Modern cars are much safer than ever before, but even with safety improvements, it’s still important to be a safe driver. There are still millions of car accidents every year, and car accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 3 and 34.

Whether you’ve just gotten your license of you’ve been driving for years, we’ve put together this list of 10 driving tips for safe driving.

1)   Don’t drive drunk

More than 30% of all fatalities from car accidents caused by drivers who are under the influence of alcohol. This one’s easy – if you’ve had something to drink, just have a friend drive you home. It’s just not worth the risk.

2)   Don’t speed

This one’s not so easy – everyone loves to drive fast. The statistics are eye-opening: for a simple drive across town, driving just 10 mph faster than the speed limit will only get you to your destination a few minutes faster… but your risk of having an accident rises by as much as 50 percent!

3)   Avoid distractions  (put down that phone!)

There’s a reason that so many states are starting to pass laws banning cell phone use when driving. One study showed that the reaction time of a 20-year-old driver talking on the phone was equal to a 70-year-old-driver. It’s not just cell phones though – anything that diverts your attention from driving should be avoided, such as applying makeup, eating, or playing with your radio.

4)   Don’t drive sleepy

A study done at Virginia Tech reported that 20 percent of all accidents have sleepiness as a contributing factor. If you’re drowsy, don’t think that opening the window and turning up the radio will help you fight it off. Your reaction time is drastically reduced when you’re sleepy, so have a friend drive.

5)   Wear your seat belt

They’re not there for decoration – seat belts save lives. Estimates from the NHTSA show that more than half of all car accident fatalities were people who weren’t wearing seat belts.

6)   Drive carefully in bad weather

Whether it’s rain, fog, snow, or icy roads, you should always take extra caution when driving in inclement weather. Stay below the speed limit, make sure there’s extra space between you and the car in front of you, and be extra careful around curves.

7)   Don’t follow closely

You’ve got to be sure that there’s enough space to allow for your reaction time should the car in front of you stop or turn suddenly. Follow the “three second rule” – watch for a stationary object on the side of the road, and start counting seconds as the car in front of you passes it. At least three seconds should pass before your car passes the same object.

8)   Pay attention to other drivers

You can be the safest driver in the world – but that doesn’t protect you from other drivers. The best thing to do is to assume that every other driver on the road is a bad driver. Keep an eye on your mirrors and the cars around you at all times – you can’t predict what other drivers might do.

9)   Drive defensively

Instead of being an aggressive driver that bullies every other car on the road, stay calm and drive defensively. Keep plenty of space between you and the car in front of you, drive the speed limit, and yield to other cars. Yes, it might take a few more minutes to get where you’re doing, but you’ll drastically reduce your chances of being in an accident.

10)   Keep your car in great shape

Proper vehicle maintenance doesn’t just help your car to last longer – it’s a major safety issue as well. One of the most common maintenance issues that leads to a wreck is tire pressure. Over- or under-inflation can lead to performance problems and even a blowout. Your brakes are also extremely important to safe driving. Follow the basic maintenance guidelines in your owners manual and stay up to date on maintenance tips by reading our blog.

Shattuck Auto Collision Center is a cutting edge, state of the art high-tech auto body repair shop facility. We are professionally staffed with I-car trained auto body professionals. Located in Berkeley and servicing the Greater San Francisco / Bay Area. Call us today 510-848-6281 or visit us online at www.shattuckauto.com

(Source: ow.ly)

Put together by the folks at car-insurance.com this infographic shows how insurance companies determine the rates for car insurance. There’s a lot of information, but it’s organized so that it’s easy to read – and it’s really helpful to see all of the factors that the insurance companies use.

(Source: ow.ly)

Having your vehicle serviced on a regular basis has always been a challenging choice, but Disregarding Needed Auto Servicing Will Become More Costly, so it’s very important that you get your car or truck serviced within regular time periods. 

Neglecting automobile problems, can become very serious when experiencing a break down at an inconvenient point in time and can be very upsetting as well. Being pro active in your car’s preventive upkeep and servicing will allow you to avoid a number of issues before they are able to develop.

Picture that you are out enjoying a nice commute with the family. Your outside of the city and without warning, your motor vehicle breaks down, you are stuck down the middle of the road or interstate. Its late evening, your children are nervous and there’s no service station nearby. Not only that, your cellphone is not finding a connection therefore you can’t expect to be getting any kind of assistance quickly.

Of course this can be an extreme set-up, nonetheless this, or a similar situation would not need even have transpired if you might have taken your vehicle to get inspected in advance of taking a vacation trip.

