Auto Tips Archives - CarCheckup

Archive for the ‘Auto Tips’ Category

4 Best Car Tips to Save Money On Gas

Friday, May 6th, 2011

Gas prices getting you down? CarCheckup has gathered the five best bets that you can use today to lower your fuel consumption.

1. 55 mph instead of 65 mph saves you 15% on fuel

Each make/model/year of car has it’s own fuel efficiency numbers. A full size SUV will have lower fuel economy than a new small sedan. The math still holds though: dropping 15% of your fuel economy can make a big difference to your weekly fuel cost.

Assuming a cost per gallon of $4.00 per gallon, that extra 10mph is costing you $0.60 per gallon. If your gas tank is a 15 gallon tank then you’re spending an extra $9 per fill up on average.

Time is money and there just aren’t enough hours in a day, but let’s use an example to see what the actual impact of that extra speed buys you.

Let’s assume your car gets 30 miles per gallon on the highway at the posted speed limit of 55. You need to make the trip from Indianapolis to Chicago,about 165 miles one way, for a client meeting.

Average Speed	Drive Time	Fuel Economy	Cost of Fuel ($4/gal)	Time Savings compared to 55 MPH	Extra Fuel Cost
55	180 minutes	30 mpg	$22.00	–	–
65	150 minutes	25.5 mpg	$26.40	30 minutes	$4.40
75	132 minutes	20 mpg	$33.00	48 minutes	$11.00

Save even more money by tracking your business mileage! Round trip, at the 2011 IRS business mileage deduction rate of .51/mile, will give you a cool $168.30 mileage deduction come tax time. (Need a simple business mileage tracking solution? See if CarCheckup.com is right for you)

Fun Fact: The average cost for a speeding ticket is $150 in the US. If you get caught speeding that will increase your trip cost as well!

2. Rapid Acceleration/breaking can drop mileage by up to 33%

Aggressive driving (hard acceleration, hard breaking, and excess speed) can drop your mileage my up to 33%! That’s like choosing to spend an extra $1.49 per gallon by hammering the gas after each stoplight turns green and stopping aggressively slamming the breaks when you approach a stoplight. Simply adjusting driver performance by accelerating slowly and coasting towards a light can make a huge impact on your fuel economy.

3. Clean out your trunk! Every extra 100 pounds reduces your fuel economy by 2%

You don’t have 100 pounds of junk in your trunk, right?

Do you put bags of sand or salt in your trunk to help with winter traction? Are you still lugging it around with you now? That could be well over 100 pounds by itself!

Now that we’ve taken care of that: What else do you have in there that you really don’t need to carry?

4. At Idle you get ZERO miles per gallon

The average passenger sedan burns car at idle burns approximately one gallon of gas per hour of idling.

It may not seem like a lot, but it really adds up!. Let’s take a look:

Daily Idle Time	Gallons Per Day	Cost Per Day (@$4.50/Gal	Gallons Per Month	Cost Per Month (@$4.50/Gal	Gallons Per Year	Cost Per Year(@$4.50/Gal
15 min	.25	$1	5	$23	60	$270
30 min	.5	$2	10	$45	120	$540
45 min	.75	$3	15	$68	180	$810
60 min	1	$5	20	$90	240	$1,080
120 min	2	$9	40	$180	360	$2,160

As you can see, even small changes in driver behavior can have a huge impact on fuel spend over the course of a year. One of the best ways to increase fuel economy is to reduce idle time.

5. If you’re check engine light is on, find out why and fix it!

Did you know that a bad O2 sensor can reduce your fuel economy by up to 40%? Or that a failed gas cap seal can cost you 5% of your fuel economy? The EPA originally mandated the use of OBDII technology to aid in monitoring emissions related systems. If you’re check engine light is on there is a solid chance that your gas mileage is being impacted. These two check engine light codes are among the most popular seen in the CarCheckup system.

CarCheckup.com can help you find these issues as well make tracking driver performance and business mileage for you or your fleet painless.

