Computer driven cars?

Cars of today are safer in America than ever before. Are we moving toward computer-driven cars from the advances in computer-operated active safety features?

One of the top factors in choosing a new car is safety, according to J.D. Power's survey of new car buyers.

Manufacturer response to consumer demands and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) passenger protection mandates means safer cars for Americans.

Airbags
The current trend is adding more and smarter airbags. Even affordable sedans are offering a standard six airbags: Two front and four side curtain airbags. Luxury vehicles are doubling the effort with twelve.

New airbag offerings provide multi-stage deployment and passenger detection systems. In the event of a crash, airbags deploy only when a person occupies the seat and in stages for maximum injury protection.

NHTSA estimates airbags have saved nearly 22,500 lives since 1987.

Head restraints
Even lower speed crashes can produce whiplash-type head and neck injuries. Manufacturers offer most vehicles with active head restraints to prevent the backward motion of the head at impact.

While the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) reports quite a few models do not make their highest safety rating, the majority of American cars do.

Vehicle construction
The NHTSA has determined American vehicles have neared the safety ceiling for vehicle construction with the advances in alloys, crumple zones and modified cabin and roll cages.

Most vehicles introduced earn the highest safety rating offered by the NHTSA and IIHS. All vehicle safety construction changes have been made to obtain the NHTSA's five star rating and the IIHS's good rating.

Current research into roof construction will lead to a new NHTSA standard. The next frontier for vehicle safety is crash avoidance.

Vehicle stability
Under NHTSA mandate, all new vehicles must have electronic stability control by 2012. Computer-operated stability control could save as many as 10,000 lives per year and reduce single vehicle crashes by as much as 34 per cent.

Future technology
Since computers react faster than drivers, more active safety features rely on computers.

Lane departure warning systems are being added to some models for the NHTSA to research their efficacy before mandating their installation in all new vehicles.

More complex systems, like collision avoidance systems, are the first baby steps toward computer-driven cars. These vehicles anticipate crashes, close windows and sun roofs and preload brakes.

Slowing cars prior to impact reduces the severity of crashes. Closing of cabin openings, like sun roofs, increases the stability of the cabin, reducing injuries inside.

Read on to find out how these changes are making the safety ratings harder to attain and driving safer.

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Cold Weather Driving Safety

With the cold weather back, please drive safely!

Winter driving safety is as easy as following the three "P"s.

~ Prepare

1. Prepare for the winter season. Maintain you car to perform in cold conditions. Check the battery, windshield wipers and tire tread. Put no-freeze windshield wiper fluid in the washer reservoir. Check your antifreeze.

2. Stock your car with essentials in the event of a breakdown, bad road conditions or an accident:

Flashlight Jumper cables Flares Sand or cat litter Ice scrapers and snow brush Shovel Blankets

While the first three should always be in your trunk, the last three are winter necessities. Sand or cat litter will help you gain traction should you find your car on an icy road or parking lot.

When your car stalls, put on the hazard lights, put out flares and put on the dome light. Make sure other motorists can see you.

Ice scrapers are a necessity for clearing the windshield. Remember, ice builds up while you are parked in a lot, so you need scrapers in the car. Snow flying off the hood can stick to the windshield and refreeze into ice. Brush it off.

If you could not control the skid and ended up in a snow bank, you will need to dig out your tires, hence the shovel. If your car is stopped, use the shovel to be sure the exhaust is clear so you can stay in the car and be warm.

You know the heater works, so why carry blankets? If you are in an accident or the car breaks down, you cannot guarantee your heater will work. In freezing weather, hypothermia can grip you in as little as fifteen minutes.

3. Plan your route. Avoid areas where accidents occur on clear days, as they will be particularly dangerous in wintry conditions. If you must go through these areas, be overly cautious.

Plan how long it will take to get there and add ten minutes. No one will fire you for being early.

Check the weather. On days of snow, allow an extra minute per mile to account for other drivers who may not be as winter driving savvy. Leave earlier for sleet.

Let someone know your route and when you should arrive. If you are late, they can call for help for you.

