(BPT) – If you could go back in time and tell people that in the near future there would be a handheld device that would allow them to listen to virtually any song, watch virtually any movie or television show and have access to pretty much any book, t…
(BPT) – Across the U.S., more than 70 percent of the population lives in areas affected by snow and ice. Each winter the average driver in these areas will see more than 5 inches of snow on the roads. And when the snow is falling there are few things m…
(BPT) – Winter brings unpredictable and dangerous road conditions, yet changing out all-season tires for winter tires isn’t high on our priority list. No matter the type of vehicle you drive, tires are the only connection between a vehicle and the road…
(BPT) – As you drive down the street, the threat of potential distractions is everywhere. Federal research shows that distracted driving is a factor in one out of every six crashes, and accounts for 5,000 automobile crash-related fatalities each year.W…
(BPT) – It’s no surprise that teen drivers get into more traffic collisions than their older counterparts, but why? Some reasons include less driving experience, a higher willingness to take risks and passenger distraction. The National Highway Traffic…
(BPT) – The average American driver pays more than $1,300 per year for car insurance, but some pay a third of that average while others pay nearly 30 times that amount, according to research by The Zebra, an auto insurance search engine. High prices, w…
(BPT) – It’s the age-old question: Who is a better driver, men or women? Are women more likely to adhere to the speed limit? Are men more inclined to drive in high-traffic areas? Perhaps there will never be resolution on the matter, but the latest Hank…
(BPT) – The winter driving season is … unique. No matter where you live, these aren’t the same road conditions you enjoyed in June or July, and that means you can’t handle your car in the same way. A winter-ready vehicle requires extra preparation. To get your vehicle ready for the season’s unique driving conditions, apply these five tips.
1. Start with a tune up.
If it’s been awhile since your last tune up, now’s the perfect time. A tune up with a certified mechanic is a great way to be sure your car is operating at tiptop shape and to identify any small problems that could become larger as time goes on. Be honest with your mechanic about your driving experience and ask plenty of questions. Your comments could help them identify a problem you both may have missed.
2. Apply your winter tires.
If you live in a region where temperatures regularly fall below 45 F and winter weather brings snow, sleet and ice to your roads, then you’ll want a good set of winter tires. What makes a winter tire special – and important – is the tread design and tread compound which work well in cold sloppy conditions. A good example is the Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905 which is specifically designed to maintain traction during unfavorable conditions by diverting snow and moisture away from the tires to improve your stability and prevent sliding. If winter road conditions are a problem where you live, don’t leave home without your winter tires.
3. A quick top-off.
Even if you’ve just had your car in for a tune up, there are still benefits to establishing a maintenance check-in regimen during the winter. Start by checking your air filter and fluid levels, including your power steering, transmission and brake fluids. From there move on to check your windshield washer fluid as well as your coolant and refill any/all of these if they are not to proper levels. Set a date to check all of this on the first of each month and your car will be ready when you need it most.
4. Your tires need a maintenance plan as well.
Like the rest of your car, your tires need maintenance throughout the season too. Checking your tires’ air pressure and tread depth is important during the winter because tire pressure naturally drops in colder temperatures and a shallower tread depth will worsen the traction of your tires. You can find the proper pressure for your tires in your vehicle’s owner manual or on the inside jamb of your front doors. To check your tire tread, all you need is a penny. Insert the penny into your tire tread upside down. If you can still see Lincoln’s head, your tires are worn and it’s time for them to be replaced. More info here.
(BPT) – The winter driving season is … unique. No matter where you live, these aren’t the same road conditions you enjoyed in June or July, and that means you can’t handle your car in the same way. A winter-ready vehicle requires extra preparation. To get your vehicle ready for the season’s unique driving conditions, apply these five tips.
1. Start with a tune up.
If it’s been awhile since your last tune up, now’s the perfect time. A tune up with a certified mechanic is a great way to be sure your car is operating at tiptop shape and to identify any small problems that could become larger as time goes on. Be honest with your mechanic about your driving experience and ask plenty of questions. Your comments could help them identify a problem you both may have missed.