Sources:
EPA Fuel Tips – http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/17-tips.pdf
Fuel Econ.gov- Improving Driving Habits – http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drivehabits.shtml
Infographic on Speeding Tickets-http://www.theautoinsurance.com/how-much-is-that-speeding-ticket-really-worth_2010-05-18/
Argon Laboratory - http://www.transportation.anl.gov/pdfs/TA/361.pdf

Tags: cut costs, fuel economy, increase mileage, mpg, save fuel, save gas, save money
Posted in Auto Tips, Business News, fleet | Comments Off

3 Metrics to Save Fleets Money

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Good news for small fleet owners: Monitoring three simple metrics for your fleets can lead to significant dollars saved on fuel.

There are many, many, many factors that contribute to fuel economy of the cars we drive everyday. Everything from how much load the car has to how warm it is outside can have an impact on fuel economy. How do you know what to focus on, and what not to when it comes to trying to reduce your fuel costs?

While you could spend time trying to decide which factors were under your drivers control, and of the ones that we’re, which ones would have the most impact…we’ve done the hard work for you.

We’ve found that by monitoring just THREE metrics can have a significant impact of your fuel expense:
*Aggressive driving
*Time at idle
*Average speed

Let’s take a look at each of these, why you want to monitor them, and how big of an impact it can have on your fleet’s operating expenses.

Aggressive Driving

Aggressive driving is a large contributor to reduction in fuel economy. While the term aggressive driving is a a very broad term covering everything from hard acceleration and hard breaking as well as behaviors like quick lane changes and following too closely we’re going to focus on a more narrowly defined definition for this discussion: Hard acceleration and hard breaking.

According to the EPA hard acceleration and hard breaking and account for a 33% decrease in fuel economy at highway speeds and up to 5% when driving in the city.

That’s the equivalent of between $0.15 and a whopping $1.01/gallon in fuel spend by reducing this metric alone!

Time at Idle

According to National Resources Canada idling 10 min per day will cost you 5% more in fuel. If your going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, and you’re not in traffic, shut off your car! It takes less fuel to restart a car then it does to run it for 10 seconds at idle, so being in the habit of shutting the car off instead of idling while waiting can really add up.

The California Consumer Energy Center puts it another way…Idling for one hour burns approximately 1 gallon of fuel. Results can very, but for drivers that spend a considerable amount of time at idle while making a delivery or waiting on a client, the impact fleet wide can be dramatic.

Average Speed

speedVsMpg3 3 Metrics to Save Fleets Money Busy drivers hurrying between appointments can have a tendency to speed to make up time. The few minutes that they make up by speeding…just a little bit.

The implications of speeding in regard to tickets, increased risk of accidents, and potentially higher insurance are obvious to most, but what may not be as apparent is the cost in terms of fuel consumption.

Cars built for sale in the US are built to achieve maximum efficiency at between 50 and 60 miles per hour. The graph below shows and average car efficiency band in relation to MPH.

For every 5 mph over the speed of 60, you normally lose between 7% and 23% depending on the vehicle. That equates to paying an extra $0.21 to $0.71 PER GALLON of gas!

The impact of these 3 metrics:

Armed with this data, the question becomes “How do I put this in practice to save my fleet money?” The answer is simple: Monitor and manage these three metrics for your fleet vehicles.

Monitor drivers performance, share that data (and it’s impact) with them and make them aware that small change can have a big impact on their bottom line, and train them on ways to use their knowledge to help the bottom line.

In the coming weeks we’ll do a deep dive into each of these metrics to help you understand how they can be applied to your business!

What other tips do you have to reduce fuel costs? Please share in the comments below:

Don’t forget CarCheckup has your solutions to your automotive information needs!
RedSmallArrow 3 Metrics to Save Fleets Money Need an Automotive Diagnostic Tool because your Check Engine Light on?
Need a Vehicle Tracking System to monitor your companies fleet vehicles or fleet drivers?
Tired of tracking business mileage manually and want and easier way to record mileage
Looking for peace of mind for your teen aged driver – Check out our solution to monitor teen driving
RedSmallArrow 3 Metrics to Save Fleets Money Want Fleet Management Software without costly GPS vehicle tracking?

