Thursday, May 29, 2014

Is GM's Newest Safety Option a Good Idea?

General Motors is coordinating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to introduce the Belt Assurance System later this year.  This feature ensures both the driver and front seat passenger of the vehicle is buckled up– before it goes anywhere.  Using the same technology as the airbag system, this optional feature will activate and deactivate based on whether or not someone is in the seat.  It will allow you to start the car no matter what, but if there are two front-seat passengers, the car won’t be moving an inch unless both are strapped in.

This is an optional system that will be made available on the 2015 Cruze, Colorado, Silverado, and Sierra later this year.  What do you think?  Should it come standard in all vehicles or is it more of a nuisance than a help?  Let us know your opinion in the comments below!

Friday, May 23, 2014

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month



Did You Know?

-Motorcycle helmet use increased from 48% in 2005 to 67% in 2009.
-Motorcycle helmets saved 1,829 motorcyclists’ lives in 2008.
-Motorcycle helmets do not interfere with the rider's vision or hearing.

Share the Road

All motorists are reminded to safely "share the road" with motorcycles and to be extra alert to help keep motorcyclists safe. Motorcyclists are reminded to make themselves visible to other motorists.
 

Ride Sober

Statistics show that the percentage of intoxicated motorcycle riders in fatal crashes is greater than the percentage of intoxicated drivers on our roads. This is why NHTSA urges all motorcycle riders to always ride smart and sober.

Friday, May 16, 2014

The Cool Way to Wash Your Car

If your car has been sitting in the sun or you’ve just taken it for a long drive, you should wait until it cools down before soaping up. Park it in the shade for a couple of hours—or start with the interior. A hot exterior speeds the drying of the soap and water. While that may sound like a good thing, it makes washing more difficult because it increases the chance of spots and soap scum. Avoid the hassle—wait until things cool off before soaping it up!

Thursday, May 8, 2014

DIY Mother's Day Vintage Teacup Bird Feeder

This adorable homemade bird feeder is a cinch to make and the perfect DIY gift for Mother's Day! Here's what you'll need:

    -3 feet of 1/2 inch copper plumbing pipe per bird feeder
    -Copper cap
    -Sand paper or sanding block
    -Vintage teacup
    -Epoxy
    -Q-tip
    -Birdseed


If you'd like to know how you can create your own, head over to this site for a full on tutorial! Make sure to let us know how yours turned out.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Things to Avoid Doing While Driving in the Rain

Rain can cause extremely dangerous driving conditions if you're not careful. Keep reading to learn five things to avoid doing while driving in wet weather conditions.

1. Don't drive toward the sides of the road. Roads are constructed so that they're highest in the middle. The difference may be slight, but it causes water to run off the center and drain toward the edges. If you're driving in the rain, you want to avoid standing water. You want your vehicle to be where the water isn't -- and that's in the center of the road.

2. Don't leave your headlights off. It's important to turn your headlights on when it's raining so that other people can see you. In the murky gloom of a rainstorm, even a light drizzly one, the lack of sunlight impairs our vision. Headlights will let other drivers know where you are.

3. Don't drive if you can't see through your windshield. Not being able to see ahead, you don't necessarily know what's there. There could be stopped cars in front of you that you can't see. There may be pedestrians running through the downpour. When visibility gets low, pull off the road as quickly as it's safe to do so. Stop your car and wait for things to clear up again.

4. Don't drive through deep water. If you see water flowing across the road from one side to the other and don't know how deep it is, don't try to drive across it. Vicious currents of rainwater exist that can carry you and your car for hundreds of feet. Even if the water isn't moving, if the bottom isn't visible, you don't know what's underneath it. Don't risk putting your tires on the submerged pavement.

5. Don't drive too fast for weather conditions. Never drive above the speed limit in wet weather conditions. The worse the conditions, the lower your speed should be. The worst danger of driving too fast in rain is hydroplaning. When the road is wet and you're going too fast, your car can actually begin to float on top of the water and the tire tread loses contact with the road surface.