American Vehicles May Have "Black Box" By 2015;

The House voted on a measure last May that would require all vehicles to be equipped with a "black box" that would record crash data. The black box would be equipped on all models include those found at a VW Dealer and a Hartford Mazda dealer. Every manufacturer including domestic automakers like Ford and foreign automakers like Nissan, whose models can be bought at a discount during Nissan Altima Deals, would be required to implement the new device in their manufacturing process.

The Motor Vehicle Safety Act is going to be debated in the Full House and the Senate is also considering a similar bill. The bill is controversial to some due to the use of recording equipment in a vehicle. The bill has an interesting addition of an emergency brake override system that could stop the vehicle in the case that the accelerator was stuck.

The addition was added after the recent Toyota accelerator problems, and it would require every vehicle to have this safety feature. Automakers that fail to report defects would be hit with an increased fine as well from other provisions in the bill. Somewhat surprisingly, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers favors most of the bill, especially the "black box" requirement and emergency brake override requirements.

Some automakers already have a similar type of device. Toyota has an "event data recorder" or EDR device in some of its models. However, the device can not currently be accessed because of pending lawsuits against Toyota. All of the domestic automakers have "open system" recorders that can be accessed by law enforcement for crash data.

The bill is controversial to some privacy advocates who are afraid that certain data could fall into the wrong hands or who are worried about the device being used for other purposes. Legal experts say that the device would also not be a good idea to use for legal cases. The best use for the device according to ExpertLaw.com is to be used as a diagnostic for vehicle accidents.

Car Safety Maintenace Tips;

Properly maintaining your vehicle is very important for safety. Whether it is a Toyota purchased at a Boston Toyota dealer or a Volkswagen that was bought at a Peoria VW, you will need to perform several maintenance steps on a regular basis to ensure that the vehicle is safe. Even safe and reliable cars such as the Honda Accord which can be found at a Denver Honda dealer still need regular maintenance to ensure safety.

Tires one of the most important parts of a vehicle to regularly maintain. Tires that are not maintained can result in several potentially dangerous problems while driving such as a loss of control, steering problems, and more. Tires should be regularly checked for the proper pressure. Each vehicle is different in weight thus requires its own unique tire pressure.

The correct pressure can be found in the owner's manual of the vehicle in most cases. A tire gauge should be kept at all times to measure the tire pressure on a regular basis. It is even more important to measure tire pressure more regularly during extreme weather such as the winter or summer, because the weather will alter tire pressure.

Brakes are another very important part of the vehicle to monitor regularly. With brakes, the most important thing to look out for is how well the brakes are responding and if there are any sounds or difficulties with the brakes. Normal brakes should not make any strange noises. They should also not requires very much pressure in order to bring the car to a full stop.

If there are any of the two above problems, the brakes will need inspection to ensure they are alright. Brake pads should also be changed approximately every 20,000 miles and this may vary depending on the region one lives in and other factors.

How to Keep Your Car Secure;

With over 1.2 million cars stolen in the United States every year, it makes sense to know a bit about car safety and car theft prevention. Whether your car is a Peoria Volkswagen or a Birmingham Hyundai, you run the risk of having your car stolen if you are not aware of some of the dangers that can leave a vehicle more exposed to theft. Before buying a vehicle at a Winston-Salem Nissan Dealer, be sure to follow these basics to prevent your car from being stolen or vandalized.

Cars that are stolen are often broken down into pieces at chop shops and sold as individual parts or have their identification systems replaced, so it may be difficult to regain a vehicle once it has been stolen.

The most important step you can take to ensure that your car is not stolen is to install an alarm system. A modern car alarm system will keep many vandals and car thieves away from your vehicle. There are lower priced alarm systems that will sound an alarm for those on a budget, and there are also higher priced models that can alert owners of a threat.

Don't leave a vehicle running unattended with the doors open. That is just an open invitation for a car thief to steal it. Park in locations that are well lit at nighttime. The best location to park is one's own garage, however if this is not possible a well lit area close to one's home is the second best location.

