Bumpers Have a BIG Job!

If you drive either a Civic or CR-V from Honda Salisbury, then you can rest easily at night knowing that your auto brand cares enough about your safety to pay special attention to your bumpers.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety took SUV and car pairs from seven different auto brands and put them in 10 mph fender benders with one another.  While we do not have results for the vehicles found at Chevrolet Dealer Medina, if they are anything like their domestic competition over at Ford then the results were costly and unattractive.  There are laws in place that require the bumpers on passenger cars to be between a height of 16 to 20 inches above the ground.  However, the SUVs, trucks, and minivans from Chevrolet Dealer Westlake and every other auto maker out there do not have any bumper height regulations in place. 

The IIHS tested these vehicle pairs so that one vehicle was standing still and the other one was traveling at only 10 mph.  The most expensive repair occurred when the Toyota Corolla sedan rear ended the Toyota RAV4 SUV; a total of $9,867.  The car sustained only $3,852 worth of damage while the SUV sustained $6,015 worth of damage.  This was because the car struck the spare tire on the back of the RAV4 rather than the bumper, and the spare tire is not designed to have that kind of force applied to it.  Bumpers actually do serve a purpose and their construction is meant to absorb impact so that the rest of the vehicle is not damaged. 

The other brands tested against each other were Ford, Honda, Nissan, Kia and Hyundai, Dodge and Jeep, and Volkswagen.  The two that had the best results were when the Honda CR-V rear ended the Honda Civic; a total of $2,995 damage resulted.  The other lowest cost repair was when the Kia Forte rear ended the Hyundai Tucson for a total repair bill of $3,601.  On average, the repair costs were higher when the car struck the SUV, and that is because there would be significant damage to the internal engine components of the car as it slid underneath the SUV. 

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Aftermarket Bumper Safety and CAPA

A lot of us like to save money on our Centre Ford vehicle by using aftermarket parts in the event of an accident.  Many consumers think it is perfectly safe to use an aftermarket bumper, grille, fender, or other cosmetic part.  Your car from Albany Honda Dealers comes with a set standard of parts that have been rigorously crash tested.  When you put on a foreign part from a mass producing company, there is no way to know if those parts are as safe as the original.  While some parts of your car truly are cosmetic and you can save a lot of money at Burton Ford Dealers by opting to upgrade your entertainment components through aftermarket companies, some pieces that you choose to replace should be from the original manufacturer. 

One of the most important pieces on your car in terms of safety is the bumper, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has been telling consumers this since 1987.  The bumper is one piece of equipment that has a significant role in keeping you and your passengers safe.  The IIHS and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spend a lot of time, money, and resources when they perform their crash test ratings.  That fact alone makes them a trusted source and someone we will believe.

The IIHS is suggesting that aftermarket bumpers can be perfectly safe and will hold up in a crash as well as the original provided that the aftermarket is made identically to the original.  This means that there needs to be the same material used, the same dimensions all around, and the same construction assembly process.  This is entirely possible and the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) has begun setting standards and giving their stamp of approval to the products that match the original manufacturer parts.   

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Prevent Teenage Driving Distractions

Teenage drivers may frequent places like Auto Repair Indianapolis more often than they should be doing.  Young drivers are more distracted than they were even ten years ago, and the rate of teenage drivers who admit to driving while distracted is astonishingly high.  Sure, we still see drivers of Palm Bay Mercury Grand Marquis driving while talking on their cell phones, and it is that exact kind of behavior that makes teenagers think it is ok to do.  There is nothing scarier than driving next to a new driver who is busy trying to text and drive while it is pouring down rain.  No matter how safe the vehicles are at Burlington Volkswagen, if the driver is distracted, then an accident is going to occur, and it is one that could easily be prevented.

Last month, AAA, Seventeen Magazine, and the Department of Transportation held National Two-Second Turnoff Day.  On September 17th, young drivers were urged to take a mere two seconds and turn off their cell phones before starting their vehicle’s engines.  When a survey conducted by AAA and Seventeen Magazine found that 86% of teenagers admit to driving while distracted and that 84% of them realized it was dangerous behavior, there is an obvious disconnect going on.  We all know that teenagers operate under the belief that they are invincible, but parents and other adult drivers on the road need to be good role models.

