Are You a Distracted Driver?

We know that we live in a world of distractions. But, when you’re driving, shouldn’t you be…you know, focused on driving? Unfortunately, for many people this isn’t the case. Nearly 80% of collisions and 65% of near-collisions involve driver distraction.

How do you know if you’re a distracted driver? Check out this list of typical behaviors:

Do you eat while driving?
Drink while driving?
Make phone calls while driving?
Text while driving?
Pay more attention to your passengers than the road?

If you said ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then you are driving with distractions, and you’re at a higher risk of being involved in or causing a crash. We recommend pulling off to the side of the road to make your phone calls and send your texts, stop eating on the go (it’s healthier if you don’t, anyway), and keep your eyes on the road.

Cyclists should be seen, not hurt! Here’s how to mind your motorcycles.

With warm temperatures comes an increase in motorcycle traffic, and it’s important to be aware of the other vehicles sharing the road with you. Motorcycles are smaller in size, which makes them easier to miss, which can result in a collision. Motorcyclists don’t have the same kind of protection as someone in a car or truck would, which means that they are almost always injured in crashes.

If you’re expecting to see motorcycles, then you’re more likely to notice them. Pay attention especially at intersections – since they are lighter than other vehicles they can stop in shorter distances. You should leave more room between yourself and a motorcycle to avoid rear-ending them. It’s also easy to misjudge the speed of an approaching motorcycle because of its size and because it is moving towards you, so be aware of that as well.

Fall Into These 4 Car Maintenance Habits

It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of summer!  We hope everyone had plenty of fun in the sun– but what about your car?  If the soaring temps took a toll, now’s the time to take care of it!  Here are the most important things to do before we “fall” out of summer.

Check out your headlights!  You might need to replace them with brighter bulbs.  With Daylight Savings Time approaching, being able to see for night driving will become especially important.
Replace your wiper blades.  This is an easy one that many people miss– don’t be one of them!  Wipe summer showers away and get your car ready for more frigid precipitation.
Replace the cabin air filter.  This will improve the function of your A/C as well as your fuel economy.
Make sure you’re up-to-date on scheduled maintenance!  When was your last oil change?  If it’s time for another, give us a call or schedule an appointment online.

2015 Mazda Miata

The Mazda Miata is a well-tuned driver’s machine. With sharp steering, tight handling and a comfortable ride, the Mazda delivers miles and miles of smiles. Since its introduction back in 1989, the Miata has been on everybody’s list of best cars for one reason or another. Further, if you’re looking for a brand-new rear drive two-seat convertible with a lower price, you won’t find one anywhere. The Miata is it. Power comes from a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 176 horsepower and 140 ft-lbs of torque. Transmission choices include a five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic. However, if you choose the six-speed automatic you’ll give up nine horsepower.  Fuel economy averages 25 miles per gallon with the manual and 23 with the automatic.

3 ways to take the words “traffic jam” out of your vocabulary

1. Use an alternative form of transportation.  There’s no shame in riding your bike, taking the bus, or using the train to get to your destination.  And it’s cleaner for the environment.

2. Change your schedule.  Most of the country is at work Monday – Friday from 9:00AM until 5:00PM.  That means traffic is the heaviest during the half hour before and after these times.  If you are able to budget your time in a way that avoids even just one of the two traffic jams you hit daily, you’ll be happier for it.

3. If you’re dealing with infuriating traffic jams daily, maybe it’s time to rethink your route to work.  Think of it this way: it’s impossible for all the roads in your city to be congested at once.  Breaking from routine can be a beautiful thing– especially if your routine involves gridlock traffic.

5 Signs You Need New Tires

1. Bulges, gouges, or cracks
   When a tire deflates, it bulges at the sides. This is a sign of low tire pressure or a slow air leak.
    
2. Tread wear 
   The old-school penny test is one way to check your treads: Place a penny into the tread, with Lincoln's head pointing down. If you can still see the top of his noggin, the tread is dangerously low. Most modern tires, however, have wear bars: bits of rubber woven into the pattern at a specific depth. You can find the wear bars that go across the groove, and if the tread pattern is worn down to that wear bar, you need to replace the tire.
    
3. Tire pressure 
   Tires deflate at a rate of about one pound per square inch (PSI) per month.
    
4. Temperature 
   Tire pressure drops in extreme cold. The challenge in summer is excessive heat buildup in the tire. If you're heading out on a road trip with an underinflated tire, it will generate more heat and wear out faster.
    
5. Vibration 
   Watch out for vibration or thumping when you're driving. If it feels like it's coming from under the seats, the rear tires may be out of balance. Vibration from the steering wheel could indicate suspension issues.

Did Your Teen Just Get Their Driver's License?

We know it’s difficult to let your teen take the wheel—and we can help! The best remedy to the parental stress that accompanies a smiling teenager with a glossy new license? Making sure they’ve got the right car. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re out looking for a new ‘whip’ (or whatever the kids are saying these days).


New instead of used
It might decrease your stress level momentarily to put your teen in charge of a vehicle that costs less, but think about it long-term. You want your kiddo to be safe and you don’t want to end up having to spend money on repairs that end up being more costly than the vehicle itself.

Not too big, not too small
It doesn’t matter that “everyone else” has a tiny sports car, or that your teen “will be the laughing stock” of the school unless they are behind the wheel of a huge SUV. The truth of it is that a happy medium is, well… a happy medium. New drivers behind the wheel of big vehicles are more likely to roll it in an accident and new drivers with sports cars are more likely to disobey the speed limit and get into trouble that way.

Stay away from stick! 
We know back in our day everyone knew how to drive a manual transmission, but the sad truth is that it is becoming somewhat of an endangered skill. Your teen can learn how to drive stick! Just make the first vehicle as easy and safe as possible for your teen—and everyone else on the road.