Data Sources:
EPA.gov – Driving More Efficiently
EPA.gov – Fuel Economy Graph
California Consumer Energy Center – fuel consumption at idle
National Resources Canada – fuel consumption at idle

Photo Credits: Speedometer and Fuel Gauge pictures from Nathan Earl Photography via Flicker

Tags: agressive driving, average speed, epa, fleet, metrics, save money, time at idle
Posted in Auto Tips, fleet | Comments Off

Forbes Releases List of Cars Expected to Reach 200,000 Miles

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Photo Credit: planetc1 via Flickr

Forbes has released a list of car models that can be expected to last past 200,000 miles, a helpful resource for people looking to invest in a new car in the New Year. Based on reliability reports released by Consumer Reports in October, Forbes’ list is composed of each of the top 2011 models in each of the 10 automotive segments (family sedan, SUV, pickup truck, etc).

Ford, Acura and Lexus all make appearances on the list, with annual frontrunners Toyota and Honda filling the majority of spots. Toyota rebounded with the 2011 Yaris, Sienna, Cruiser and Tundra models, capping off a year that was full of struggles for the Japanese automaker. Ford makes an exciting move onto the list, as the Fusion hybrid beat out strong contenders such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Accord to be named the best Family Sedan. With a 53% above average rating, this small victory for American automakers will hopefully be a starting point for sustainable, environmentally-friendly car manufacturing.

Not everyone needs a brand new 2011 car to reach 200,000 miles! CarCheckup can help break bad driving habits that can put strain on an engine over a long period of time. CarCheckup will record driving tendencies such as sudden acceleration and pumping the gas while accelerating, which can cause undue strain over a long period of time and prevent your car from reaching the 200,000 mile mark!

Do you think Forbes got it right this year? Any more useful tips for making your car last past the 200,000 mile mark? Let us know in your comments below!

Don’t forget CarCheckup has your solutions to your automotive information needs!

RedSmallArrow Forbes Releases List of Cars Expected to Reach 200,000 Miles Need an Automotive Diagnostic Tool because your Check Engine Light on?

RedSmallArrow Forbes Releases List of Cars Expected to Reach 200,000 Miles Need a Vehicle Tracking System to monitor your companies fleet vehicles or fleet drivers?

RedSmallArrow Forbes Releases List of Cars Expected to Reach 200,000 Miles Tired of tracking business mileage manually and want and easier way to record mileage

RedSmallArrow Forbes Releases List of Cars Expected to Reach 200,000 Miles Looking for peace of mind for your teen aged driver – Check out our solution to monitor teen driving

RedSmallArrow Forbes Releases List of Cars Expected to Reach 200,000 Miles Want Fleet Management Software without costly GPS vehicle tracking?

Tags: 200000 miles, auto news, car endurability, car rankings, car reliability, forbes
Posted in Auto News, Auto Tips, CarCheckup, fleet | Comments Off

9 No-Fail Winter Driving Tips

Monday, December 27th, 2010

Photo credit: Image by Grace Olsson via Flickr

Article by Lauren Cascio

These nine, no-fail driving tips will help you as you take on the dangers of ice, snow and unexpected obstacles during the winter months.

1. Clear loose snow- even on top of the car!

When loose snow flies from the top of moving cars, it makes driving extremely dangerous for everyone on the road. Loose snow on your car’s hood can fly up and block your windshield at high speeds. To be safer this winter, take caution and clear all snow.

2. Avoid sudden braking

When possible, try to avoid braking at all. When driving on snow or ice, it is safer to allow your car to roll to a stop than to apply significant pressure to the brakes. Another way to avoid sudden braking is to remain aware of your surroundings and anticipate stopping situations before the last second.

3. Clear ice and snow from your headlights

Having snow and ice on your headlights can dull the light illuminating from them. Clearing your headlights will make sure that every obstacle is spotted soon enough to make a safe and controlled stop.

4. Stay aware!

It is always a good tip to avoid using devices such as your car’s CD player, your phone or other entertainment items while driving. In the winter, being aware is more important because stopping distances are much shorter on ice and snow.