According to a representative at AAA, taking your eyes off the road for only two seconds doubles your risk of having an accident.  For teenagers who are of driving age, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death.  The surveys conducted also revealed that 36% of teenagers are aware that their distracted driving caused them to have a near-crash and 28% admit to texting while driving.  An impressive 60% admit to talking on a cell phone while driving.  It is frustrating to hear these statistics given the amount of vehicles that come equipped with Bluetooth or some other hands free system. 

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Volvo's Pedestrian Detection.

What can you buy for an additional $2,100 from Volvo that you won't find on any of the cars from Nissan CT?  Pedestrian Detection, which is part of the technology package available on the 2011 Volvo S60.  The cars that you can buy from Chevrolet Detroit are loaded with safety features like stability and traction control, air bags, and anti-lock brakes.  But, the new technology that Volvo is putting on their best selling S60 sedan is even better and smarter than the previous City Safety system that was installed on the cars.  City Safety would detect vehicles that were either stopped or slowly moving and would apply pressure to the brakes at speeds below 9 mph to avoid a collision if the driver wasn't doing anything to stop the car. 

With a starting price of $38,550, the Volvo S60 costs a lot more than many of the cars you can get from Honda St. Louis.  If you look beyond the price of the S60, you will realize how much value is tied up in the Swedish automaker's mid-size sedan.  The 2011 S60 now comes standard with City Safety, but the Technology package mentioned earlier offers a lot of features wrapped up in one.  In addition to Pedestrian Detection, drivers will enjoy other safety technology features like adaptive cruise control and collision lane departure warning systems.  The only thing missing is auto-pilot!

Pedestrian Detection will bring the vehicle to a complete stop when it has been traveling at speeds below 22 mph.  Once the brakes are applied, the car will stop with a few feet to spare in front of the pedestrian.  The sensors are tied into the car's computer that has been uploaded with 10,000 images of what human shapes might look like.  As long as the person is above 32 inches tall, the system is supposed to work flawlessly. 

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Cars Too Safe?

You likely know most of the safety features that came with your car from Shreveport Mercedes-Benz.  But, have you ever stopped and wondered if those features are actually making you more or less safe than they claim?  Technology development is definitely a work in progress, and engineers are constantly learning what does and doesn't work.  Think about the standard feature air bags that come in cars from Louisville Honda.  When they first came out, people were getting injured because of faulty deployment or being too small to sit up front.  The injuries were researched and new laws were released saying that children and smaller passengers were safer in the backseats, but air bags are responsible today for saving many lives.

It can be scary to think how much the cars at Memphis Chrysler Dodge have evolved over time.  What used to be purely mechanical has switched over to electronic and computerized systems.  Some consumers complained that it felt like their brakes in their hybrid vehicles weren't working.  What was actually happening was that the brakes were working just fine, they just feel different in a hybrid because the energy produced from braking is converted into power for your vehicle. 

One safety feature that is common in Toyota, Audi, and Kia models is the push button ignition.  While it is an anti-theft device, it may cause panic for some drivers during emergencies.  Say that you need to quickly turn your vehicle off; most of us would reach for a key in the ignition switch.  The button technology would cause panic and people might quickly and repetitively push the button when really what you do is hold it for a few seconds to turn off the engine in an emergency.  Other features like heated windshield wiper fluid and side mirrors that defrost have been recalled for the potential to cause fires.  Ultimately, our vehicles are safer; but are they becoming too smart for their own good?  

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Rear view Camera?

Before you buy any where make sure you check out all of the amazing deals and prices on modern luxury at Volkswagen. Keep in mind to check out all of the amazing deals on a great line up of vehicles at Chevy Silverado Deals. The rear view camera has always been around on bigger vehicle, but now they are available in things like minivans. Also make sure you check out all of the amazing deals and great prices Ford Los Angeles.

This safety innovation was made to stop drivers from running into thing that could hurt them, their car, and possibly other people. The rear view camera in family vehicles is a popular feature for busy families. It allows the driver to see some one who is still below eye level; however this feature is not just found in family vehicles.

If you have a working class vehicle, but you use it for your family as well this feature can be added on. While it might cost you a little extra it can save you a lot more by avoiding a accident.

This innovation is safety technology is well worth the extra money you might have to spend to get it. It is perfect for any sized family, and it can help stop a accident from happening.

The rear view camera is great for stopping accidents, and for saving you money on your insurance. It helps prevent all kinds of problems, so it is worth looking at when you are buying your new vehicles.

Over all you really can't go wrong with this feature. It gives you a little extra security when you are driving around children, or when you are around a lot of different vehicles. Make sure check out this feature when ever you go in to buy or rent another vehicle. It may be a lot more useful then you think.