4. Practice winter driving. If this is your first winter, you are uncomfortable on winter roads or you are inexperienced, drive during daylight in an empty, snow-covered parking lot. Get a feel for the way you car reacts to the conditions.

Steer into a skid. Turn your wheels into the skid. Pump standards brakes or apply constant pressure to anti-lock brakes. Practicing what to do when you skid on ice will help you calmly react if you skid on the road.

Know braking distances. Cars are harder to stop on water, snow and ice. Test how far it takes you to stop the car.

~ Protect

Protect yourself by buckling your seat belt. Use child safety seats and restraints properly. Never place a rear-facing infant car seat in front of an air bag. Keep children under twelve in the backseat, buckled up.

~ Prevent

1. You are the number one person to prevent an accident. Never mix alcohol or drugs with driving. If you are planning to drink, designate a sober driver.

2. Slow down and increase the distance between your car and other drivers. Watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists. Share the road courteously.

3. Avoid fatigue. Get plenty of rest. If driving long distances, stop every three hours. When you can, alternate drivers.

Driving safety is the responsibility of all drivers. Driving safely in winter does not have to be difficult.

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What does ethanol really cost?

When everyone is looking for better fuel efficiency and cleaner burning energy, biofuel is quick to the attention of eco-conscious consumers. So how expensive is ethanol?

Bio-fuels seem to present a renewable resource alternate to fossil fuel. A closer examination of the costs of producing ethanol and biodiesel shows the true economic and ethical costs involved in choosing bio-fuel as a long term solution.

All of the following depend on fossil fuel to produce bio-fuel:

Hybridization of crops
Planting and irrigation
Fertilizer and pesticide
Harvesting
Grinding biomass
Transporting the crop
Production facility machinery

To gauge how efficient the bio-fuel alternative truly is, a joint study by Cornell and University of California -Berkeley determined that the energy output of both ethanol and biodiesel were not worth the effort of producing them.

Ethanol production from switch grass required 45 percent more energy than the resultant ethanol produced. This is the equivalent of spending $1.45 to buy a dollar.

Biodiesel produced from sunflower plants required 118 percent more energy than the biodiesel could produce. Would you spend $2.18 to buy a dollar?

These pitfalls are considered short-term shortfalls. As bio-fuel machinery becomes more widely available, the production costs will go down. Yet, the research into such machines is not likely to begin for more than another decade and only when the United States government decides which bio-fuel to endorse.

The long term pitfalls are more ominous. Ethanol and biodiesel do not burn as cleanly as burning biomass, pure wood or switch grass waste. The air emissions contribute to the greenhouse effect and further global warming.

Bio-fuels need a constant agricultural supply. To meet the United States need for liquid fuel, one of two scenarios present: 1. Residential property will be regulated to upward growth only (apartment dwelling). 2. Rural residential lands will be relegated to subsidized agriculture of biomass producing farms.

Both scenarios result in larger air pollutant emissions. The transportation of food contributes the second largest air pollutant emission in the United States. Multi-level housing creates traffic congestion and household emissions in higher concentration.

Additionally, the choice to use wood biomass to produce ethanol would result in fewer trees to protect the atmosphere, higher fossil fuel demand than even switch grass (12 percent) and increase prices of common wood based products. This price increase would impact industries that produce or use paper, cardboard, furniture, building supplies and wood as a fuel source.

So what does that mean for food prices, water and soil pollution, sustainability and fertility?

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Your car's carbon footprint=Big Foot?

You recycle. You conserve water. You adjust your thermostat. You get in your car and go to work. There are five main areas where you can lower your car's carbon footprint: Shopping, errands, work, maintenance and driving. It starts with you.

If the number one way to reduce your impact on global warming was to drive less, how many excuses could you supply why you cannot drive less? How about some practical tips to help you not only drive less, but reduce your emissions when you have to drive?

Even if you cannot afford to trade your car for a more efficient, electric or hybrid model, you can do a lot to reduce the impact your vehicle has on the environment.

