Emergency Auto Assistance

It can be tempting to text-message in your car, especially if you’re stuck in traffic.  You assume that there is little risk involved, however, if the person in front of you stops a little faster than you intended, all of a sudden you may find yourself calling your road service program.

Recent studies show that avoiding texting in the car will drastically reduce your chances of getting into a car accident.  In fact, four states are making an attempt to ban driving while texting (DWT).  Washington put a ban earlier in the year on texting while on the road.

Statistics suggest that DWT is a danger that is growing.  In drivers ages 16 and 17, 46% admitted that they have texted while driving.  A study by Nationwide Insurance indicates that DWT is a generational activity.  Out of people ages 18-27, 37% admit to texting while driving, meanwhile, only 14% of 28-44 year olds admit to this.  Also, only 2% of 45-60 year olds said they texted on the road.

Cities around the nation are passing text-message ordinances because of the danger that it poses.  It is best to just refrain from this activity, otherwise you might find yourself calling for emergency roadside assistance.

A defensive driver is someone who is always on guard and prepared for what could happen. They are cautious, yet are able to take action and not put their fate in other drivers’ hands. The National Safety Council has revealed that driver error accounts for 77% of accidents. This number can be cut significantly by driving defensively. Here are some tips.

First, allow enough space in between you and the car in front of you. Out of ten accidents, four involve rear-ending collisions. These could have been avoided by not tailgating.

Have an avoidance route. Look in your mirrors often to see what cars are behind and around you. You should be able to maneuver and avoid an accident in most situations. If you don’t have an out, allow more distance between you and the car ahead of you.

Realize that you can’t depend on other motorists. It is important to be considerate, but you have to consider your own safety. Don’t make assumptions that other drivers will drive the way they should. Anticipate a worse case scenario.

Finally, don’t drive too fast. The speed limit that is posted is for ideal conditions. Decrease speed if you have other variables, such as bad weather.

Defensive driving can save you from a bad accident and from calls for emergency auto assistance. Exercising caution is the best tactic for staying safe in a vehicle.

Since your car carries precious cargo, you need to be aware of its safety features. One aspect of safety that people often ignore is the brake system. That is, until a major problem arises. Don’t find yourself stuck on the side of the road calling your road service program, look out for the following brake problems.

If you hear grinding or squealing you need to have your brakes looked at. This often indicates that brake pads are worn or glazed. Unfortunately, many motorists wait until the grinding sound is heard, which means the brakes have already worn into the rotors. If you wait for the grinding noise there will be financial consequences.

The cause of the brake pedal pulsating is heat and wear. Heat and wear will make the brake rotor or drum thin out. Usually, this means that brakes need to be replaced.

If you hear clicking while braking your brake pads are loose and need to be replaced. The factory puts “anti-rattle” devices to stop the clicking noise, but they break over time.

Brakes are an important safety feature in your vehicle and shouldn’t be ignored. Look for these warning signs so that you don’t end up on the side of the road calling for emergency auto assistance.

You need to shop around for a repair shop before you actually need one. This will allow you to make a better decision. After all, it is hard to make a logical decision when your vehicle is broken down on the side of the road and you are waiting for emergency roadside assistance. So, how do you find a good auto shop? Here are a few tips.

First of all, call the local repair shops to find out the professional auto repair associations that they are members of. The shops have met membership standards if they belong to AAA, Parts Plus, ASP, Napa Autocare or TechNet. This means they have equipment that is state of the art, technicians that are qualified, proper training, and high satisfaction scores with customers. For example, AAA contacts the shops customers and asks questions. Questions are varied. For example, was the job finished when they told you it would be? Was it fixed right the first time? What kind of warranty was given?

The size of the shop doesn’t matter. Some people think the shop size will make the price vary greatly. This isn’t true. If the criteria is in place, and the quality of the parts and the warranty are equal, the price will be similar no matter what the size of the shop is. This is when you go ahead and make a decision based on the shop you feel most comfortable with.

If you only have one thousand dollars with which to spend towards safety features in a vehicle, use it to purchase a bigger vehicle. In the end, this will help you avoid calls to your emergency roadside assistance program. Small cars are involved in twice as many fatalities as larger vehicles.

According to the laws of physics, the bigger a vehicle is, the lower the force that will reach the compartment with occupants.  This is due to the fact that in an impact, the energy can spread over a larger area, therefore dissipating more readily.

But don’t make the mistake of equating size and weight.  When it comes to safety in crashes, size is a beneficial thing, but weight is actually hostile.  A vehicle that is heavy will push lighter cars out of the way in an accident, however it will deliver more of an impact, which can cause more harm.

