Roadside Assistance Program

The national average for gasoline has finally hit $2.92, and will probably keep falling, which makes you wonder if the decrease in fuel prices will impact car shoppers.

In early October, the federal government claims the demand dropped 9.7%, despite the lower prices.

The main reason that motorists are cutting back is the poor economy, however the summer’s high fuel prices began a spiral down in demand.

Whatever the reason may be, there hasn’t been any indication that consumers are going to shift back to large trucks and SUVs. Apparently, even though $4 per gallon gas was temporary, it made a large impact on drivers. After all, many people found themselves avoiding fill-ups and calling for roadside assistance after running out of gas.

Colorado has a new system that will help prevent road kill along one of the busiest highways in the state. The system works by using an underground cable running parallel to the highway that is able to sense if an animal is around through an electromagnetic field. If an animal trips the system, drivers are alerted through electronic road signs.

The system is going to be tested in Colorado on US-160, and radar detectors will be deployed to observe if motorists slow down after receiving the warning. If it is obvious that the system is working it will most likely proliferate on roadways that have seen a large amount of collisions between cars and animals.

You may think this is a strange idea, or that it’s a waste of money. And, people have even asked, “Why not just put up a fence?” Well, if you’ve ever seen a deer jump a fence you would understand why that wouldn’t help the problem.

About seventy percent of collisions on Colorado’s highways involve animals. With those high numbers something needs to be done about the problem. The underground cable is a good start, but drivers need to drive more defensively. In addition, all motorists should have a roadside assistance program in case of an emergency so they don’t end up stranded.

A recall has been issued by Mercedes-Benz for 102,954 of its M-Class cars, from model years 1998-2003, because of a clamp that malfunctions on the power-steering hose.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that it is possible for the hose clamp to come loose resulting in power-steering fluid, and the power-steering system might break down over time. If this goes unchecked, the power-steering pump could be damaged and even cause people to lose control while driving.

There was a previous recall that should have taken care of this problem, however Mercedes-Benz doesn’t believe that the repairs made were sufficient, which is why they are issuing a recall for all vehicles, including the ones that were repaired previously.

Unfortunately, you never know when there will be a recall on your vehicle, so it is important to stay informed on the latest car news. Also, you should protect yourself with a roadside assistance program that will assist you in the event of a breakdown.

Many commuters end up experiencing a break down at one point or another.  These are breakdowns that happen between 7-9 am and leave people stranded on the side of the road.  A roadside assistance program is the best way for commuters to protect themselves in this event.

Breakdowns are scary because they leave drivers feeling vulnerable and expose them to road dangers.  For instance, a recent survey showed that out of drivers who had experienced a breakdown in the past two years, 15% were with their children in the vehicle, 20% felt they were in a situation in which they shouldn’t leave their car, and 5% had an elderly person in the car.  In addition, 30% of women drivers were stressed about how to get out of the situation.

Also revealed in the survey was that there are five places people typically breakdown.  First of all, people breakdown at their homes before ever getting out of the driveway.  Next, people have vehicle problems going to work, and on their way to visit friends and family.  Fourth, people breakdown while shopping, and lastly, people get stuck at work.

An auto road service program will help you feel more at ease in the event of a breakdown.  You can rest assured that road service is on the way, and that you will be back on the road in no time.

According to J.D. Power, new car sales in 2008 will fall by 2 million units, which will be a total of 13.6 million units.  Also, it’s predicted that in 2009 sales will stay in that same range, at approximately 13.2 million units.  That’s a drop of 16%, and J.D. Power claims an additional 200,000 could be lost if things continue to worsen in the last quarter of 2008.

Hopefully, the economy won’t get any worse in the fourth quarter.  Yet, with a 2009 and 2010 lineup that’s very strong and fuel-efficient, we might see a greater amount of sales than projected, since the average vehicle price will probably be lower.

The U.S. has experienced a drastic sales decrease, but it isn’t the only nation to see falling car sales.  The European, Indian and Chinese markets all received lower projections, too.

Hopefully, J.D. Power’s predictions won’t be a reality, but it seems in the meantime that people are holding onto their current vehicles.  Consumers should take extra precautions, such as performing regular maintenance and signing up for a good auto road service program.