5. Scrape your windows- all of them!

In the early morning rush, important things like clearing your windshield can be completely forgotten. Lack of time can make it tempting to only clear a small hole directly in front of the steering wheel. While a little scraping is better than no scraping at all, this is still a bad idea because peripheral vision is extremely limited and can lead to exceedingly dangerous conditions.

6. Know your brakes!

If your car does not have anti-lock breaks, knowing what to do can make your winter driving much safer. Applying a light, steady pressure is the best way to stop in snowy or icy conditions without an anti-lock braking system. Applying strong, sudden pressure can cause a brake lock-up and result in a skid.

7. Warm up your vehicle- but never in the garage!

Warming up your vehicle is a good idea, as it gets the engine warm before driving and the heat begins to circulate around the car to make the driving experience better. However, car exhaust contains carbon monoxide, a clear, odorless gas that can cause death if inhaled. When cars are on in enclosed spaces, the carbon monoxide can build up, displace the oxygen in the air and have fatal consequences.

8. Top off the gas!

Keeping your gas tank full at all times is always a good idea. An uncontrolled skid could cause an accident and result in being stranded for a long period of time. Another reason to top off the tank is to prevent gas line freeze up. Most gas is watered down and the water in it can freeze in sub-zero temperatures. If expecting a deep freeze, make sure that the tank at least a quarter-full to prevent the water from freezing in your tank.

9. Keep your distance!

AAA, a national traveling and roadside assistance agency, recommends that drivers in icy conditions opt for a traveling distance of at least 8-10 seconds, instead of the normal 3-4 seconds. More distance allows for more reaction time and can make everyone safer this winter!

What tips/tricks did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget CarCheckup has your solutions to your automotive information needs!
Need an Automotive Diagnostic Tool because your Check Engine Light on?
Need a Vehicle Tracking System to monitor your company’s fleet vehicles or fleet drivers?
Tired of tracking business mileage manually and want and easier way to record mileage
Looking for peace of mind for your teen aged driver – Check out our solution to monitor teen driving
Want Fleet Management Software without costly GPS vehicle tracking?

Tags: ABS, car safety, distracted driving, Driving Tips, Safe, Safe Winter Driving, Winter Driving
Posted in Auto Safety News, Auto Tips, Teen Safety, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

267403646 7c40b22004 z Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup

Here are some handy tips from the team at CarCheckup to keep in mind as you prepare for your holiday travels.

036 Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup Check your tire pressure before you leave – Check your owners manual for proper tire pressure and make sure your tires are properly inflated. A blowout is a horrible way to delay your travels

036 Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup Double check your spare tire – Make sure your spare tire is accessible and aired up. Should you need it, you won’t want to have to take everything out of the trunk in the cold to get to your spare…and you absolutely don’t want to find out it’s flat.

036 Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup Belt Check – In the old days, braking a belt would mean you were stranded on the side of the road. Today’s modern car are likely to suffer major engine damage if a belt breaks. On newer engines the engines are timed so that the heads and valves can actually occupy the same space at different times. Should a belt fail, these components can crash into each other causing catastrophic damage.

036 Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup Check Radiator and Radiator Reservoir – Make sure you’re coolant levels are full. Check both the radiator itself as well as the overflow reservoir. The overflow is normally located close to the firewall in the engine component. Safety Note: Never remove the radiator cap from a hot radiator. Hot liquid and steam that is pressurized in the radiator can escape when the cap is removed causing severe burns.

If you’re car begins to overheat during your trip…turn you heat to to full and turn the full to maximum. It will get uncomfortable, but it will buy you time to pull off to the side of the road (or to a service station) before the car boils over.

036 Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup Have an emergency kit – Keep a prepaid phone card and a prepaid debit card in your emergency kit in addition to the “standard” items like flares/triangle, flashlight, first aid kit, and tire jack. With cold weather approaching you should also keep a blanket, coat, hat, and other items to keep you and your traveling companions warm. It’s also a good idea to keep cat litter and a shovel in your trunk if space permits so that you have a way to dig out and get traction should you get stuck.

