Do You Have A Teen Getting Ready To Drive?

We believe the single most important step you can take to protect the life of your teen is to be actively involved in the learning-to-drive experience. Sharing your knowledge and experience about safe driving is important. Now is the time to begin a potentially life-saving dialogue with your teen. Here are some important actions you can take: Evaluate your teen’s readiness. Talk with them about personal responsibility, the ability to follow rules and any other concerns before beginning the learning-to-drive process. Before you begin practice driving with your teen, include strict ground rules related to distraction. A lot has probably changed since you earned your driver’s license. Graduated driver licensing, driver education, license restrictions and supervised practice driving are all part of today’s licensing process. It is important to learn the rules. It is never too early to start talking. You have acquired “road wisdom” over the years that you can share, because it could save your teen from having to learn things the hard way. Focus on safety. Traffic crashes are a real danger. Talk to your teen about: Always buckle up and be a safe passenger with teen and adult drivers. Prohibit your teen from riding with teen drivers or transporting other teens during the learning-to-drive process. Other teen passengers are one of the most dangerous sources of distraction for teen drivers, whether due to loud music, rowdy behavior or peer pressure. Be engaged. When you’re behind the wheel, talk about what you see (road signs, pedestrians, other vehicles, etc.) that could result in the need to change speed, direction or both. Stay involved. Practice supervised driving until your teen logs at least 100 hours. Your teenager might obtain an intermediate driver license before completing 100 hours of practice driving but this does not mean your teen driver no longer needs to practice. Solo driving is actually the riskiest phase for your teen, so stay engaged. The more time your teenager spends behind the wheel, the more experiences you’ll both have to talk about, such as dealing with tailgaters, distractions, speeding, poor weather conditions and more. Emphasize the dangers of these common hazards. Be a good role model. Your teen has been watching your driving habits for years. When your teen begins the learning-to-drive process, their focus will likely increase. Make changes in your driving to prevent any poor driving habits from being passed on. Show you take driving seriously and always set a good example. Car-Lotta reminds you to... Always wear your seat belt. Obey traffic laws. Do not use a cell phone while driving. Watch your speed. Don’t tailgate. Use your turn signals. Don’t drive when angry or tired. It’s no secret that parents play a critical role in the learning-to-drive process, from checking into state licensing processes to supervising practicing driving. With all the details involved in getting your teen safely behind the wheel, NOW is a good idea to have a game plan.

Are You Affaid Of Being Overcharged When You Get Your Car Serviced?

Face it ....most of us have a fear of being overcharged when we get our automobile repaired. We’re not sure how much parts and labor should cost, and the repair bill seems written in foreign language. Our confusion has led to the common misconception that mechanics are always trying to rip us off. The majority of mechanics are honest, hardworking businessmen who aren’t out to swindle anyone, they’re just trying to make a living like the rest of us. Their business relies on their reputation. It’s in their best interest to keep everything above board when it comes to prices. Where do you get your auto serviced??

Do You Know How To Get Rid Of A Scratch On You Atomobile?

It happens.... You’re closing in on your parked car and there it is again: that eyesore of a paint scratch above the driver’s side door handle. If only you knew how to get rid of it… or at least where to start. Rule No. 1, If you can feel the scratch with your fingernail, it may be too deep for an easy fix. If you can see but not feel the scratch, and want to give fixing it a go. If you can see it, but you can’t feel it, that’s actually a good sign. If you can’t feel it, you can probably get rid of it. What kind of equipment do you need? Ideally, you want to get a mild scratch removal product; you don’t need a real aggressive. You do want to be careful of the applicator you use. People tend to grab an old cotton shop rag or an old cotton wash cloth which may haze the paint. The smarter move is to go with a nice clean microfiber towel or, a soft foam wax applicator pad. First, you want to remove any loose dirt or dust from the surface to avoid grinding it into the paint. Spray the area down (with water) and then wipe it dry with a clean microfiber towel. That’s usually more than sufficient to prep the area, if we’re dealing with an isolated scratch. Next, squeeze a dollop the size of a 50-cent piecef scratch remover – onto the middle of your applicator pad. If the scratch is, say, about a quarter- or half-inch long, don’t work just that tiny little area. Work an area around it, maybe 6 to 12 square inches. Work the product for 20 seconds or so. Then it will become a very thin translucent film on the surface. Wipe off the residue. Don’t let it dry; these products serve no purpose if you let them dry. Plus, they can be a little difficult to remove if they dry on the paint.

Do You Use Social Media Or Your Cell Phone While Driving?

Many drivers admit they use their cell phones while driving including: to access GPS (36%), to take or make calls (36% and 28%, respectively), to check or reply to texts (26% and 17%, respectively) . A much smaller percentage (5%) admit to accessing social media while driving. Of those, their top 5 social media activities are: Scrolling through photos, posts or other content: 89% Taking pictures: 37% Posting photos or videos: 26% Watching or shooting videos: 22% Commenting on other people’s photos or videos: 19% Car-Lotta reminds you to drive safe- Remember...Using a cell phone while driving increases the driver's risk of causing a crash. Drivers are distracted, decreasing the driver's awareness on the road, leading to more car crashes. ... Drivers who text when behind the wheel, are twenty-three times more likely to have an automobile crash.