One point for sure, is the fact that most car problems very rarely turn up out of nowhere. In most cases, the majority of cars and trucks indicate some type of symptoms prior to the real arrival of engine troubles. The average motorist, doesn’t really take note . or recognize them until the problem just can not be brushed aside.

So the important thing to remember, is that you begin a good connection with your automotive repair person, who will be able to evaluate its issue and will present you with an honest assessment of the sort of work that needs to be done to your vehicle. Comfort Automotive Repair In Portland is the place to go to keep your car or truck running efficiently, as well as boosting its longevity, so that your cars performance will take you to the place where you have to go, particularly when you require it most.

At Comfort Automotive Repair, each of our experienced technicians have usage of all the most advanced equipment and tech equipment. We are able to quickly plug into our diagnostic tool kit and discover any kind of possible weakness, determine how significant they are, in order to make the correct recommendations.

We’re able to make certain that your vehicle fulfills the many performance and pollution control specifications as outlined by the state, so that you will successfully be approved by the state inspections the first time.

And keep in mind, that even if you are with limited funds, timely car maintenance will prevent even bigger situations, accidents along with other possibly hazardous conditions.

Take your brakes for example, what if you have a brake failure while you are driving, you could wind up running into another vehicle, a wall or home. This may result in serious bodily injuries to you and other parties. What to speak of the potential cost!

It’s very easy to avoid scenarios like this by having timely servicing of your vehicle undertaken, as well as having preventive maintenance inspections.

The easiest way to minimize your general automotive costs, lower your fuel costs, increase your vehicles performance, and also ensure your vehicles health and safety (along with your passengers), is through recommended automotive upkeep.

(Source: ow.ly)

Lemons are generally classified as cars that are extremely defective shortly after being purchased. The car must pose a significant threat to your safety or there must be a reasonable number of attempts at it being repaired, generally about four, for the car to be considered a lemon. The California Lemon Law is more encompassing than most other states’ laws. The main stipulation is that the vehicle must be registered in the state of California.

image source: http://ow.ly/9wboC

Since the law in California is so extensive, many other vehicles are also covered. Commercial trucks, RV’s, boats, ATV’s, motorcycles, and even some small airplanes can all find some sort of protection under California’s Lemon Law, albeit the laws are a little bit trickier.

For all vehicles, they must have a manufacturer’s warranty that does not explicitly express the defects in order to be considered for Lemon Law protection. They must be registered in California to qualify for California’s protection. If purchased new from the manufacturer, the vehicle must have defects within the first 18 months of 18,000 miles of use, unless an extended warranty is purchased.

In addition, stipulations for other vehicles are as follows:

Motorcycles must be registered in the state of California for highway use, and then everything that would be covered on a car is covered for a motorcycle.

RV’s living quarters are almost never covered under California’s lemon law, though all of the running gear such as the transmission and engine, as well as the cab and frame are fully protected.

Boats are covered as long as you keep the original bill of sale. Since most boats are bought used from individual sellers, they often do not intend to sell lemons, so many faults may actually fall under the boat loopholes. It is important to contact California Lemon Law counsel in these situations since they will have specific information regarding your boat’s protection.

As with any vehicular issues, especially if they are bought used, be sure to catalogue any and all defects as well as attempts at repairs. You want to make sure you save all receipts and information mechanics give you regarding the status of your vehicle in order to get adequate protection and legal representation.

Ryan Frank is an avid writer and blogger living in San Diego, CA.

(Source: ow.ly)

When you attended driver’s ed in the Bay Area or elsewhere, you probably learned early on that the best drivers are defensive drivers. We all – or at least most of us – remember this idea. But when some idiot in a speeding Camaro cuts us off on the freeway, our impatience and rage often overcome us, and we may do stupid things that put us at great risk for accidents.

image source: http://ow.ly/9lv5h

Being a defensive driver means adopting a set of smarter, more cautious driving habits and behaviors. In some ways, it’s easier to define defensive drivers as doing the opposite of aggressive drivers.

AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS DO THINGS LIKE:

• Cause conflict on roads
• Scare or intimidate other drivers by driving fast or driving while under the influence
• of alcohol, narcotics, or medications
• Tailgate
• …read the rest of ‘DEFENDING YOUR LIFE THROUGH SMART, DEFENSIVE DRIVING’

WE’RE HERE TO HELP!

If you have been in a collision, and you need help fixing your car, connect with the team here at Shattuck Auto Collision Center. We’ve been serving the East Bay, Oakland, and Berkley areas since 1965. Learn more about us at www.shattuckauto.com, or call now for help with minor and major collision repair at 510-848-6281.