036 Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup Take Your Account Numbers – Have an AAA, OnStar or other service that can get you help in a roadside emergency? Make sure you have the phone numbers, account numbers, and any other pieces of information you may need to use those services.

036 Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup Take some cash! – We all rely on credit and debit cards as a convenient way to pay for our everyday purchases. Be sure to also have some cash incase there is a problem with your card.

If you are a user of the CarCheckup system, take a minute to check your car for Pending Trouble codes before your trip. Pending trouble codes are the precursor to something going wrong and your check engine light coming on. If you are a user of our system, you owe it to yourself to get a clean bill of health for your car before you go. As we say here at CarCheckup, “Know Before You Go!”

Photo credit: HunterJumper on Flicker

Do you have tips to share with our readers? Share them in the comments below!

Tags: belts, christmas, emergency kit, radiator, spare tire, Tips, tire pressure, travel
Posted in Auto Tips, Teen Safety | Comments Off

Easy tips to Winterize Your Car or Truck from CarCheckup

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Photo credit: image by: di_the_huntress via Flickr

There is no question that snow, sleet and ice make for one hazardous driving season. To the prepared motorist, the perils of winter are significantly reduced. Here are 10 tips to readying your car for dangerous winter driving.

1. Change the Windshield Washer Fluid

Having the appropriate windshield washer fluid is even more important in the winter because some formulas may not be viable in subzero temperatures. What’s the big deal? Well, if your fluid isn’t already completely frozen inside the reservoir under your hood, it will freeze instantly on your windshield when exposed to temperatures below the approved level. De-Icer fluids are available in stores and some can be good for up to -30°F!

2. Have the Battery Tested

The freezing temperatures of winter can zap the power from your car’s battery, especially if it has been idle for a long period of time. National car part and service store, AutoZone, will test your car’s parts for free. Their staff can test your car’s battery, alternator, starter and voltage regulator- while they’re in your car!

3. Put on Specialized Tires

Snow tires are a great way to increase acceleration, stopping ability and traction in snowy or icy conditions. For regions of the country with more snowfall and isolated roads, snow tires with studs on them may be available. Have your mechanic put snow tires on before the first snow and take them off after the last, most likely around early March. Another plus? Using different tires in the winter will save the tread on your summer tires!

4. Protect Your Car- You Won’t Regret It!

If you are traveling in areas with high traffic, snowfall and/or ice, then your car could be exposed to thousands of pounds of salt this winter. Salt can erode a car’s exterior and cause unsightly rust. While rust may seem like a small problem, when it spreads to the underside of your car, it can corrode holes on vital parts, such as your gas line. Car detailing chain stores, like Ziebart, offer spray protection for both the underbody and exterior.

5. Get the 4-1-1 on 4-wheel drive

There is no doubt that four-wheel drive is one feature that can come in handy this winter. This feature is another way to increase control while braking and help with vehicle handling and acceleration in snowy and icy conditions. Knowing when to use four-wheel drive is one way to keep money in your wallet this winter! Four-wheel drive significantly reduces your car’s fuel efficiency and can lower gas mileage. Make sure that every member of the family (who’s old enough to drive, of course) knows when and when not to use it.

6. Top off the Anti-freeze

Anti-freeze, also known as coolant, is an important part of a winter maintenance routine. Antifreeze is found in your car’s radiator where it keeps the water in the radiator from freezing in subzero temperatures. Take caution, as this is one step not suited for the garage. Antifreeze is highly toxic and can cause severe damage or death if accidentally ingested. This sweet, clear substance is almost undetectable and discharge on the ground can lead to groundwater contamination. Leave this one up to your mechanic!

7. Pack for You

No matter how many precautions you take, you are still at a risk for an accident in the winter’s harsh elements. Sliding off a lightly traveled road can land you right in the middle of a dangerous situation. Having these supplies ready can help you be safe and prepared in your travels:

Flares
Blankets
Boots
Radio
Non-Perishable Food
Flashlight

8. Pack for Your Car

Now that you are prepared for the perils of winter, it’s time to make sure you pack what you need for your car.