Chevrolet is Keeping YOU Safe!

Chevrolet and the entire GM line up have been hard at work creating vehicles that more than exceed safety requirements.  You can find older models of these cars at Port Charlotte Used Cars for a great price, but make sure to check out their safety ratings for that particular model year.  Families who purchase one of their American models can rest assured that their loved ones will be adequately protected.  Also, the vehicles available at VW Peoria have undergone the same safety crash tests as Chevrolet and also earned great reviews for 2010.  Chevy makes a point of providing safety features in their models before you even get in a crash and to help you avoid a collision!  Then, there are specific safety features that go into action should you have an accident.  Finally, Chevy has installed specialized technology to keep you as safe as possible during the aftermath of an accident.  If you are still skeptical, check out the cars at Hyundai Greensboro to see if there is a better match for you there.

There are several things that make a car safe just for driving.  Anti-lock brakes, stability control, and daytime running lights are safety features that are becoming standard on many models.  These all help to prevent you from having an accident in the first place. 

During the crash, drivers will be protected with their seat belts and airbags.  Plus, the entire frame of the car is made from a steel cage with reinforcements at door hinges to help them stay on even during a side impact collision.  While front airbags are the only ones that come standard, many models have side curtain and the passenger sensitive kind for the front seat. 

After you have a collision, you will be protected by OnStar, a feature that comes on every GM model free for one year.  OnStar is especially useful if you are travelling in a remote area because your exact GPS location will be sent to emergency response teams. 

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Technological Safety Features!

As Americans get older, we get smarter.  Part of that smartness is evident by how safe our vehicles are becoming, and there are some key safety features you want to make sure your next purchase from Durham Used Cars has.  Any of the vehicles you get from a VW Dealer are going to be incredibly safe; they continuously receive awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  Another safe choice is to pick a car from the line up at Subaru Birmingham.  Not only do their vehicles do well in crash tests, but the overall design and infrastructure of a Subaru helps prevent you from having an accident in the first place.  Check out the following safety features and make sure your car is equipped with them. 

As of 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration required that all passenger vehicles less than 10,000 pounds in the United States had to have some sort of tire pressure monitoring system.  This system alerts you in one way or another that your tire pressure is low.  Another good alternative to this is run-flat tires, which allow you to travel for about 50 miles on a flat tire.  These are great tires, but they are expensive to replace!

Adaptive cruise control is a great feature.  The system uses radar sensors in the front of your vehicle and will gently slow your car down while in cruise control if you get too close to the car in front of you.  If the sensors think your car is going to be in a collision, it will apply the brakes firmly and your seatbelts will tighten in preparation for an accident.  After you have passed the slower vehicle in front of you, your car will then resume your previous cruising speed.  Like all cruise control features, if you don't like the car adjusting your speed, feel free to tap your brakes to resume manual control of the speed you are traveling. 

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Ford's Wireless Safety Technology

The vehicles you will find at Cincinnati Ford are about to become more safe than they already are!  Sure, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is constantly rating the line up at Ford Philadelphia with their top score of "Good", but with the new wireless technology Ford plans to install on their vehicles will just make these vehicles that much safer!  Ford set the standard for on board multimedia entertainment with their wireless hands free Sync system that now comes standard on all their vehicles, so now they are setting the safety standards that the VW Dealer and other auto makers are going to struggle to keep up with!

Ford is in the process of developing wireless technology that would allow vehicles to communicate with one another so that motor vehicle collisions can be avoided.  The technology is known as Automatic Braking Intersection Collision Avoidance System, or ABICAS for short.  The system would apply gentle pressure to the brakes if it detected another wireless equipped vehicle was too close and a side collision was imminently probable.  The technology uses GPS, radar sensors, and radio based sensors.  This new technology would work side by side with the other Ford technologies, such as adaptive cruise control and back up cameras. 

This technology is a great idea, but how are we going to make it actually work?  It is like that saying you tell your young teenage drivers; "I trust your driving, it is everyone else on the road I don't trust."  That same line of thinking applies to this wireless technology.  Just because it will be available on Ford vehicles does not mean it will be a great success unless other auto makers follow suit and install the technology on their line ups as well.  And then there is the issue of vehicles that are already on the road; will there be an aftermarket kit so we can all have wireless safety?  Ford is working with large corporations and government agencies across the globe; our future looks bright with Ford!

Inflatable seat belts?

