Winter is Looming | Prescott Brothers, Inc.

Here’s a simple checklist to make sure you are ready for the colder weather, so you can stay on the road and off the side of it.

Check:

√ Lights – Check headlights, taillights, turn signals, reverse lights, and horn.

√ Antifreeze/Coolant – Check the level with simple test strips.

√ Tire Wear – Check not just if the tread has worn down, but also for any sign of uneven wear. It may mean a suspension or alignment problem.

√ Tire Pressure – Check for the proper pressures in your owner’s manual or door placard (not the numbers on the side wall). Don’t forget to check your spare tire too! For every 10ºF of outside temperature change, you will lose 1-2 pounds of air pressure!

√ Leaks – Check under the hood and where you park your car for any signs of leaks. These should be repaired as soon as you notice them.

√ Battery – If you are having trouble starting your car, the problem may be the battery—have it checked.

√ Brakes – Does your brake pedal seem a little soft? Is stopping your vehicle taking longer than it should? Have your brake fluid and brake system checked by a professional. Now is the time—not when it is too late!

√ Oil Change – Make sure you change your oil every 3000-5000 miles. Check the maintenance section of the owner’s manual. Be sure to get a good quality, name-brand oil and oil filter. Check your oil once per month. If it looks dark brown, change it.

√ Air Filter – Change air filters every 12,000 miles or every six months. It’s easy to do it yourself! Be sure to get a quality name-brand filter. This will give you better fuel economy and performance.

√ Tune-up – If your gas mileage seems like less than it was and your car is running rough, now is the time to have a check-up. We recommend using platinum-tipped spark plugs.
Change:

√ Winter Wiper Blades – The protective sleeve will help keep the blade on your windshield.

√ Winter Washer Fluid – De-icer washer fluid will make your life easier on those real bad days. It has a yellowish color, different from the usual blue stuff.

√ Snow Tires – Even if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, winter tires are your safest way to travel in bad weather. They are designed for cold weather driving. All-season tires are just that, for all seasons—in average weather, or when the snow is deep and the roads are slippery.

Carry:

Carry these items in your trunk in a box or duffel bag.

√ Jumper cables and a self-contained battery—the safest choice!

√ Flashlight with new batteries

√ Tire-inflation product

√ First-aid kit

√ LED light source and safety triangle

√ Protein bars—in case you are stuck and waiting for help

√ Bottled water

√ Snow brush with ice scraper—get the best one you can find

√ Blanket for every passenger

√ Cell phone charging cable

√ Paper towels

√ Glass cleaner

√ Extra washer fluid

√ Work gloves

√ Basic tools

Clean:

√ Clean and wax your vehicle at least once a week!

√ Include windshields, back window, side windows, headlights, and taillights.

√ Make sure to clean wiper blades and snow from the top and hood of your car.

The secret to a safe winter: See and be seen!

Source: http://parade.com/234897/laurenfix/your-winter-driving-safety-checklist/

Getting Your Teen Their First Car: A How-To

Make sure you're setting them up for safety right from the start.

1. Choose the Right Car

Let's face it, if you left the decision up to your teen, you would probably end up with either a huge SUV or a suped up sports car, neither of which is particularly safe for a young, new driver. However, there are plenty of options out there to make both you and your teen happy. And with the right research, you can find a car that is not only fun to drive, but also safe and reliable, too.

Choosing a midsize car is the best way to go, according to The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety and the Insurance Information Institute. Depending on your budget, you can opt for either a new or used model - just make sure the car is in good condition with updated safety features like airbags and electronic stability control. Also, you'll want to check out crash test and safety ratings before making your final purchase.

Fuel efficiency is another important factor to consider, especially in today's economy. Unless you're willing to cover the cost of filling your son or daughter's tank each week, buying your teen a gas guzzler is probably not a good idea.

2. Get the Best Auto Insurance Rate

The truth is that no matter what car you choose, insuring your teen driver will increase your auto insurance rates. But there are some things that you can do to make these costs as manageable as possible. In fact, another great reason to opt for safety first at the car dealership is that it can help keep your auto insurance premiums down. Because safer cars tend to have a lower accident risk, they are usually less expensive to insure.

Another way to get the best auto insurance rates possible is to scope out potential discounts. If your teen is a full-time student, for instance, he or she may be eligible for a good student discount. Researching your options beforehand will help you to make an informed decision when trying to find the right car for your teen.

