18
Jun/13

I’ve Been in an Accident on the Highway: Now What?

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Driver’s education classes teach us to remain calm after an accident, but how does the situation change if it’s an accident on an interstate rather than a city street?

With highway speed limits varying from 55 to 85 mph, depending on the state, the speeds of other vehicles could make exiting your car and walking on the highway shoulder dangerous. High speeds also make it much more difficult for passersby to offer assistance than on a local road, as there are often fewer safe places for them to pull over. Depending on the location, it can take emergency services longer to reach the scene of an accident due to distance or traffic.

Therefore, after an accident, it’s important to know what to do to help keep yourself, your passengers and other drivers safe. The following tips can help you prepare and know what to do if you’re in a highway accident.

Look Before Exiting Your Vehicle

If you get into an accident on the highway, it’s common to feel fear, shock or panic, but try to remain calm. If you can pull over to the shoulder or breakdown lane safely, do so. Be sure to look around carefully if you exit your vehicle.

Maximize Your Visibility

After a highway accident, safety is of the utmost importance and being visible to other drivers can save lives. Put on your hazard lights immediately. Put on any colored clothing you have with you. If you have an emergency road kit with flares or reflective triangles, set them out as soon as possible to warn other drivers.

Follow Post-Accident Procedures

In addition to taking steps to stay safe after an accident on the highway, you should follow the same steps after an interstate accident as you would on any other road. Here’s a breakdown:

car-accident-infogrphic

This guest post comes from the editors of The Allstate Blog, which helps people prepare for the unpredictability of life.

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13
Jun/13

Summer Driving Safety

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Check out this infographic from the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration illustrating their best safe driving tips for the summer. The interactive features provide everything a safe driver needs to know before they get in the car, when they’re on the road, or even in an emergency this summer.

NHTSA

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11
Jun/13

Gift Ideas for Dads and Grads: Car Lovers Edition

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June is here again. That means Father’s Day is right around the corner and graduation festivities are happening all month long. Don’t know what to get the awesome dad or grad in your life? We’ve got a few ideas..

For Grads:
Your new graduate is going to need reliable transportation to and from that new job they just landed. Here are some stylish cars that are under $25,000 and above 30 mpg to save a little more coin.

Chevy Spark
chevy spark
The very cool Chevy Spark comes equipped with a 7-inch color touchscreen and full iPod integration with streaming audio and BringGo navigation app. Vibrant colors, 15-inch alloys and rear spoiler make is sporty and it achieves 32/38 mpg city/highway. Tickets start under $12,500, including a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Honda Civic
Honda-Civic
New or used, coupe or sedan, the Honda Civic is a great first-car choice. The 140-horsepower four-cylinder engine achieves 28/39 mpg city/highway. Navigation, USB, Bluetooth, moonroof and heated leather are available for slightly more than the sub-$18,000 base price.

Hyundai Elantra GT
2013-hyundai-elantra-gt-fd
The Hyundai Elantra GT features  a sport suspension, driver-selectable steering modes and 148-horsepower engine that achieves 27/37 mpg city/highway. The interior has heated leather, a cooled glovebox, and Bluetooth streaming audio. Blue Link adds voice-to-text messaging, Web searching and navigation. Prices start around $18,500 including Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

For Dads:
Your dad probably isn’t in need of a whole new car, so here are some gift ideas to help him spruce up the one he already has.

GPS Navigation System
The latest generations of GPS have tons of new features to help you get from point A to point B quickly and safely.  Some popular models include Garmin and TomTom. You could also try a GPS app like CoPilot Live or Google Maps.

Wax and Polish Detailing Kit
A great way to help make dad’s old car look like new is with a detailing kit. Find one that features a microfiber sponge,  a microfiber wash mitt, car wash, wax and polishes. This is a must for the do-it-yourself car detailing dad.

Remote Vehicle Starter System
An all-in-one remote-starter system is the perfect gift for dad. Check out these ones from Bulldog Security that come with an extended range remote, programmable cold start, keyless entry, and remote trunk release.

Whatever the occasion this month, these gifts are sure to surprise any dad or grad.

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4
Jun/13

How to Use a VIN Decoder Chart

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Much like a person’s DNA, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is unique to every car and holds a lot of information within the seemingly random combination of numbers and letters.

Between 1954 and 1981, each automobile manufacturer had their own system for tagging cars and light trucks which resulted in a wide variety of VIN number styles. This made it easier for thieves to switch a stolen vehicle’s ID with a legally registered one. In 1981, the federal government standardized the format in an effort to curb confusion and criminal activities.

Use the infographic below to decode your VIN number and verify the facts on your Vehicle History Report and service records.

decode-your-vin

This guest post comes from the editors of Carfax. Just say – Show me the CARFAX!

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30
May/13

What Should Be in My Car’s Summer Emergency Kit?

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While many of us prefer summer breezes to winter blizzards, extreme heat, humidity, and other summer weather can take a toll on your car. It is important to keep an emergency kit with items appropriate for the season in your car just in case. In this video, Pat Goss explains what you should always keep in that summer emergency kit.

Video Transcription
Well, during the summer you need many of the same things that you do during the winter. That is going to include an interchangeable blade screwdriver (they usually have 4 different sizes, they are very inexpensive), you want to have a pair of adjustable pliers, you want to have some wire cutters, some kind of a knife, and you want plastic electrical tape. Preferably also some duct tape, because that can solve a lot of problems, especially if you have some piece of the body that comes loose. In addition to that, mechanic’s wire, which is a soft wire that you can use to tie things in place like the exhaust system and so on. And above and beyond that, some emergency things for safety: Band-Aids, a first aid kit sort of arrangement, in case somebody gets hurt. Essentially that covers it, except for the number one thing you always want to have–and that is a fully charged cell phone, so that you can get help.

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