Drive Safe, Park Safe!

Parking Lot Etiquette

Let’s start with a pop quiz: Did you know that fender benders are more likely to occur in a  parking lot than on a road? If you answered yes, then you will probably never end up in the position of this vehicle. Congratulations!

On to the lesson: Frequently people just lose all common sense in the search and sometimes race for the perfect parking spot. Remember, if a spot is currently unoccupied it is ripe for the taking to the first vehicle that can speed up to it. However, if a spot is in the process of being vacated parking lot etiquette calls for the use of a blinker and the spot should rightfully go to the driver who was first to arrive. Although this is not always the case, the other driver may choose to ignore your rightful ownership and try a sneak approach zipping into the spot under the watchful eye of your blinker. If this happens remain calm, take the high road and continue the search, otherwise you may end up like our silver SUV above.

People aren’t the only things that can be hurt (or worse) in a car accident. The family dog, car, or pot bellied pig is at as much risk for injury as mom, dad, and baby sis. So, when taking Fido or Mr. Biggelsworth to the vet or to the beach, follow these tips to keep them save and secure.

1. Keep your pet secure with a pet safety seat. Pet safety seats typically attach to the safety belts in the back seat of your car, and still allow your pet to see out the window. Or keep your pet in a travel safe crate while on the road, providing both the driver and the pet with a comfortable environment.
2. If you dislike the idea of confining your pet on a drive, lay down blankets to provide comfort and familiarity to your pet.
3. Bringing extra water, food and a leash are a must. You need to stop frequently on longer drives for your pet to eat, drink and relieve himself.
4. If carrying your pet in a crate, line it in house pads to protect against those unexpected and unwanted accidents.
5. Last, if your pet simply doesn’t like to travel, talk with your veterinarian about safe medications and dosages to calm your nervous pet.

Owen and Blair work at CARCHEX by day, and mix music by night.

To get to know the CARCHEX employees better, we interviewed them to see what they do on their free time.

We found out that car purchasing expert, Owen, and vehicle protection specialist, Blair, both have a love for DJing.

Blair- I was a college DJ, DJed in DC, Baltimore. Lots of club- house music. Lots of remixes. Fast-paced dance music. Everyone in college says they’re a DJ cause they mix music but DJing is actually the art of blending one song with another song. It does something to me that I can’t really explain, it’s just I can feel the energy like flowing out. I’m not trying to brag or anything but I’m pretty good.

Owen- He spins a little bit more different type of music than I do. More hip-hop than house. Lot of reggae, lot of reggaeton. To really get people motivated and keep them excited and on the dance floor you really really have to do a good song selection. Can’t feel the vibe of the music, you’re not going to want to stay. I love to dance, I get down, especially Mike, Michael Jackson is one of my favorites. They are always trying to get me to do Billy-Jean, so don’t ask me to do it cause I’m not going to do it.

According to AAA, about 39.1 million total travelers will head out of town this Labor Day weekend, roughly 32.9 million by car. Remember these 5 tips and you will be on the road to faster travels.

1. Travel at off-peak times like early Saturday morning.

2. Choose your destination wisely. The majority of the population will be traveling to the popular summer destinations – try choosing a less occupied area this year.

3. If you are taking a toll road, make sure to have a transponder available so you can save time at the tolls.

EZ Pass – Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SunPass – Florida

FasTrack – California

4. Before you leave your house, make sure to check traffic conditions, or while on the road, a passenger can check traffic conditions from their mobile device.

- Some GPS Navigation Apps like CoPilot Live or Google Maps offer free traffic services.
- NAVTEQ offers two free mobile services, a hotline at 1-866-MY-TRAFC (1-866-698-7232) and a mobile website mobi.traffic.com.

5. Drive Safely! Make sure to stay calm on the road even if there is traffic. Road rage is a recipe for disaster! Additionally, be extra careful on the road so you can avoid causing a traffic accident.