Before you buy any where make sure you check out all of the amazing prices and deals at NC Chevy Dealer along with the are amazing line up of cars and trucks. Also keep in mind to check out all of the amazing deals on modern luxury at Peoria VW along with their great line up of low prices. Ford is taking the lead in safety again, and this time it is with inflatable seat belts. While this newest addition to the Ford safety line up it is more then worth it some still don't want it. Keep in mind to check out all of the amazing deals and vehicles at Hyundai Dealer Boston.

Ford has been moving ahead in the standard of safety with no sign of slowing down. While most think that these belts are just for show, and that is where they are wrong. The inflatable seat belts came about because of the way automotive crashes affect children. These belts are made to expend when the crash happens, and doing this controls the head and neck to stop more serious injures.

These belts can also be moved lower down for smaller children, and they can be raised for young adults. These are made to protect the rear seat passengers, and that is every one from small children to young adults. Ford has put safety first when it comes to the safety of children.

While these belts will be offered in basic models you do not have to include them in yours, but keep in mind that these Ford safety features are made for your safety and your children.

Over all these belts are perfect to help prevent injury to your children, and they are also more comfortable then the basic model seat belts. You can't go wrong with any of the extra safety features provided by Ford Motor Company.

Chevy Keeps You Safe!

Vehicle safety is incredibly important.  Think about how many hours every week you spend in your car; don't you want to make sure you are safe?  And especially for families, the safety ratings can be the deciding factor on if someone is going to choose a car to buy.  Well, the employees at Chevrolet Dealer Chattanooga have plenty of safety features they can review with their shoppers, as Chevrolet puts an abundance of safety features standard on their vehicles and then there are optional features you can purchase as well.  This is not to say that a vehicle from a VW Dealer or Ford or Subaru will not keep you and your passengers safe, this is simply reviewing what Chevrolet is doing to keep you safe. 

Installed on many of their vehicles are features that are going to help prevent you from having an accident.  Some examples are traction control, stabilitrak, and antilock brakes.  And if any of these features seem to not be working, you can always bring your vehicle to Cincinnati Chevrolet Service for repair.  ABS should be familiar to most people; help your brakes from locking up when you brake during slippery surfaces, an example being during rainy weather.  If your brakes did lock up, the vehicle would slide out of control.  Stabilitrak does things you don't even know it is doing!  It communicates between the direction you are steering the vehicle and then the actual direction the vehicle is traveling in.  Taking into consideration the speed you are going and environmental forces acting on the vehicle, Stabilitrak will gently apply brake pressure to help correct the vehicle so you continue on your intended course, not the course of all the exterior forces acting around you.  Standard on the entire Chevy line up are daytime running lamps, so that other vehicles and pedestrians have an easier time seeing you during the daylight hours.  Many of the vehicles come with a DIC, or Driver Information Center.  This is the little digital screen near your speedometer that informs you of things going on inside your vehicle and under the hood.  Examples are alerting you that your doors may not be closed properly, you may be running low on fuel, or it is time to change the oil. 

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Vehicle Visibility Problems;

There are few safety features more important than visibility in a vehicle. Although certain vehicles might have excellent vehicle bodies and a sleek style such as Volkswagen models sold at Peoria VW dealers, more important than the body is the visibility of a model. There are several models available that feature excellent window and mirror visibility sold at a local Greenville Chevy Dealer.

Looking out a rear view mirror, one should have a clear view of the back and many models sold at Hartford Hyundai Dealers offer this capability. But, it is truly amazing how many models offer limited visibility out of their rear view mirrors because their rear windows are too small. Often times, small rear view mirrors look like on models such as coupes or even tinted models.

Side mirrors should be adjusted to show both the side of a vehicle and also enough of the highway. Although there are many complaints about side mirror window size, many side mirrors are improperly adjusted, and a simple adjustment can make all the difference for side mirrors.

Larger head restraints can be a large source of visibility blockage. Large head rests may make it difficult to turn left to see the left blind spot. Large head rests are designed to be impact resilient. Large headrests provide more head and neck support during a collision, and several models as a result feature this option. In order to have a large headrest and be able to see your blind spot, adjust your mirror so that you can see your blind spot, or get a blind spot mirror addition to your side mirror.

Another thing to look out for is windows that are too small. The small windows offer the safety ability to keep passengers safer during rollovers. The smaller mirrors and larger pillars also improve vehicle structural integrity and safety. However, the right balance must be made between small mirrors which offer limited visibility and safety.

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.