2. Apply your winter tires.
If you live in a region where temperatures regularly fall below 45 F and winter weather brings snow, sleet and ice to your roads, then you’ll want a good set of winter tires. What makes a winter tire special – and important – is the tread design and tread compound which work well in cold sloppy conditions. A good example is the Yokohama BluEarth Winter V905 which is specifically designed to maintain traction during unfavorable conditions by diverting snow and moisture away from the tires to improve your stability and prevent sliding. If winter road conditions are a problem where you live, don’t leave home without your winter tires.
3. A quick top-off.
Even if you’ve just had your car in for a tune up, there are still benefits to establishing a maintenance check-in regimen during the winter. Start by checking your air filter and fluid levels, including your power steering, transmission and brake fluids. From there move on to check your windshield washer fluid as well as your coolant and refill any/all of these if they are not to proper levels. Set a date to check all of this on the first of each month and your car will be ready when you need it most.
4. Your tires need a maintenance plan as well.
Like the rest of your car, your tires need maintenance throughout the season too. Checking your tires’ air pressure and tread depth is important during the winter because tire pressure naturally drops in colder temperatures and a shallower tread depth will worsen the traction of your tires. You can find the proper pressure for your tires in your vehicle’s owner manual or on the inside jamb of your front doors. To check your tire tread, all you need is a penny. Insert the penny into your tire tread upside down. If you can still see Lincoln’s head, your tires are worn and it’s time for them to be replaced. More info here.
(BPT) – State and municipal departments of transportation are gearing up their winter maintenance plans to prepare for snow and ice. In addition to plows, road salt is an important tool to keep roads clear. Every year these agencies stockpile sufficient salt to last the winter season and store it in strategically placed barns.
“Snowfighters” (those responsible to clear snow from roadways) are out in force in salt trucks before snow and ice is expected. They pretreat the roads with salt brine, a mix of road salt and water. This brine sticks to the road surface and helps prevent ice from forming in the first place, making winter travel safer. And the safety issue is a substantial one. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation show that there are about 115,000 people injured every year on snowy, slushy or icy pavements and more than 1,600 people killed each year on winter roads.
The good news is that a Marquette University study showed that a good winter maintenance program that uses road salt reduces accidents on winter roads by about 88 percent and can reduce injuries by up to 85 percent.
A key goal for many agencies is tracking their winter maintenance actions in great detail and ensuring that their actions are optimized to meet their goal of safe roads for the driving public. In Idaho, for example, new salt-spreading units allow them to track how much salt they apply to the road, and other sensors allow them to check that the road is responding as expected to the salt application, and is not getting slippery. This also helps reduce costs. They have seen a 29 percent reduction in annual winter maintenance costs since introducing the new technology.
Maintaining mobility is also a big concern, as people need to get to work or the grocery store and kids need to get to school. Clear roads allow ambulances and other emergency vehicles to perform their life-saving services. A study for the American Highway Users Alliance found that the cost of having roads closed down is substantial — between $300 million and $700 million a day for a state in direct and indirect earnings. One study suggested that the costs of maintaining the road system during a winter storm are completely recovered in the first 25 minutes of winter-maintenance activities, because of the improvements in safety and mobility that the improved road conditions bring about.
Care for the environment is also a key issue in safe and sustainable snowfighting. Several studies have shown that when road salt is properly applied at the right time and place to keep roadways safe and passable, environmental impacts can be effectively managed and minimized. Modern roadways are not a natural feature of the environment and are specifically engineered to satisfy our demand for personal and commercial mobility — factors that are basic to the quality of life.
A comprehensive study by environmental researchers at the University of Waterloo and Environment Canada found that when best practices, as outlined in Canada’s Road Salt Code of Practice, were used, chloride levels were reduced by half. Another study by the Guelph University Research Review found that recycling stormwater runoff could reduce chloride peaks in streams without adversely affecting road safety. In cooperation with the city of Toronto, researchers used the EPA Storm Water Management Model to design computer-controlled stormwater containment systems to serve as a guide for future mitigation applications.
Salt is our most important winter resource, because it saves lives and protects the economy. It is economical and extremely effective.