Tire Safety Tips

Learning about tire safety can help prevent some accidents.


Know the right pressure for your tires and keep this number in your glove comparment so you won't forget it.

Carrying heavy loads in your vehicle can put a strain on your tires--so know the load limits for your tires.

Tire makers list the "maximum permissible inflation pressurs" on the tire sidewall. This number is the greatest amount of air that under normal driving conditions should be put

in your tire.

Watch out for potholes--they can destroy--or greatly damage tires.

Watch out for newly paved roads with uneven shoulders. We recently had two blow-outs from moving onto a shoulder to avoid a truck in our lane--but the uneven shoulders sliced

into the tires.

Tires lose pressure over time. So check them regularly--at least monthly. Measure tire pressure when tire is "cold" which means it hasn't been driven.

Watch out for curbs. Scrapping your tires on a curb or hitting a curb can damange your tires. Be careful of curbs when you're backing up as well.

If you have to replace a tire, make sure it is the same size as the other three.

If you let a teen drive a family car, make sure the tires are in good condition. If you're giving your teen an older car, you might want to put a new set of good tires on the

car.

Check the tire tread and replace tires before--or at least when tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch. You can also place a penny in the tread with Lincoln's head upside down

and facing you. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's time to get new tires.

Keep a tire gauge in the glove compartment.

Rotate tires according to your vehicle's owner manual recommendation. Some tire companies throw this in free when you buy a new set of tires.

Buy road hazzard insurance on your tires--especially if a teen will be driving the car. It's usually only a few dollar's more and the tire company will replace the tire if it's

beyond repair--or repair it.

http://www.teendriving.com

--------[ read full post ]--------

Major factors in crashes

* Speed
* Alcohol and drugs
* Ignoring right-of-way
* Tailgating
* Improper passing and driving to the left of center
* Fatigue
* Reckless Driving




http://www.teendriving.com

--------[ read full post ]--------

Danger signs for fatigue

Drowsiness can sneak up on you when you're driving. For teenagers, driving late at night, between eleven p.m. and two a.m. is particularly dangerous for falling asleep at the

wheel. Here are some signs to watch for--and do something about before you run into a tree or another car.



* Yawning a lot
* Having trouble keeping eyes open
* Not being able to concentrate
* Not remembering the last few minutes or seconds
* Jerking of your head or body from the brink of falling asleep
* Car wanders from the road or into another lane

What to do:

1. Slow Down
2. Pull off road into a safe parking space like a rest aea . Lock the doors and take a nap. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that you take a nap for 15-45 minutes.
3. Make a pit stop, use the bathroom and get a Coke or coffee to drink--it takes about 30 minutes for the effects are felt.
4. Call home if you can.
5. Talk to a passenger if you have one

While the ideas below may help for a few minutes, they could be dangerous because they won't keep you awake for long if you're very tired.

1. Turn radio to a lively station, try singing
2. Roll down window and get some fresh air for a few minutes, or turn vent on full blast


http://www.teendriving.com

--------[ read full post ]--------