Shopping

1. Shop for frozen and dry groceries and household supplies once per month. Limit shopping for perishables to once per week, and then only on your way home from somewhere else. Save gas and money by planning ahead.

2. Shop for clothing, shoes, items for children, gifts and other items quarterly or bimonthly. These non-essentials should be planned to avoid prolonged or frequent driving.

3. Shop locally. This is more than going to the neighborhood market. Buy items produced locally as well. You have direct control over pollution caused by transporting goods over very long distances to get to you.

Errands

1. Go to the bank, post office, doctor's office and pharmacy on the same day. By plotting your itinerary to include at least three stops, you save gasoline, money and time while reducing your carbon emissions by as much as 70%.

2. Go with a friend. While not as efficient as carpooling, you can choose who has the most efficient vehicle and completely eliminate the emissions from the other. Best practice is to go everywhere with at least two other people.

3. Go on time. Schedule your errands so you will not rush. This leads to more considerate driving, better braking and less stress.

Work

1. Telecommute. Many companies offer choices in telecommuting. More offices are closing an additional day each week to save on overhead. Work from home one day, or more, per week.

2. Carpool. It is cool to carpool. Schedule meetings during your commute. Again, choose the most efficient car to get you and your colleagues to work on time.

3. Transfer. If you are commuting more than fifteen miles to work, consider a position closer to your home. When possible, work within walking distance of your home.

4. Move. If you are commuting more than fifty miles to work, you are losing money, time and breathable air. If you cannot move, transfer to a position closer to home.

5. Detour. If your commute is spent sitting in traffic, find a new route to work. If there is only one way, change your work hours to avoid standstills.

Grab ten more tips on how to reduce your car's impact on global warming.

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How safe is an efficient car?

Wanted: A safe, American-built vehicle with excellent fuel efficiency in 2015.

While this does not sound like a tall request, American automakers have been joined by Oriental and European giants, like Toyota and Volkswagen, in proclaiming they cannot make such a vehicle with a consumer-friendly price tag.

Mandated fuel economy

Proposed Federal fuel economy regulations aims to speed up the schedule for producing fuel efficient cars to combat oil consumption and carbon emissions. Manufacturers are on a slower paced plan.

Since 1975, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program have increased fuel economy in manufacturers' fleets to 27.5 miles per gallon (MPG). Current CAFE regulations are codified in United States Code Title 49, Sub. VI, Part C, Ch. 329. CAFE sets the fuel economy for each year, which increases annually 3.3 per cent.

The proposed amendment would increase that rate to 4.5 per cent. Passenger car and light truck MPG would be 31.6 by 2015.

Safety factor

Manufacturers are balking at the price tag for producing cars with this fuel efficiency. In order to preserve jobs and make a profit, they will need to price these cars above the reach of the average consumer.

No manufacturer has publicly commented it would sacrifice safety for fuel economy, although environmental impact statements (EIS) of current models profess body weight as the biggest deterrent to fuel economy.

Since 1950, manufacturers have striven to improve crashworthiness, the vehicle's ability to survive a crash with its occupants alive or unharmed. Internal safety advances include seat belts and air bags. While those do not impact fuel economy, advanced roll cages, the car's skeleton, are the heaviest components in the car. External advances included bumper systems and crumple zones. These have varied effects on the weight of the vehicle.

Uncrashworthy cars are a liability for owner and manufacturer. When cars do not survive crashes, occupants sue the owners of other vehicles and the auto maker who produced the unsafe car.

Practical fuel economy

Technological advances in fuel economy are the first attack in producing more fuel efficient cars. Manufacturers declare this avenue as exhausted: The engine cannot be more economical.

Aerodynamics are next. Vehicles have smoother lines to resist air drag. Consumers have rejected the most fuel efficient designs as undesirable, even though the cars are economical to drive and safer than most other designs.

There is an undeniable link between weight and crashworthiness. Will fuel economy standards lead to less crashworthy cars?

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Blog on the move....

Check out the new publications stemming from this blog....

