Stay Cool with Tinted Windows

 

Did you know that window tint blocks harsh UV rays? Having your windows tinted will help prevent sunburn, reduces heat, and cuts glare for safer driving. If that’s not a cool summer accessory, we don’t know what is!

How to Become a Better Driver

Driving is a skill and it requires practice to become comfortable behind the wheel. Men and women drivers of all ages do many things wrong when they take the driver’s seat and there are many different things that they can do to improve their driving. These five simple tips are designed to make you a better driver in any conditions:

 

1. Be Alert

It seems like every time the television or radio is on, there is a new commercial about not texting and driving or not driving drunk. The idea of being alert behind the wheel is the best tip to be a better driver. This includes more than just texting and drinking. Being alert involves watching the road. It is difficult to do this while putting on make-up or attending to children in the back seat. It is difficult to be alert if you are tired or if you are looking around at the sights on the road. Being alert also means you should not talk on the phone, even using Bluetooth because the act of talking on the phone is what is so distracting. It also means that you should not work on your playlist on your iPod, too.

2. Know Where You are Going

If you do not know where you are going, you will have problems getting there. There is nothing more irritating to other drivers than having a driver who stops and starts in the road from not knowing where to go. This creates unsafe conditions for you and your passengers, as well as the other drivers on the road. Find out where you are going before you leave your home. Set up your GPS and look at the final destination before you get in the car. Plan your route and be sure that you have enough gas or have an idea about where to stop along the way when you need a refill.

 

3. Drive for the Conditions
If you live in an area that has sunny weather all of the time, consider yourself lucky. Driving in extreme weather is truly a challenge. The best way to drive well in the weather is to adjust for the weather. If you live in a part of the world that gets snow, slow down on snowy days. Just because you have a vehicle with four-wheel drive, those four wheels can slide off of icy roads just as quickly as a car with front-wheel or rear-wheel drive. It is also a good idea to clean off your car so you can see out of your windows and so drivers can see your tail lights. The best drivers are respectful of Mother Nature’s ability to make driving more difficult.  In rainy weather, slow down for the conditions. Greasy roads and hot roads can become very slippery during a rain storm. If you have roads that are prone to floods, avoid them when it rains because cars are not designed to swim or float! When you drive in the fog, leave plenty of space to stop because the person in front of you cannot see either. If you have fog lights, use them. If you do not, just turn on your lights.

4. Watch Out for Other Drivers
You might be the safest driver in the world, but there are thousands of other drivers who are not. Watch for the other drivers who might be prone to causing accidents. Be aware of the drivers in front of you, as well as the drivers who are behind you. When you are at intersections, be aware of the drivers coming through the cross streets to be sure they stop. Because you never know what is going on inside of other cars, you need to be vigilant and aware. Not every driver uses turn signals or has working brake lights, so if you get stuck behind one, you have to be alert as to when to slow or to stop. It is often best to just assume that all of the other drivers on the road are BAD; this way you will stay aware and be a better driver.

5. Be Considerate to Others on the Road and in Your Car

When you are considerate to others, you become a much safer driver. Being considerate means relaxing and not worrying when you are in conditions that you cannot control. Not panicking will keep your passengers relaxed and comfortable. When you are considerate, you use turn signals, leave space between your car and the car in front of you, and you do not drive slowly in the left lane on the highway. Considerate drivers do not ride their brakes or drive too fast in rough weather. They also get away from drivers who are showing excessive aggressiveness and dangerous driving. Considerate drivers allow other drivers to merge in congested conditions. Being kind and considerate, will keep you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road relaxed and happy.

The Perfect Summer Road Trip Requires More Than Just Junk in the Trunk

If you’re getting ready to roll into your first summer road trip, the only thing on your mind is all the fun ahead of you.  Swimsuit, sunblock, and phone charger packed?  Check.  Sunglasses?  Yep.  What about the inflatable beach ball you forgot last year?  Done.  You even remembered extra towels–you’re good!   You understand how important it is to plan ahead.

But what’s rattling around behind you is just as important, maybe even more so.   We’re sure you’ve heard the common phrase, “It’s about the journey, not the destination.”  It applies to packing for your summer road trip too!  Tackle any problem that might pop up while you’re on the road by making sure you’ve got these essential items stowed in your trunk:


Tire-Changing Equipment (sounds obvious, but you wouldn’t believe how many people forget!)
Jumper Cables
Road Atlas (Because phones die and there’s not service everywhere.  Yes, we’re serious.)
Gas cans (Fill ‘em up before you hit the road)
First Aid Kit
Camera (It’s a good idea to keep a cheap disposable in your trunk at all times, not just for capturing memories but to use for documentation in case of a car accident)

The 5 Unspoken Rules of Driving Etiquette You’re Probably Neglecting

Have you ever allowed another driver to merge onto the freeway?  You’re a decent and kind person–of course you have.  Do you ever find yourself getting unreasonably worked up if they don’t offer that universal two-second wave as a thank you?

There are certain unspoken rules of etiquette out on the road, and the courtesy wave is one of them.  Here’s a list of the top five rules of driving etiquette we wish were required.

Turn your brights off when you see oncoming traffic.  Blinding other drivers isn’t just rude, it’s dangerous.

Stop honking during traffic jams–especially at lights.  We promise it won’t make your commute any shorter.

Keep your volume at a reasonable level.  Hey, if you want to advertise your love for Nickelback, buy a T-shirt.

Allow other cars to merge.  The freeway is not a racetrack, and if we can promise you a courtesy wave– this should be set in stone.

Stop edging into crosswalks while pedestrians are crossing.  You’ve got important places to go and all those people are in your way.  But alas, you must remember that as long as they are on foot, they always have the right-of-way.  Always.

Chevrolet’s Print Ads: 6 Of Our Favorites

There was a time when the page of a magazine or a section of a newspaper page were all you were given to show the value of your project.  While that may not seem like much nowadays, Chevrolet still managed to make an art of it.  Here are 6 of our favorite examples.

 

1925

 

1954

1966

 

1974

 1975

 1984

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!

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.