Spring Driving Safety Tips

by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info | 0 comments

Spring brings warmer weather, plenty of sunshine, and new blooms. But it also brings its share of storms, road glare, and other driving hazards. Here’s how you can stay safe when driving this spring.

Tip #1: Drive slowly and use caution in the rain.

Roads are most slippery when it starts to rain. This is due to rainwater mixing with the oil and grease on the road. But whether the rain has just begun or it’s been coming down for a while, it still makes roads slick.

• • • Keep your headlights on so that you are more easily seen.
    • Slow down and increase your following distance from other cars. Remember that any amount of water could cause you to skid or hydroplane.
    • Make sure your tires have enough tread and your wiper blades are in good condition.
    • Avoid using cruise control in the rain.
    • Avoid driving through water, which can damage your vehicle. If there’s too large a puddle, consider an alternate route.

Tip #2: Avoid potholes and puddles that could be covering potholes.

Freezing, thawing, and road salt in winter can help to create potholes. That’s why you may notice more of them in the spring. If you hit a pothole at too high a speed, or if it’s too deep, there could be problems. Potholes can lead to punctured tires, bent rims, suspension damage, poor alignment, or other expensive repairs.

• • • You may or may not see potholes coming. It’s even harder when they’re covered by puddles. Slow down and drive around both potholes and puddles.
    • Keep a safe distance when following another vehicle.
    • Keep both hands on the wheel to avoid losing control if you do strike a pothole.
    • If you encounter a pothole that is especially large or deep, try to find another route.

Tip #3: Be prepared for sun glare.

Spring is known for its bright sunshine that can temporarily blind you when you’re driving. The hours following dawn and preceding sunset are typically the times when the sun is the brightest.

• • • Position the sun visor in your car to block the light.
    • Sometimes moving the visors don’t do it. Sunglasses help reduce the sun’s intensity. Keep a pair handy in your car. Wearing a hat or sun visor can help too.
    • Slow down. Give yourself plenty of distance behind the car in front.
    • Keep your windshield clean. Dust, dirt, and pollen can make the glare worse.
    • Pull over if you can’t see.

Tip #4: Share the road with construction, bikes, pedestrians, and kids playing.

Spring weather brings everyone out. That includes construction crews, bicyclists, pedestrians, and of course, children playing. Awareness is the first step.

• • • Drive slowly in residential areas. If a ball goes bouncing into the street, chances are there will be a child chasing it.
    • Stop and give the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks. Never pass vehicles that are stopped at crosswalks.
    • Slow down and follow signs for new traffic patterns in construction zones. Solid lines in construction zones mean “stay in your lane.”
    • Learn biking hand signals, and look for bicycles before you make turns. Allow plenty of space when passing bicyclists.

Tip #5: Be on the lookout for deer at dawn and dusk.

Deer migrate during the spring and sometimes venture too close to roads. A collision with a deer is not only fatal for them; it’s costly in terms of vehicle repairs.

• • • Be especially careful during dawn and dusk when deer activity is at its highest.
    • Look out for deer crossing signs. These are posted at locations where deer sightings are common.
    • Use high beams at night as long as facing traffic isn’t coming.
    • If a collision seems inevitable, do not swerve into the other lane. You could hit a vehicle and cause an accident that’s worse.
    • Brake firmly, and try to graze the deer rather than hit it. Ease up on the brake just before you connect with the deer. It will cause your vehicle to lift a bit, which might keep the animal from hitting your windshield.

Tip #6: Know how spring allergies can affect your driving.

Spring is a time for allergies. Driving with sneezing, runny eyes and nose, and congestion can be a big distraction. But allergy medications that cause drowsiness could do greater harm.

• • • Read the warning label on your allergy medication. If it warns against driving or operating heavy machinery, don’t do it.
    • Replace your car’s air filters to ensure they are filtering pollen, mold, and other allergens.
    • Consider washable car mats instead of cloth ones so you can clean them. Give your car a spring cleaning.
    • Roll up your windows and turn your air conditioner to the recirculation setting. This minimizes the amount of fresh air coming in.

Tip 7: Make sure your vehicle is in good working order.

Keeping your vehicle in top condition will help you navigate the challenges of spring driving more easily. Follow a schedule for regular maintenance.