Kids & Cars: Child Driveway Safety Tips

Vehicle Fires: Why They Happen & What to Do

Seat Belts on School Buses: Why the Law Should Change

Read more content by Ann Marie Dwyer by visiting any of these links. Comment on what you read! Add a tweet to your twitter about VA's Dream!

Just a look ahead...........

More money saving tips
More environmental tips
More consequences to rising prices

After that, I will be beginning an in depth look into the plight of rural America. Stay Tuned!

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Recycling for lower gas prices

The production of recyclable materials consumes more fossil fuel than all of the cars in the United Sates. Plastic production consumes more than 8% of all fossil fuels worldwide.

By reducing the amount of virgin polythene for plastic containers, glass from sand & feldspar, fresh paper from trees, and aluminum, tin and steel cans from ore, everyone can control fuel consumption by recycling. By exercising the law of supply and demand, consumers have direct control over the cost of their own energy consumption, both electric and gasoline.

~ Recycling aluminum cans consumes 96% less energy than producing from ore, produces 95% less air pollution and produces 97% less water pollution.

~ Recycling one glass bottle will light a 100 watt light bulb for 4 hours. Producing glass from recycled glass reduces solid waste by 75% and air pollution by up to 20%.

~ Recycling one ton of plastic bottles reduces oil consumption by 1.8 tons. Recycling one pound of PET plastic (soda & water bottles) saves 12,000 BTU of energy. Recycling one plastic bottle conserves enough energy to fuel a 60 watt light bulb for almost six hours.

~ Recycling one ton of paper saves 380 gallons of oil- enough to drive a car 1,260 miles- and conserves 4,077 kilowatt hours of energy or enough to heat and cool an average American home for 6 months.

~ Recycling the 39,000,000 appliances last year produced enough steel to build 160 football stadiums. Of the 100,000,000 steel and tin cans used in America everyday, enough cans are thrown away to build all of the cars in America.

Plastic production is the single largest consumer of oil at 8% of the world's total oil consumption. Recycling of one-tenth of American HDPE bottles (detergent, milk and shampoo bottles) would keep 200,000,000 pounds of solid waste out of land fills and all of the gasoline necessary to transport it.

Aluminum recycling of one ton of cans will conserve 12,725 kilowatt hours, equal to the amount of the electricity used in the average American home in 10 years. This energy is the equivalent to 2,350 gallons of gasoline, or enough to drive a new car 82,250 miles.

Producing glass from only 50% post consumer recycled glass saves 1,330 pounds of sand, 151 pounds of feldspar, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone and 288 pounds of mining waste, as well as all of the fuel necessary to transport and process these materials.

Of the 62,000,000 newspapers printed today, 44,000,000 will be thrown away- the equivalent of 30,000,000 trees. Recycling one ton of paper reduces the use of processed energy by a minimum of 64% in addition to the savings of the fuel consumed by transporting and processing the trees.

Steel and tin recycling currently saves enough electrical energy each year to light Los Angeles (18,000,000 homes) for eight years. Recycling one car saves 1,400 pounds of coal, 120 pounds of limestone, 2,500 pounds of iron ore and all of the fuel to mine and transport the raw materials.

Take on oil companies by reducing the need for oil. One recycled aluminum can will save enough gasoline to fill the can half full, and recycling one six pack of aluminum cans would save enough gasoline to drive 5 miles. Producing plastic grocery bags from recycled plastic reduces energy consumption by 67%.

Recycling is more than just conserving the air, trees, coal, natural resources and oil on Earth. It is keeping money in your pocket.

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When to replace your tires

Tires are the first line of defense for a driver and greatly affect fuel economy. Each of these indicators will let you know when to replace your tires.

1. Less than 7/32 of an inch of tread is left on the tire. Place a penny in the tread. The tread should reach past Lincoln's eyebrow.

2. You have exceeded the number of miles on the tire rating. Tires are rated to travel a finite number of miles as a maximum. Replace tires within 1,000 miles of the maximum rated mileage.