3. Set Boundaries

Choosing a good car and purchasing the right auto insurance are only the first steps in keeping your teen safe on the road. Talking with your teen about safe driving and setting clear rules and guidelines are also important. To ensure that your teen stays safe behind the wheel, you can:


Limit the number of passengers your teen can have in his or her car at any one time;
Establish a "no cell phone" policy to ensure that your teen does not text or call while driving;
Discuss what to do in cases of emergency, including accidents and adverse weather conditions.

What to look for in a Car for your Teen Driver | Prescott Brothers Mendota IL

If you ask any teenager what they are looking forward to doing the most as they get older, at the top of most lists is probably being able to drive. After all, being licensed to drive gives teens a great sense of freedom – they can now come and go as they please; they are no longer dependent on mom and dad to get them where they need to go.

However, the time when teens begin to drive can potentially be the most deadly. Every dayseven teens ages 16 to 19 die from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash. And the crash rate is 3.7 times higher for 16 year old drivers compared to drivers all of all ages, and 2.7 higher for drivers aged 16 to 19.

For parents that are conducting a used cars search for appropriate vehicle options for their teen drivers, how can they help them stay as safe as possible? Here’s a look at five in-car options to look for during their used cars search.

Side Airbags

Although everybody knows about airbags as a safety component in vehicles, some may not realize the importance of side airbags. A study conducted in 2006 conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found side airbags that protected driver’s heads helped reduce deaths in cars that were hit on the driver side by about 37 percent.

Electronic Stability Control

ESC works through speed sensors that are placed on all wheels and the steering wheel to help drivers when on roads that are slippery or very curved.

If the ESC system notices the vehicle is about to go in an opposite direction from where the steering wheel is pointed, is will break the necessary wheels to help keep the car under control. ESC can be found vehicles from 2012, and even earlier.

Crash Avoidance Technology

Over the past few years, vehicle manufacturers have unveiled a crop of new applications to help drivers avoid car accidents. These crash avoidance technologies work by providing the driver with warnings, or in some instances even automatically putting on the brakes. Examples of these technologies to look for in a used cars search include blind spot detection, adaptive headlights, lane departure warning, and front crash prevention.

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)

An ABS is another safeguard against slippery roads, as well as inexperienced young drives that may find themselves “panic braking” in certain situations. The ABS helps ensure the brakes on a car do not lock up, which could cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle. ABS on the rear wheels allows the vehicle to keep moving in a straight line, while ABS on all wheels allows the driver to maintain steering capabilities.

Seat Belt Reminder System

Although the “ding, ding, ding” that reminds you to buckle up every time you’re in the car can be rather annoying, studies show they do save lives. For instance, a study published in 2008 found 97.5 percent of passengers put on a seat belt when in a vehicle with a reminder system, while only about 86 percent did in cars without a reminder. And teens need all the reminders they can — a 2002 study found that only 69 percent of teens ages 16 to 24 wear their seat belts, and more than two-thirds of teens killed in car crashes were not wearing seat belts.

Winter Driving Tips | Prescott Brothers Mendota IL

Severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for automobile travel. Motorists should know the safety rules for dealing with winter road emergencies. We want to remind motorists to be cautious while driving in adverse weather. 

We recommend the following winter driving tips:

• Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
• Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Always look and steer where you want to go.
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.

Tips for long-distance winter trips:

• Watch weather reports prior to a long-distance drive or before driving in isolated areas. Delay trips when especially bad weather is expected. If you must leave, let others know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival.
• Always make sure your vehicle is in peak operating condition.
• Keep at least half a tank of gasoline in your vehicle at all times.
• Pack a cellular telephone plus blankets, gloves, hats, food, water and any needed medication in your vehicle.
• If you become snow-bound, stay with your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Don’t try to walk in a severe storm. It’s easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and become lost.
• Don’t over exert yourself if you try to push or dig your vehicle out of the snow.
• Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it easier for rescuers to find you.
• Make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment with the engine running.
• Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps.
• If possible run the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill and to conserve gasoline.

Tips for driving in the snow:

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
• The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
• Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill as slowly as possible.
• Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
• Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate: If you don’t have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.

Original post can be viewed here.