Scraper to clear car windows. Window scrapers should have a brush on one end to clear loose snow and also be long enough to reach over the top of your car.
Spare tire with air in it and tools to put the tire on your car
Jumper cables
Tow rope
Duct tape- for those small roadside repairs
Short shovel and maybe a bag of sand (putting sand down in front of a car stuck in snow can significantly increase traction and aid in getting the car out).

9. Update the Headlights

Visibility is much more important in the winter as ice and snow make emergency braking extremely dangerous. The brighter your headlights are, the earlier an object can be spotted and avoided safely. Old, dim headlights can decrease visibility on the roads. Consider purchasing new headlights, but no need to go for the more expensive premium brands such as SilverStar Ultra. According to a study by Consumer Reports, these pricier bulbs have been proven to have little advantage over regular halogen lights.

10. Invest in Peace of Mind

National roadside assistance programs, such as those offered by AAA Motor Club, provide towing services to their members 24 hours a day. These clubs also offer fuel delivery, should you run out of gas, roadside battery service and mechanical first-aid for your car.

What tips/tricks did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!

Tags: car maintenance, Driving Tips, lcascio, Safe, Safe Winter Driving, Winter Driving, winterize
Posted in Auto Safety News, Auto Tips, Teen Safety, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

Photo Credit: WishUponACupcake via Flicker

Here are some handy tips from the team at CarCheckup to keep in mind as you prepare for your Thanksgiving travels.

036 Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel Check your tire pressure before you leave – Properly inflated tries can save you from a blow out.
Double check your spare tire – is it aired up and in working order in case you need it.
Belt Check – To tell if your belts are worn simply give them a look and see if they are showing sign of cracking or fraying.
036 Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel Check Radiator and Radiator Reservoir – Make sure you’re coolant levels are full. Overheating is a terrible way to spend your vacation.

If you’re car begins to overheat during your trip…turn you heat to to full and turn the full to maximum. It will get uncomfortable, but it will buy you time to pull off to the side of the road (or to a service station) before the car boils over.

036 Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel Have an emergency kit – Keep a prepaid phone card and a prepaid debit card in your emergency kit in addition to the “standard” items like flares/triangle, flashlight, first aid kit, and tire jack. With cold weather approaching you should also keep a blanket, coat, hat, and other items to keep you and your traveling companions warm.
036 Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel Take Your Account Numbers – Make sure you have your account numbers and their related phone numbers. AAA, Auto Insurance, OnStar, or any similar service could be invaluable if you break down…but only if you have their phone number (and other required information handy)
036 Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel Take some cash! – In this world of debt cards and credit cards it’s easy to not think about having some cash on hand, but a lost credit card or…the credit card company thinking a purchase your trying to make on your trip looks “suspicious” and freezing your card can leave you in a bind if you don’t have cash on hand.

If you are a user of the CarCheckup system, take a minute to check your car for Pending Trouble codes before your trip. Pending trouble codes are the precursor to something going wrong and your check engine light coming on. If you are a user of our system, you owe it to yourself to get a clean bill of health for your car before you go. As we say here at CarCheckup, “Know Before You Go!”

Do you have tips to share with our readers? Share them in the comments below!

Don’t forget CarCheckup has your solutions to your automotive information needs!
RedSmallArrow Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel     Need an Automotive Diagnostic Tool because your Check Engine Light on?
    Need a Vehicle Tracking System to monitor your companies fleet vehicles or fleet drivers?
    Tired of tracking business mileage manually and want and easier way to record mileage
RedSmallArrow Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel     Looking for peace of mind for your teen aged driver – Check out our solution to monitor teen driving
    Want Fleet Management Software without costly GPS vehicle tracking?

Tags: thanksgiving, Tips, travel
Posted in Auto Tips | Comments Off

Have a Fear-Free Halloween: Driving Tips to Protect Children in Your Area!

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

Story written by Lauren Casio

Next Sunday, the ghosts and ghouls will come out as children around the country enjoy a spook-tacular night of candy, family and friends. However, the reality of Halloween can be quite different. For one night only, child foot traffic in America’s neighborhoods is significantly increased. According to a study reported in TIME magazine, children are more than twice as likely to be killed by a car while walking on Halloween night than at any other time of the year.