3. You can hear a rhythmic thump as you drive. This is often produced by a tire that is out of round, simply, has a hernia. The steel belting has been severed inside the tire, and the inner layer of rubber is placing pressure on the tread from the inside.

4. You develop a slow leak. If your tire pressure is low within a week of filling it to the correct pressure, you should have the tire checked. Punctures within 1 inch (25 mm) of the edge or in the side wall should never be repaired, as they can cause tire exposion during a blowout.

5. You develop a leak after placing a fixative tire inflater into your tire. If you tire is not at the correct pressure within one week of using a product, such as Fix-a-Flat or Re-Air, replace the tire because it is unable to be patched. The chemicals in the fixative keep the patch material from bonding properly to fix the tire.

Note: Americans will pay a fine for this tire, as after the fixative, it cannot be recycled by traditional methods.

5. You notice a wobbling in your steering. This is another sign that you may have a tire that is out of round.

6. You hear a whining, near whistling, sound when you drive. The whistling is produced by too much of the tire surface improperly touching the pavement. The exterior of the side wall is touching the pavement. Unusually worn side walls can blow out at high speeds (over 40 mph).

7. Your tire has become flat, and you have driven on it for more than one half mile. The inside wall of the tire will be damaged, as well as the exterior of the side wall. The tire will be unsafe to operate the vehicle.

8. You notice wear, nicks or cuts on the side wall of your tire. There is no reinforcement in or for the side wall. If it is damaged in any way, the tire should be replaced.

9. You notice uneven tread wear. If the inside or outside tread of your tire is worn more than the rest, it is best to replace it, but consult a professional. If the worn tread is less than 7/32 of an inch deep, definitely replace it.

Remember, tires are the only thing keeping you on the road. Take care of them.

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Water in your gas

Since saving money on gas is important to everyone, with or without a car, fuel economy affects all of us. Water in gasoline is the number one fuel economy reducer. So how does it get there?

Water gets into your gas in stages. Depending on the handling of your gasoline, the time of your purchase and your own maintenance of it, in some cases the amount of water will be greater than the actual gasoline content of your tank.

How is that?
Gasoline is refined from crude oil. As it breaks down, the flammable portion of the gas separates from the remaining chemicals. One of the resultant chemicals is water. The only way for gas to break down is to be in contact with air. The oxygen in the air interacts with the gasoline causing it to fume. This effect is noticeable when you pump gas into a gas can. You will be able to see the flammable portion of the gasoline swirling in the air above the opening.

Gasoline evaporates at a remarkable rate. The more air in your tank, the faster the gasoline evaporates and breaks down into poorly burning fuel.

What does that do to fuel economy?
Water is a natural fire extinguisher. A mixture of gas and water will not burn as hot as gasoline alone. This is why the gas burns from the tank faster when the gauge is lower. It takes more volume to get the same amount of gasoline when it is mixed with water. As the fuel pump churns the liquid from the tank, the heavier water mixes with the gas.

Lower temperature burning gasoline reduces fuel economy considerably. By design, your tank backfills with air as you burn out the gasoline. When your gauge reaches half, get to a pump.

Does it only happen to my car?
Oil refineries' gasoline storage tanks have a floating ceiling to keep zero atmosphere from touching the gasoline. With minimal evaporation, the gasoline neither evaporates or degrades before it is trucked to gas stations.

The gas station does not have this measure in place. Their tanks are lined metal and backfill with air the same way your gas tank does. The longer the gasoline is in their tank, the more the gas will degrade, increasing the water content.

How do I stop it?
Keeping your tank full and buying gasoline the day after it is delivered are two ways to keep the least amount of water in your gas tank. The third way is to treat your gasoline once per month or every two thousand miles.

When you treat your gas, the water that is at the bottom of the tank goes through the engine at a faster rate. The qualities of the gas treatment will raise the octane level of your gas, causing it to burn hotter.

This increase in temperature ensures that the water is burned away completely. An added bonus to this is that it reduces the amount of rust and debris that can clog fuel injection systems.