• • • Check your vehicle’s headlights, turn signals, and tail lights to make sure they are working. Make sure your headlights are aligned.
    • Check your car’s wipers and replace the blades if they are showing signs of wear.
    • Check your car’s air conditioning system to make sure it’s working.
    • Make sure your tires have enough tread and are inflated. As temperatures rise and fall, your car tires may expand and contract. This causes loss of air pressure. You will want your tires to be inflated to manufacturer specifications. Check your owner’s manual.
    • Finally, make sure you have the proper car insurance. Coverage will give you peace of mind should anything happen.

Now go enjoy the warmer weather. 😊

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.

How to Quickly Heat Up Your Car

by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info | 0 comments

You’ve done it a hundred times – sitting in a cold car, watching your breath while you’re waiting for the engine to warm up. It’s a necessary part of winter driving, right? Experts would disagree.

It used to be that cars needed to be warmed up before you could drive them in cold temperatures. But that’s no longer the case with today’s vehicles. Whether you’re an experienced or a new driver, here’s what you need to know.

Why today’s cars don’t need a lot of warm-up time

A car’s engine works by igniting a mixture of gasoline and air. That used to be the job of the carburetor. But carburetors didn’t work well in cold temperatures because they couldn’t get the right mix with denser cold air. If you didn’t warm them up, you ran the risk of stalling your car. Starting in the 1980s, manufacturers stopped using carburetors in favor of new technology.

Today’s vehicles use electronic fuel injectors that can detect cold weather and release extra gasoline for the right fuel-air mix.

Warming up your car is a waste of time, gas, and money.

It’s a given that you could be using your time more productively than waiting for your car to warm up. As you idle, you’re burning gas, which is essentially wasting money, too. You’re also increasing wear and tear on your car’s engine. Plus, you’re adding pollution to the air. According to a 2009 study, idling your car contributes to 1.6% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. That’s nearly double the entire iron and steel manufacturing industry. States have begun to take notice and issued anti-idling fines beyond 3 minutes.

A one-minute warm-up

With your car’s onboard computer and fuel injection system, it takes just about one minute for your car to warm up. That’s regardless of the outside temperature. That doesn’t mean that the inside of your car will be warm, or that the windows will be defrosted, but it does mean that the oil has traveled from the bottom of your engine to the top.

7 Steps to quickly heat up your car

Follow these steps to quickly heat up your car this winter.

1. Turn on your ignition without starting the engine. After about 5 seconds, you should hear the fuel pump priming the engine. Then start the car.

2. Don’t turn on the heat right away. The air being pumped out from the heater core will still be cold. That air will keep the engine from getting hot quickly.

3. Also make sure you are not running the radio, your seat warmers or defroster initially as these put a strain on the electric system.

4. Idle your vehicle for about 30 seconds (or a minute if your car is older). You can go a little longer if your car is covered in snow or ice. This will allow your vehicle to produce warm air.

5. You do want to give yourself time to warm up that has nothing to do with the engine. It’s all about your visibility and your comfort. You want to be able to see while you are driving and you want to be comfortable enough so you can concentrate on the road. Turn on the defroster to help clear the windows. Wait until you can drive safely; don’t try to drive with a small portion of cleared window.

6. Cars will warm up faster if you are driving than if you are idling. Normal driving for 5-10 minutes should do the trick.

7. Once you’re driving, point the warm air at your chest. That will warm you as quickly as possible. Then point the heat at your feet. As heat rises, the whole car will stay warm.

Tips for the extreme cold

In some places in the U.S., such as the upper Midwest, temperatures can dip well below zero and stay there. Consider these additional steps to help your car weather the cold.

• • Once regular oil gets below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes thick. Use synthetic oil which holds its consistency.
  • Battery heating pads and thermal wraps can keep your battery warm. A cold battery trying to hold a charge in frigid temperatures can harm your alternator.
  • Oil heaters for the dipstick or magnetic heaters for the oil pan can help. There also are coolant heaters for antifreeze.
  • Engine block heaters attach to your car and plug into an electric outlet. You can install a permanent heater, too.

Protect your car with auto insurance for peace of mind this winter and all year round.

This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.