A-Z Tech Auto- Auto Repair & Body Mission Viejo

A Toyota recall early this year brought renewed attention to a dangerous problem: sudden, uncontrolled acceleration while driving.  Whatever its cause, drivers need to know how to bring their car to a safe stop if the gas pedal sticks.  Here’s some advice:

• Don’t panic. Remaining calm will help you cope with the situation more effectively.
• Press the brake firmly. Use both feet if necessary. Don’t pump your brakes.
• Shift into neutral. Make sure you know how to quickly get to the neutral gear in your car.
• Turn off the ignition. As soon as you’ve stopped, turn off your vehicle’s engine.

The average American generates about 24 tons of CO2 emissions per year.  This Earth Day, try cutting back with some of these tips:

• Check your tires. Keeping your car’s tires properly inflated can reduce your carbon footprint by 400-700 pounds a year.
• Eat less meat. Completely eliminating meat from your diet can save approximately 3,000 pounds of CO2 during the year.
• Drive with care. By accelerating slowly, maintaining a steady speed, and anticipating stops earlier so you don’t have to slam on the brakes, you can cut carbon emissions by more than a ton.

It’s no surprise that talking on the phone while driving is distracting.  But now researchers at the University of Warwick have quantified it.  A mobile phone conversation impairs a driver’s visual attention so much that it can add more than 18 feet to the braking distance of a car traveling 60 MPH and cause 83% more errors in driving.  What’s more, these findings apply even to drivers who are merely listening on the phone and using hands-free devices.

Teenage drivers get more tickets and are hurt and killed in greater numbers than any other age group of drivers. In an effort to decrease these alarming statistics, the department created a teen driver-related website, which focuses on encouraging teens to be safer drivers. The website is intended to help teens better understand the restrictions of the “provisional” type license which the department issues to teen drivers. It contains traffic safety information, safety tips, a practice written exam, requirements for obtaining a learner’s permit or driver license, as well as other useful information. With the growing number of teen speed-racing injuries and fatalities, the Department of Motor Vehicles has developed a segment on the Teen Website that talks about the dangers of speed racing and refers teens to a website where they can go to legally and safely drive fast cars. The Teen Website is visually appealing to teens in the hopes that they will visit the site often to get accurate driver safety related information.

Parents are also encouraged to visit the Teen Website with their teen driver!

Other resources available on the DMV website

Whether you’re just going to the store or driving cross-country, safety behind the wheel is paramount.  Avoid becoming a statistic by following these safe-driving tips:

• Stop signs. To ensure you come to a full stop and avoid an accident (or a ticket), spell the word S-T-O-P to yourself and feel the car rock backward before stepping on the gas again.  Remember to look left, right, and straight ahead before proceeding.
• Stopping time. Always make sure you’ve got enough time to stop your car if the vehicle ahead of you slams on the brakes unexpectedly.  To be safe, start counting when the car in front passes a stationary object.  If you pass the object before reaching a count of four, you’re too close.  Slow down.  At night, or when the weather is hazardous, increase the count to give yourself enough room.
• Parked cars. In the city, be careful when driving past a line of parked cars.  Stay toward the center of the road in case someone opens a door without warning.
• Armrests. Don’t use the armrest while driving.  Your arms need to be free and ready to turn the wheel in case of emergency.
• Lights. Check regularly to make sure they’re clean and clear so oncoming drivers and pedestrians can see you in low visibility.  If your car has a center-mounted brake light in the rear window, be sure that’s clear when wiping off snow, ice, or mud.  Switch your headlights on any time visibility may be even slightly impaired.
• Steering wheel. Keep your hands at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions while driving, or the 9 and 3 positions.  This gives you maximum control over your steering.

Toyota owners afraid of crashing due to sudden, unexpected acceleration problems may be able to prevent a collision using certain maneuvers, according to one safety expert.

If a car suddenly accelerates, the driver should brake hard, shift into neutral or depress the clutch, then turn off the ignition when the car has come to a full stop, public safety expert John Banzhaf says.

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