The last step to keeping water out of your gas is to purchase and maintain a locking sealant gas cap. By preventing the gas fumes from escaping, the gas cap also keeps ambient air from condensing in the top of the gas tank. This condensation increases the water content.

Buy appropriate grade gasoline for your vehicle, maintain your gasoline, cap your tank and treat your tank regularly. These are the most efficient ways to keep water out of your gas.

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Rural America copes with oil prices

Rising oil prices are isolating rural America. Small town way of life is in the throes of death.

Rural America is known for long-time residents who rely on slow rising gasoline prices to reach the supplies they need to sustain itself from month to month. The rising cost of oil is crippling these towns.

Kershaw, South Carolina is a prime example of a rural town of 2,500 residents. They travel once or twice per month to neighboring cities to buy the items not available in the small town. Many commute to the city to work.

Workers are moving closer to the jobs. Sheila Hinson, local Realtor, said, "My business is booming in the city, but hurting in Kershaw." She cannot sell the homes left behind.

"I have to go to town once a month now because I cannot afford the gas. I had to buy a bigger freezer," said Mary Johnson, of Johnson & Johnson. This local merchant has to open her store more hours despite doctor's orders in treatment her Parkinson's disease.

A Rite-Aid Pharmacy employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, "We are filling less prescriptions. The senior citizens cannot afford to come get their medicine."

Daycare centers have waiting lists for the first time. Families that have always been one-income, now demand two incomes to make ends meet.

Children are suffering the cost of gasoline as well. School buses are prohibited from running air conditioning units. School boards are to vote by summer's end on the temperature in the classrooms this fall.

School commutes are hurting residents. Katherine Long, University of South Carolina (USC) student said, "I had to cut my class schedule because I cannot afford to drive to Columbia more than twice per week." USC is 50 miles from Kershaw.

Lancaster County Library has cut routes the Book Mobile has traveled for the last twelve years. Chief librarian said, "With the cost of gas, we are looking for ways to cut the budget."

Meals-on-Wheels has operated in Kershaw from the Lancaster office since it was founded. Meals have not been delivered to Kershaw since oil was $103.00 per barrel in February, 2008.

Other charities are struggling to meet the community's needs. When asked for a charity donation, H&H Chevrolet dealership owner Annette Hinson replied, "People cannot buy cars, and business has been so off that I cannot afford to give."

Many residents are buying golf carts to drive around town. Town drivers are more frequently sharing the road with motor scooters from local motor sports shops.

Life-long resident Kenny Roberts said, "Gas is too high. I can't go see everyone I help." He hauls garbage for the elderly and delivers food from Buffalo Baptist Church to its shut-in members.

Businesses are closing that have been supporting Kershaw for the last 25 years. "I cannot afford to drive here anymore," said business owner Marcus Bailey of Bailey's Pottery and Antiques. He is a resident of the smaller town Heath Springs, seven miles from Kershaw.

Kershaw owned and operated swimming pool is seeing fewer students and members. Residents are investing in above ground pools, splitting the cost with neighbors.

With the continued loss of tax base, Town Council member Rose Marie Baker said, "If something does not change, the only choice we will have is to raise taxes." The first reading of the 2008-2009 budget revealed the largest increase in Kershaw history with no significant increase in services.

Kershaw Mayor Tommy Baker is open to suggestions and solicits them before each Town Council meeting. "Kershaw needs more support from the county," he said.

Main Street business owners that remain have banded together to produce a business-oriented festival to draw more potential residents and business to Kershaw. Owners are not willing to let their small town die under the weight of rising gasoline prices.

The trickle-down effect of rising oil prices on rural America is the isolation of small town residents. They cannot afford to live the way they always have.

Elderly residents are suffering for lack of service which has sustained them in the past and the inability to get the medicine they need. Families have changed home life to support the cost of gasoline to make ends meet. Children are exposed to heat unnecessarily. Young workers are moving away.

The cost of oil is too great when it kills small towns.

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Save money on gas...

Thought about saving money on your driving expenses lately? Most everyone else has. Here is the compilation of the best practical tips from around the industry on how to save money on gasoline. Luckily, not one of them is "buy a hybrid".

