part of basic installation of car alarms, wires pass through the driver’s door, to the rear doors and finally the passenger’s door in the front just adjacent to driver’s seat. In most of the normal used car models, both the front doors are equipped with the car alarms sensors and which are further connected to car stereo system. The procedures for installation of car alarms is very simple, and involves fixing a switching circuit somewhere under the dashboard, with the network of wires spread all across. Finally, it is the car audio system that works together in sync with the sensors. On the whole, basic functioning of car alarms is quite simple, and you don’t need to perform any kind of complex manipulative actions before you get set and trigger the sensors. Car alarms are automatic in operation. The moment there’s any human intervention, sensors sense them, and sounds from car audio begin sounding.
Many car alarm manufacturing companies are innovating on new genre of electronic car alarms. The companies are manufacturing car alarms for all kinds of cars. Remember! Today, car alarms are playing indispensable role in preventing car thefts, and saving car owners from all the angst and undue trouble. If you are really looking for good and effective car alarm for your car, you need to go for comparison shopping. When you go for comparison shopping, you are likely to get affordable car alarm for your car.
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