:le , ra - October 1 O, 2012 Page 15
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Fall safe driving 1
Fall is often associated with
such pleasantries as back to school,
beautiful foliage, spooky Hallow-
eens and Thanksgiving feasts.
The kids are back in school and
sports seasons are in full swing.
What is often lost and forgot-
ten are the safety hazards associ-
ated with the season while out on
the roads.
Fifty-six percent of Americans
are planning to take a fall road trip,
and 51 percent are planning on
driving at least 500 miles, accord-
ing to Hankook Tire's latest Quar-
terly Index.
With all these miles being
logged on U.S. highways and
streets, it is best to take the proper
precautions to ensure the safety of
yourself, your family and those on
the roads.
Slippery when wet: Fall fo-
liage is, without a doubt, a grand
sight. But once leaves hit the
ground, raking isn't your only con-
cern.
Speeding over wet leaves
can lead to losing control of your
car. In addition, fallen leaves can
serve as prime cover for potholes
and ditches which can result in flat
tires, blowouts, or even more seri-
ous structural damage to your ve-
hicle.
School is in session: With
young children and teens back at
school, it is important to be aware
of your surroundings and be pre-
pared for an increase in pedestrian
traffic and school buses that make
frequent stops. Hankook's Gauge
Index found that only 37 percent of
people pay more attention behind
the wheel when school is back in
session.
With decreased speed limits in
school zones, school buses load-
ing and unloading, youth biking
to school, and the occasional free-
spirited daredevils crossing street
at their own discretion, the reasons
for being attentive during this time
abound.
Trick or treat: Not paying at-
tention while driving on Halloween
can lead to a true fright fest. Forty-
four percent of respondents say they
drive more carefully when trick-or-
treaters are out on Halloween.
With excited kids O n a sugar
high patrolling the streets in all
types of costumes, often in the dark,
their safety is a prime concern. In
fact, just last year Safe Kids USA
released findings that showed on
average, twice as many kids are
killed while walking on Halloween
as compared to any other day of the
year.
Are you prepared? Now that
you are aware of some of the fall
driving hazards, it's time to prop-
erly prepare to hit the road with
confidence. How so?
Disconnect: In this day and
age more and more people are hy-
per-connected via smartphones and
gadgets.
Treat your road trips as a re-
prieve from the outside world and
avoid texting while driving, which
is cited as one of the biggest dis-
tractions for drivers amongst those
polled.
Learn how to change a flat
tire: In case you do hit that hidden
pothole, being equipped with the
Photo courtesy of ARA Content
ices in beauties of fall
people have not stopped to help a
fellow driver change a tire.
Check your tire pressure:
Gone are the 90. degree summer
days. Every 10 degree drop in air
temperature can actually cause
a vehicle's tires to drop up to 2
pounds per square inch (psi) in tire
pressure.
Improper tire pressure can
result in increased tread wear and
lowered performance, factors that
are exacerbated by wet leaves.
Proper preparation is as simple as
purchasing an air pressure gauge
from your local auto repair store.
- ARA Content
SWEET HOME AUTO BODY
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"Quality is the Difference"
knowledge of changing a tire can
help avoid headaches and put you
back on the road in no time.
An easy way to learn is to
have a friend or family member
show you the ropes. But, don't ex-
pect a helping hand from a stranger
if stranded. Sixty-one percent of
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