Driving across town to get gasoline at a cheaper price defeats the purpose of saving money! You can get more gasoline for every dollar.

~ Only buy gasoline in the early morning while the ground is still cold.

As gasoline heats, it expands. Since all gas stations have their tanks underground, the colder the ground, the denser the gasoline is. While oil companies weigh gasoline for specific gravity, gas stations do not. Denser gasoline means that your gallon will actually be a full gallon.

~ Pump at the slowest flow rate.

Slowly pumping gas reduces the amount of fumes produced. EPA mandate requires all gas pumps have a vapor return which stops fumes from escaping. When you pump fast, the vapors (still gasoline) are vacuumed back into the gas station's tank and sold again to someone else. You are charged for what goes out the nozzle without getting credit for the gasoline that returns to the storage tank.

~ Keep your tank full.

Gasoline evaporates. The more air in your tank, the faster the gasoline evaporates and breaks down into poorly burning fuel. Lower temperature burning gasoline reduces fuel economy. By design, your tank backfills with air as you burn gasoline. When your gauge reaches half, get to a pump.

Gasoline storage tanks have a floating ceiling to keep zero atmosphere from touching the gasoline. With minimal exposure, the gasoline neither evaporates or degrades before it is trucked to gas stations. Oil companies take this measure to preserve their gasoline, so should you.

~ If the truck is filling the station's tank, pump somewhere else.

As the truck sprays the gasoline into the tank, it disturbs the debris settled on the bottom of the tank from evaporation degradation and decay of the tank. This dirt, rust and incombustible material reduces fuel economy and can cause serious damage to your fuel pump and fuel injectors.

~ Change that fuel filter.

It is impossible to avoid evaporation degradation. Before you change your oil, clean your fuel with a product approved by your vehicle's manufacturer. When the oil is changed, change the fuel filter. Preserve your fuel economy by removing the most material reducing your gas mileage.

~ Driving courteously.

Quick starts and hard braking burn more gasoline than letting off one pedal and touching your foot to the floor before applying pressure to another pedal. The speed limit, or just a bit below, will produce better gas mileage.

~ Empty your trunk and backseat.

Reduce weight to reduce gasoline consumption.

~ Use cruise control every time possible.

Cruise control saves more than 7% of the gas used driving manually on flat terrain.

~ Use the correct grade of gasoline for your vehicle.

~ Plan excursions to include at least three stops. By combining trips for errands, you will burn less gasoline and time.

Make your gasoline dollar drive you farther. Save enough to drive to your Senator's office to demand equity with oil companies when it comes to preserving your fuel investment.

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Avoid Car Theft: Protect your Car

A car is stolen every 26.4 seconds in America.(1) Avoid car theft using anti-theft devices and some basic common sense practices.

Devices
When choosing a new car, consider some anti-theft features. With older cars, try some upgrades or mechanical devices.

~ Window tint
Where laws allow, window tint protects a car from theft by preventing a thief from seeing how to get into the car without being noticed.

~ Alarms
Siren car alarms, or silent alarms which signal law enforcement, are the most standard of anti theft devices. When a thief tampers with the car, especially door locks and steering column or trying to "hot wire" the car, the alarm sounds.

~ Keyless (Remote) locks
The car locks are activated by a remote control: not a key in the door. Without the key chain remote, the windows must be broken to get into the car.

~ Vehicle immobilizers
These sophisticated companions to car alarms disable portions of the electrical or fuel systems, making it nearly impossible for a would-be thief to steal the car.

~ Keyless ignition
Buttons on key chain remotes control these ignitions. More expensive versions of the keyless ignition are voice-controlled or push-button inside the car with driver identity recognition.

~ Mechanical devices
Steering wheel and tire locks prevent car thieves from moving cars. The Club offers anti-theft products including its original steering wheel lock and Wheel Club.