Photo Credit: Image by stevendepolo via Flicker

Here are five ways that you as a driver can make Halloween safer for the children in your area:

1. Stay under the speed limit- It’s there for a reason!

According to the Gene Farber, a consultant for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrian visibility drops from thousands of feet in the daytime to only 150-250 ft at night. Going 55mph, the distance required for a driver with typical reaction time to react and stop is 265ft. Nationwide, residential speed limits can vary, but many range from 15-25mph for this exact reason. When in doubt, caution can keep everyone safe.

2. Children+ Candy + Crazy Outfits= Confused pedestrians

Sure, some of the responsibility for child safety on Halloween lies on the shoulders of those little monsters, vampires and princesses running around, getting as much candy as possible in such a short time. But keep in mind that, while the typical child would most likely stop and look both ways if their ball rolled into the street, a child chasing a part of their precious costume that blew off may not be as aware. Masks can drastically reduce peripheral vision, and so that little zombie on the corner may not see you coming and may cross anyways.

3. Caution: Parked vehicles!

Maintain caution while passing cars parked on the side of the road. These cars make perfect barriers from which little monsters can emerge at any time! Being aware and maintaining a slow speed is the best way to protect from any unexpected horrors this Halloween.

4. Don’t rely only on your headlights alone!

According to Frank Schieber, a consultant for the NHTSA on nighttime visual requirements, roadside pedestrians “represent the worst case scenario” for drivers. They are non-reflective, low contrast objects that can have horrible consequences if they are hit. NHTSA-funded studies compared the efficiency of high-beam headlights compared with low-beam and found that while high beams are marginally better at detecting pedestrians, the glare emitted can be disorienting to the pedestrian. The NHTSA recommends keeping high-beams on until pedestrians are spotted.

5. Avoid driving in early evening hours

Most child safety organizations recommend being prepared for trick-or-treaters from 5:30-9:30pm. Many neighborhood organizations have recommended trick-or-treat times for different age levels. Check your city government’s website for official recommended trick-or-treat times for your area so you can know when the little ones may be running around.

What tips/tricks did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!

Tags: children, Driving Tips, Halloween, lcascio, NHTSA, safety
Posted in Auto Safety News, Auto Tips, Teen Safety | Comments Off

7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

AAA of Michigan is estimating that 1.2 MILLION of us are going to be traveling to be with friends or family over this 4th of July weekend.

Average trip length? 617 Miles.

We’ve put together a list of things to check before your big holiday driving adventure this holiday to keep you happily motoring down the road…instead of being broken down on the side of it.

036 7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July     Check your tire pressure – Properly inflated tries can save you from a blow out.
    Make sure your spare tire is aired up and in working order in case you need it.
    Take a look at your belts – a broken belt will leave you stranded for sure. To tell if your belts are worn simply give them a look and see if they are showing sign of cracking or fraying.
036 7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July     Check Radiator – Most newer cars have 50,000 or 100,000 mile coolant, so changing it isn’t as big of an issue as simply making sure you’re coolant levels are full. Overheating is a terrible way to spend your vacation. If you’re car begins to overheat…Crank your heat to full with full fan. yup…it’s uncomfortable, but it will buy you time before the car boils over.
036 7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July     Have an emergency kit – Keep a prepaid phone card and a prepaid debit card in your emergency kit in addition to the “standard” items like flares/triangle, flashlight, first aid kit, and tire jack.
    Take Your Account Numbers – Make sure you have your account numbers and their related phone numbers. AAA, Auto Insurance, OnStar, or any similar service could be invaluable if you break down…but only if you have their phone number (and other required information handy)
036 7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July     Take some cash! – In this world of debt cards and credit cards it’s easy to not think about having some cash on hand, but a lost credit card or…the credit card thinking your trip purchases looking “suspicious” and freezing your card can leave you in a world of hurt without cash.