Consumers who are looking for a safe vehicle should purchase one that is large but lightweight.  It should be designed to absorb the impact of a crash without actually causing it.  A large vehicle that is heavy will be safer for occupants than a small car, however it’s weight will often contribute to the damage involved in a crash.

We’ve all been there.  You’re driving your vehicle when suddenly your check engine light comes on.  If you’re like the majority of motorists, you aren’t really sure what the light is telling you.  This could be the most misunderstood light on your dashboard because it can mean many different things.  If your check engine light comes on you don’t have to immediately pull over and call for road service, but there are several tips that you should follow.

First, you should check for serious problems that would require immediate attention.  Look at your gauges to see if there is overheating or low oil pressure.  If they are apparent you should pull over and shut off your engine.

Next, tighten your gas cap.  Many times this will solve your problem.  Know that it might take a few trips before your check engine light resets.

It might help to reduce your speed.  If your light is blinking or your car is performing poorly reducing your speed will help.  Have your car checked as soon as possible.

If your check engine light comes on, remember not to panic.  Just follow these simple tips to deal with the problem.  Make sure that you have an emergency roadside assistance program for situations such as this.  You don’t want to end up stranded on the side of the road.

When buying a car for a teen driver it is important to consider safety and reliability.  After all, teens don’t have a lot of experience.  When car shopping for a young driver, cars should be considered that have good crash-test results and advanced safety features.  This will hopefully keep your teen from avoiding roadside assistance calls.

For the most part big, heavy vehicles perform the best in crash tests.  However, large cars can be hard to handle and often have lousy fuel economy.  SUVs and large pickup trucks aren’t recommended for teens because they are more prone to roll over in an accident than other cars.

The best bet for teens is a mid-size sedan with good safety and crash ratings.  Some cars that have these features are the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Sonata, Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Acura RSX and Subaru Impreza.

The best thing to do when buying a car for a teenager is to get the newest model possible that is reliable.  Consult the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to see crash results for cars that you are considering.  These simple considerations will keep your teen from needing emergency roadside assistance.

Many times, motorists feel a false sense of security when they drive a big SUV.  The vehicle size allows drivers to develop that misconception.

However, the truth is that many times an SUV rolls in the midst of an accident, and up to 35% of deaths in vehicles occur because of rolling.  In addition, according to a study that was recently conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an SUV’s roof strength has a direct correlation to the occupants’ risk of injury.  This means that by making a vehicle’s roof stronger, injuries can be reduced greatly.

Currently, the United States government requires a vehicle to withstand a force that is 1.5 times the actual weight of the car before reaching 5 inches of crush.  The governments would like to change that to 2.5 the vehicle’s weight for safety reasons.

Unfortunately, motorists never know when they may be involved in an auto accident.  All that drivers can do is protect themselves by purchasing safe vehicles, have an emergency roadside assistance program, and take safety precautions on the road.

Consumers will find that vehicles can withstand more and more demands.  Now, there is a plentitude of cars out there that are tough and reliable.  Which cars are going to prevent you from having to call for road service?

Honda is a good place to start.  Honda puts out vehicles that are safe and reliable.  In addition, they need minimal repairs and experience few problems.  The Odyssey is a prime example.  It is ranked first on the list of durable cars.  Also making the list is the Honda CRV, Pilot, Accord and Civic.

Other cars that are known for durability are small SUVs, such as the Volvo XC90 and the Subaru Forester.  The Acura RDX and Audi A4 are luxurious and durable.

These cars were put on the durable cars list according to safety, vehicle performance, and history of complaints.  Anyone looking to buy a new car would feel peace of mind in these vehicles.  Of course, it never hurts to have emergency roadside assistance in case of unforeseen circumstances.

There is nothing worse than getting into your car and turning the ignition, just to find that your car won’t start.  This is a daily occurrence for motorists, so it is important to know how to handle this situation.  In addition to having a road service program, there are some things that you can do on your own.

A battery that is weak won’t supply ample current to rotate the motor at a high enough speed.  This is why it is necessary to be able to jump-start your car.  A red cover or cable marks the positive on your battery, and a black cover or cable marks the negative.  Reversing the connections can result in a battery explosion.  Be careful not to make this mistake.  The explosion could cause severe burns or blindness.

If you turn the key and there is full power without starting, it is probably the park neutral switch.  This is the clutch safety switch.  If this happens in an automatic vehicle, make sure your vehicle is in “park”, if it happens in a manual car, depress the clutch firmly to the floor and try to turn the key again.

There are numerous reasons why a car won’t start.  These simple tips will help you handle matters yourself.  However, if your car still won’t start, you need to call emergency roadside assistance to help you out.  Then, you will need to take your car in for professional service.