Other choices include: Wolo Krook Lock, Lawman Unbreakable Car Bar, UNBREAKABLE AutoLock, The Wrap and SuperHooks

~ GPS locater
The two leading companies in locating stolen cars: OnStar and LoJack.

OnStar is a subscription service that is offered on all new General Motors (GM) cars sold in the US and Canada after 2007. Drivers receive remote activated door unlock, lights and horn and stolen vehicle location.(2)

LoJack is a theft recovery system. If the car is stolen and reported to the police, LoJack police tracking units can follow the signal of the radio transmitter to the location of the car.

All LoJack transmitters are registered in a global police database. 90% of all LoJack equipped stolen cars are recovered. (3)

Common sense

It does not take a lot of smarts to outsmart a car thief. A little thinking takes away most opportunities for a thief to steal your vehicle.

~ Park safely
Park in a well-lit area. Park close to walkways to prevent the thief from having uninterrupted time to steal the car.

~ Turn it off
Never leave a running car unattended. It only takes a moment to drive away.

~ Hide assets
Place valuables, like laptops and shopping bags, in the trunk or glove compartment. Cars with visible valuables are more enticing.

~ Lock doors and close windows
Thieves will try handles to find the easiest car to steal. If a thief can reach in the window and open the door, he will.

~ Keys in your pocket
Thieves know where keys are hidden on a car. Better (and cheaper) to be locked out of your car than have your car stolen.

~ Disable the ignition
If the car will be parked for more than 24 hours or in a theft area, don't let it drive away.

Beginner: Disconnect one battery cable.
Intermediate: Unplug the distributor cap.
Advanced: Remove the distributor rotor.

Keep your car from becoming a statistic by choosing anti-theft devices and exercising common sense.

(1) Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Uniform Crime Report: 2006

(2) OnStar by GM

(3) LoJack Global Licensee Network

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Driveway Safety for Children and Drivers

Driveways can be dangerous places for children and drivers. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports children under age four are the most likely to be killed in a back-up accident off-road. All of these accidents can be avoided.

While these children are only 6% of the American population, they represent more than 30% of this type fatality. The elderly, school-aged children and teens make up almost all of the statistics. Very few adults are killed in back-up, off road accidents.

The NHTSA calls these fatalities “non-occupant” since the child is not an occupant of the car. These “accidents” are off-road because they happen while drivers are backing out of driveways instead of on the street or highway.

Why are the statistics so high?
Since young children do not have physical stature (height), they cannot be seen easily from inside the car. This means drivers must exercise more caution when driving when children are present around the vehicle.

The child’s lack of comprehension places them in greater risk than older children and adults. Simply put, they do not understand the danger of a moving vehicle or the finality of death.

How to avoid these accidents
Watch the children.
Always know where the child is. Know each child’s location, especially when around motor vehicles: cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUV), off-road vehicles, motorcycles and recreational vehicles (RV), as well as lawn equipment (like mowers), tractors and agricultural equipment (like threshers).

It’s not a play toy.
Do not allow children to play in, on, under or around vehicles of any type. Children can become trapped under a vehicle. They can unknowingly put the vehicle into gear and hurt another child while playing inside. Falls from the top of a vehicle can be fatal for a child.

It's not a playground.
Avoid letting the driveway be a "playground". If children are allowed to play in the driveway, let them do it when no cars are present. Place a barricade at the end of the driveway. Separate the driveway from the street so the children will know that the street is not an acceptable place to play.

Get out and look.
Before backing out of the driveway, physically look around and under the car. Be sure to know the location of each child before starting the vehicle.

Look, listen and stop if needed.
Look behind the vehicle as you back slowly out of the driveway. Put the window down so that you can listen for children. Be prepared to stop immediately.

Turn it off and lock the door.
Children will want to emulate parents and adults. Turn the ignition off to keep children from moving the vehicle. Even when in the garage or driveway, keep the doors locked. This will keep the children from playing inside the vehicle.

Keeping children safe in the driveway is the number one way to avoid non-occupant, off-road fatalities. Take these simple steps to keep more children from being killed by cars. Teach the children in your life to take care around all vehicles.

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