Many motorists struggle to find a repair shop that they feel is trustworthy. While some motorists feel comfortable taking their car to the dealership, others prefer going to an independent repair shop. So, which one is better?

You will find several advantages to going to the dealership for repairs. First of all, dealerships pay for their technicians to have special training, and they provide them with special tools and equipment. Dealerships also have a years worth of proprietary information on new vehicles that they have sold. This information is important for making repairs and diagnosis, yet only the dealer has access to it. Finally, dealership service departments only work on the specific makes and models that they sell, so they are good at diagnosis and repairs.

Independent shops also have advantages. Because independent facilities try to serve the neighborhood that they are in, customers can benefit from a more personal customer service. Also, independent repair shops provide more versatile services on a wide range of cars. Also, top-notch repair shops will offer an auto warranty through the supplier of the parts. Finally, prices are usually better at independent repair shops.

There are advantages to both dealerships and independent repair shops. Consumers should find a repair shop that they feel comfortable with, regardless of what kind it is. The important thing is to find a shop so that car maintenance can be performed regularly and in case you need to be towed by roadside assistance.

Make sure you vote this November, but be extra careful driving to the polls.

Researchers recently discovered that on Election Day deaths due to car crashes are higher.  This is based on a detailed analysis of elections that date back to 1976, when Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter faced down.

On average, 24 more motorists have died in vehicle accidents on election days than on any of the other Tuesdays in October or November, which says that you have an 18% greater likelihood of dying in a car accident this November 4th.

The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study, and it gives some very convincing arguments as to why injuries and traffic fatalities are higher on Election Day.  For example, more drivers are rushing either to their polling destination or to get back to work.  Also, motorists may take routes that are unfamiliar to them to go vote.

So, of course make sure to vote on November 4th, but be extra careful on the roads.  Take precautions such as driving defensively, leaving plenty of time to get to the polls, and sign up for a roadside assistance program just in case of unforeseen circumstances.

It seems that Toyota is trying to challenge Volvo for its coveted safety reputation: It’s designed a new supplemental restraint system. Being called a world-first, the rear window airbag is intended to work together with the head restraints to better protect the heads of passengers in the event of a rear collision.

This new safety system deploys in the same way that side curtain airbags do, from the lining of the roof. Toyota has planned to put this new innovation immediately into production in the iQ micro-car. According to Toyota, the airbags will almost double head protection for rear passengers. That is necessary too, because the backseats of the iQ sit right up against the glass and rear hatch.

While at the moment there aren’t any official plans to bring the iQ micro-car to the U.S., Toyota would love to do so if they can make a case for it, and also if the iQ would be able to pass American safety standards.

Toyota is smart to up their safety standards, since consumers are becoming more and more concerned with vehicle safety. In addition, motorists are attempting to protect themselves by maintaining their vehicles and signing up for roadside assistance programs.

Cell phones are capable of doing just about anything these days, so they might as well be used to unlock your car doors and start your engine.

That was Sharp’s logic when it teamed up with Japanese mobile company NTT DOCOMO and Nissan to manufacture a cell phone that you can program to electronically control engines and door locks. Essentially, Sharp installed an existing piece of technology, or Nissan’s Intelligent Key, into a phone.

These technologies seem so well suited that it’s surprising that the latest iPhone didn’t include a feature such as this. Gizmodo claims that this integration was a long time coming. Apparently, the filthy rich, hackers, and the Chinese have pretty much all had this idea. U.S. drivers should have access to this technology early in 2009. However, I wouldn’t cancel your roadside assistance program. You never know if this high-tech technology may leave you unable to get your car doors open.

Honda is known for its safety, and for keeping people from calling for road service. Now, it’s maintaining its reputation by developing an airbag that is new and improved. The airbag will provide drivers with additional safety in the event of an accident.

The key components to Honda’s i-SRS airbag are a gas release control valve that allows the airbag to be deployed faster and makes an overall longer inflation period, and a spiraling seam within the design. Honda claims that this protection is more effective for the driver in the case of severe impacts and increases safety in various types of accidents.

The new i-SRS airbag will first appear in the Life minicar, which is going to be released in November in Japan. So far, it hasn’t been announced when the technology will make it to vehicles in the U.S.

Consumers are more concerned than ever with safety, which is one reason that Honda vehicles are so popular. People are trying to protect themselves by purchasing safe vehicles and roadside assistance programs.