All valuables and personal possessions should be taken out of a vehicle once it is left alone for an extended period of time, or they should be hidden inside of the vehicle. Cars are often broken into not to steal the car but valuable items left on the seats or in plain sight.

Back Up Sensors Save Lives.

Over the past four years, 474 children have been killed in vehicle backing accidents. Back up sensors and rear view cameras are two safety measures that are being adopted in several large vehicle models. For large vehicles like SUVs and vans that can be financed with Kansas City used car loans, back up sensors can prevent accidents and save more lives every year. Large SUVs like the Chevy Suburban which can be purchased at a Staten Island Chevrolet dealer can greatly benefit from the installation of back up sensors or cameras.

Large vehicles pose a risk for backing because of the obstructed view underneath some of those vehicles. Sometimes there are blindspots which can not be seen no matter which angle one tries to look while backing. With several thousands of injuries every year from backing accidents, most of them could have been prevented with the installation of backing sensor or a rear view camera.

More new models are coming with standard backing sensors, however numerous older models do not have them. However, there are several backing sensor models that can be self installed for those vehicles that do not have them. The average backing sensor is about $100 but is a worthwhile investment to both avoid injuries and damage to a vehicle.

To avoid accidents while backing, be sure that the rear is clear from obstructions before backing up. Be sure to adjust mirrors so that a clear angle of the rear of the vehicle can be seen. Make sure that all small children are accounted for and that there are none playing in the yard or driveway. Also, back very slowly in the chance that there is someone standing behind the vehicle. Backing slowly also gives you a chance to continually check your mirrors as well.

Following just a few safety tips and installing a back up sensor for a large vehicle can prevent accidents and even save money in the long run.

The Latest in Auto Safety Technology;

Automotive safety is a strong concern for almost every automobile manufacturer, and each year automakers come out with several new safety features on their latest vehicles. Vehicle models in recent years that can be found at a Greensboro bad credit car lot or Cincinnati used cars lots have had several of the latest safety features included that are quite impressive and have shown to reduce both accident severity and number of accident occurrences.

Automakers have every incentive to put substantial resources toward making their cars safer, as consumer protection and reporting agencies very closely monitor the safety of all vehicles, and a reputation for being an unsafe automaker is a difficult one to break. Therefore, the latest safety features are very technologically advanced.

Some of the latest safety features include: collision warning systems, automatic 911 notification after an accident, braking assist technology, blind spot warning systems, car proximity detection, and several other features.

For example, the 2009 BMW 5 Series features a radar collision warning system that is activated once it detects that the vehicle is moving too quickly toward another vehicle. The system announces a warning and prepares the brakes for fast emergency braking.

Another advanced feature in the 2009 BMW 5 Series is Active Cruise Control. This system detects when traffic is slowing down and speeding up. As traffic slows, the system helps the driver apply brakes, and as traffic speed up the system assists the driving in acceleration.

Several other models now feature a similar type of collision warning and preparation system. The 2010 Lexus LS 460 features a similar system, but it also tightens seatbelts to help with injury reduction. It also has a pre-collision monitor that features an infrared camera that monitors the driver. If it detects that the driver is looking away from the road as the car is approaching an object, it will alert the driver with an audible warning to give the driver time to brake or avoid the object.

With these advanced safety features and improved driver safety training, vehicle safety will continue to improve and driving accidents and deaths will be reduced.

How to Avoid Driving Distractions;

If you just purchased a new car from a Chevrolet or other dealer during Jersey Chevy Specials, it is likely important to you that your car and yourself stay safe while on the road. Driving distractions are a common cause of at-fault accidents for drivers. Many accidents could be avoided each year if drivers were aware of what the most common dangerous driving distractions are, how to avoid them, and also how to deal with them. Knowing what these distractions are will help you keep your car far away from a Bradenton Chevrolet Service.

Bill Moore, president of MetLife Auto & Home said, "Safe driving is about focus. Many accidents could be avoided if the basic principles of defensive driving and driver attentiveness were observed."

The most dangerous situations or actions that increase the risk of an accident include: moving one's eyes away from the road, not being awake enough to drive, paying attention to another activity such as talking on a cell phone, texting, or eating, and attempting to read directions while driving.