If you are a user of the CarCheckup system, take a minute to check your car for Pending Trouble codes before your trip. Pending trouble codes are the precursor to something going wrong and your check engine light coming on. If you are a user of our system, you owe it to yourself to get a clean bill of health for your car before you go. As we say here at CarCheckup, “Know Before You Go!”

Bonus Tip:

Do you know when to use “Max AC” on your car to cool your car the quickest while also lowering the strain on your AC?

Don’t run your AC on “Max” or “Recirculation” until your car has cooled down! You can burn up the refrigerant or over pressurize your AC system which can destroy the system.

When you start your trip set the AC to high fan, no AC to get that initial blast of super hot, yucky air out of the system.
Once the air coming from your vents is close to the ambient air temperature outside, turn your AC onto normal or “auto” and set it to a reasonable temp.
Once your car has begun cooling down to the point where it’s as cool as it’s going to get on “normal” go ahead and turn it to MAX/Recirculate to bring the temp down to where your comfortable.

What other tips/ tricks do you do before you take your family on a road trip? Let us know in the comments below!

Don’t forget CarCheckup has your solutions to your automotive information needs!
RedSmallArrow 7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July     Need an Automotive Diagnostic Tool because your Check Engine Light on?
    Need a Vehicle Tracking System to monitor your companies fleet vehicles or fleet drivers?
    Tired of tracking business mileage manually and want and easier way to record mileage
RedSmallArrow 7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July     Looking for peace of mind for your teen aged driver – Check out our solution to monitor teen driving
    Want Fleet Management Software without costly GPS vehicle tracking?

Tags: 4th of July travel, AC, Driving Tips
Posted in Auto Tips | Comments Off

Check Out The Latest And Greatest Video from CarCheckup!

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

The CarCheckup graphics and video gurus have been at it again. The result of this caffeine driven marathon creative session?

A new CarCheckup masterpiece for your enjoyment! Lights….Camera….Action.

CarCheckup Overview Video – Monitor Teen Driving, Track Business Mileage, See Why You’re Check Engine Light is On, and…really Help Save the Day.

Hope you enjoyed watching that as much as we enjoyed making it for you! What did you think? Should we give our creative team MORE caffeine or have they reached their frenzied capacity?

Let us know in the comments below!

Tags: Capes, Check Engine Light, Mad Skilz, Super Device, Teen Monitoring, Track Business Mileage, Trouble Codes
Posted in Auto News, Auto Safety News, Auto Tips, Business News, CarCheckup, Local News, Teen Safety, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Archive for the ‘Auto Tips’ Category

4 Best Car Tips to Save Money On Gas

1. 55 mph instead of 65 mph saves you 15% on fuel

2. Rapid Acceleration/breaking can drop mileage by up to 33%

3. Clean out your trunk! Every extra 100 pounds reduces your fuel economy by 2%

4. At Idle you get ZERO miles per gallon

5. If you’re check engine light is on, find out why and fix it!

3 Metrics to Save Fleets Money

Aggressive Driving

Time at Idle

Average Speed

The impact of these 3 metrics:

Forbes Releases List of Cars Expected to Reach 200,000 Miles

9 No-Fail Winter Driving Tips

What tips/tricks did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!

Tips for Holiday Travel from CarCheckup

Easy tips to Winterize Your Car or Truck from CarCheckup

Tips for Safer Thanksgiving Travel

Have a Fear-Free Halloween: Driving Tips to Protect Children in Your Area!

7 Ways Not to Breakdown on the Side of the Road this 4th of July

Check Out The Latest And Greatest Video from CarCheckup!

Free Downloads:

Follow Me

Catagories

Blog Archives

Archive for the ‘Auto Tips’ Category

1. 55 mph instead of 65 mph saves you 15% on fuel

2. Rapid Acceleration/breaking can drop mileage by up to 33%

3. Clean out your trunk! Every extra 100 pounds reduces your fuel economy by 2%

4. At Idle you get ZERO miles per gallon

5. If you’re check engine light is on, find out why and fix it!

Aggressive Driving

Time at Idle

Average Speed

The impact of these 3 metrics:

What tips/tricks did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!

Free Downloads:

Follow Me

Catagories

Blog Archives

Tag Cloud