The sad part is that all of these problems can be avoided and that many accidents could be prevented with just a few easy avoidance steps.

For using cell phones and texting, the best bet for a driver is to simply not talk on a cell phone while driving. If a cell phone must be used, it is advisable to have a hands free device such as a Bluetooth headset to allow one to control the vehicle with both hands. Driving with just one hand is simply dangerous and not necessary. Texting is absolutely one of the most dangerous activities one can do while driving simply because of the amount of attention required to send and type a text message. It should never be done while driving.

If you are feeling tired and are on a trip, the best option is to pull over and take a nap. Studies have shown that a person can fall asleep at the wheel if they are sleep deprived, even though they may have never fallen asleep while performing a task before. To prevent exhaustion while driving, it is important to get a full night's sleep before embarking on a short or long trip.

Eyes should always be kept on the road. If one has to move their eyes to check a mirror or blind spot, it should only be when there are no cars in close proximity, and it should only take a second or less. Moving one's eyes away from the road for other reasons should be minimized. Sightseeing is best performed on the ground instead of the riskier position of a vehicle.

Following just a few of these tips will help you stay safe and keep your car in prime condition for years by avoiding needless accidents.

Are Cell Phones and Driving Safe?

Recently there has been much discussion over the safety of cell phones and driving. Most studies have shown that using a cell phone while driving a vehicle such as a Ford Taurus or a Pontiac Firebird which can be found at a Jersey City Pontiac dealer, greatly increases the risk of an accident. However, many thousands of drivers continue the high risk activity of driving while texting or using a cell phone.

The major risk of driving while using a cell phone is the diversion of attention that occurs. Many drivers are not able to fully concentrate on driving while talking on their cell phones. The distraction of having a conversation can often take the driver off of what is happening on the road. Sometimes driving requires a fast reaction to a situation and a driver will not be able to react quickly enough.

The evidence of driving while talking on a cell phone being dangerous is staggering. A recent report by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Agency showed that the use of mobile devices accounted for 25 percent of all traffic accidents. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute performed a study in July of 2009 that showed that texting while driving increased the risk of an accident by over 23 times. The National Safety Council found that 1.6 million accidents per year are caused by drivers texting or talking on cell phones.

There are many more studies that confirm how risky driving while talking on a cell phone really is. If you are going to speak on the phone while driving, it is best to use a hands free device like a Bluetooth or other type of headset. Other risky activities while driving include eating or unwrapping food or other items, applying makeup while driving, watching a GPS map, reading, and basically anything that takes most of your attention away from driving.

Are Electric Vehicles More Dangerous?

With several fully electric models coming out, there is an increasing interest in the safety of these vehicles. So far beyond problems with Prius accelerators, the main concern for electric vehicles has been their quiet motors. Pre-owned Prius models can be purchased at a Kansas City Used Car dealer. Some electric car models travel so silently that they are hardly heard unless one is directly next to them. The quietest vehicles are the ones that run in electric only mode. Models like the Lincoln MKZ hybrid which can be bought at a Manchester Lincoln Dealer are also possibly more prone to accidents with pedestrians.

There is a concern that the blind and elderly with poor sight are in the greatest danger of being struck by electric cars that are too quiet to hear. The Nissan Leaf was even reported last year taht it would be given "whirring" noise to decrease the likelihood of an accident because of the inability to hear the car.

Even among those who can hear, many rely upon the sound of automobiles to alert them of their presence, and the fact that many are accustomed to this warning noise means that it will be a potentially dangerous shift unless some type of engine noise development is added to electric vehicles.

With the likelihood of greater accidents among electric vehicles due to their quietness, there is a good chance that automakers will be required to add some type of noise to their electric models. Although a certain number of pedestrian and other accidents will happen no matter what, it would be a negative impact on the electric vehicle industry if a series of accidents were to occur due to their lack of warning noise. At the moment, there is no such law in effect.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did conduct a report in September of 2009 that found that hybrid models were more likely to be involved in bicycle and hybrid accidents. The report found that 0.9% of hybrid cars were involved in pedestrian accidents while 0.6% of regular cars were involved in pedestrian accidents.