Driving Apps To Help Your Wallet

February 19, 2014UncategorizedOzzie

With warmer weather coming up in a hurry, that can only mean one thing: Gas prices are going to go up. Every time I look down at my gas meter, I hope that I’ve got enough to last me a few more days. Filling up my car takes a good $50 and if I fill up 4 times a month, that’s $200! I’ve been on the lookout for ways to curb my gas-guzzling ways and also keep my eyes out for ways to spend less at the pump. Here’s a couple of useful apps for your smartphone that I’ve found to be a great help.

GasBuddy

This is a particularly useful app when you’re trying to find the cheapest gasoline in relation to where you are. Sure, there are other apps out there like it, but I’ve found this one to be the easiest to use. Just start up the app and within seconds, it shows you how much the gas prices are in relation to where you are located. You can sort it by distance from you and by price. It’s always helpful to know that if you drive a little bit further down the road, you could save 5 cents per gallon instead of settling on the first gas station you see.

Automatic

This is a brand new app that looks promising. For $99.95, it includes a device that you plug in under the dash and it monitors your driving habits, gas mileage, even your check engine light! It’s also a parking reminder for those of us who sometimes forget where we parked. Automatic can also detect when you’ve been in a crash and will notify the authorities of your location. One of the best features of Automatic is the driving adjustment suggestions. If you tend to have a lead foot or like jumping out from a stop sign too quickly, it will recommend ways to improve your gas mileage. By keeping track of your trips via GPS and transferring them to your smartphone via Bluetooth, you can see exactly how well you’re doing and what improvements can be made with your driving habits. Here’s the video for more details:

What apps do you use in regards to driving?

Car Seat Safety Is Always Important

February 13, 2014Safe DrivingOzzie

There may be nothing in the world that angers me more than to find out that someone has their child’s car seat improperly installed or not safely restraining their children before driving. Child safety seats are designed to lessen the risk of injury or death when in an accident, but they must be used and installed properly, or all of the science and research that goes into the production of them is all for naught. Some studies I’ve read suggest that 7 out of every 10 car seats are installed incorrectly.

If your child is young enough to require a car seat or booster, you want to place them in the back seat of the vehicle. The back seat offers more protection in the event of an accident and could safe the life of your child.
Read the car seat owner’s manual to determine how to correctly restrain your child.
If there is any slack or movement in your child’s harness, seat, or buckles, then you have not installed it properly. There should be no slack anywhere.
Be sure to eliminate any twists in the belts and harnesses to reduce the chance of injury.
Always wear your seat belt as an example of the behavior that is to be expected when riding in a car.

I recommend reading your owner’s manual from cover to cover before you ever even install the seat in your vehicle. Once you have it installed, visit a car seat safety specialist to double check to make sure you’ve done it correctly. It won’t take any time at all and could mean the difference in life and death.

There are staggering numbers out there when it comes to child safety seats and the number of children saved by them. This is from the NHTSA:

“From 1975 through 2011, NHTSA estimates that approximately 10,000 lives were saved by child restraints for children under the age of 5 in passenger vehicles, with more than 260 lives saved in 2011 alone.” (Read the entire press release)

Making sure your child is properly secured for every trip, no matter how short, is an absolute must. There are no excuses for your child safety. If you would like to read further on this subject, I recommend visiting the safercar.gov website, it is an endless resource for child seat safety.

Spring Cleaning Your Vehicle

February 10, 2014Maintenance and ServiceOzzie

Spring is almost here and that means sunny days, warmer weather and best of all, no more threats of ice and snow. Spring cleaning is a yearly occurrence in my house, I get the vacuum out, clean the bathroom, scrub the kitchen from top to bottom, even clean the windows. It does a world of good to start from scratch and actually see what my house looks like when it’s clean. The same goes for your car. We often forget about cleaning our cars since we’re only in it when we’re driving. For some people with long commutes, that’s quite a bit of time to be stuck in a dirty car, even if it’s just the Jack In The Box cup that’s been there for a few weeks. With the upcoming Spring right around the corner, I wanted to talk a little bit about some cleaning you should be doing to give you a fresh look at your car.

Vacuum the Inside

Most of us have a vacuum cleaner that uses attachments so you can reach under the seats and in between the cushions to get the last few months of Cheetos crumbs. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner that does, try one of the do-it-yourself car washes. They usually have a vacuum cleaner station that may cost you a couple of dollars. Vacuum the seats, carpet and the floor mats. If you have plastic or rubber floor mats, get a water hose after them, no one wants to keep stepping in the Coca-Cola you spilled back in November. You’d be amazed how much better your car’s interior looks (and smells) after you give the inside a little bit of TLC.

Clean that Glass

I have a tendency to rest my arm on the ledge where the door and the window meets, so I have smudge marks where my elbow rests. There’s also streak marks from a bug I killed a few months ago. Get a good glass cleaner such as Windex and get that dust, dirt and bug guts off of your windows and windshield. I use Rain-X on my windshield and it’s amazing how much easier it is to see during a downpour.

Wash the Exterior

Get a cleaner specially formulated for automotive finishes and maybe even a good wax to put on your vehicle’s exterior. Spend some time getting in all the nooks and crannies in the body. Clean off your wheels, scrub down your tire’s sidewalls, scrub the grill (those bugs are getting in the way of fresh air getting to your radiator). A good wax job will keep your car shiny for months and keep dirt from sticking to your paint.

You’d be amazed how different your car looks after you spend a couple of hours on it. Every time I walk out to my car after I’ve washed it, I say to myself, “That’s a good looking car.”

Surefire Ways To Save Money On Gas

February 3, 2014Going Green, UncategorizedOzzie

Gas is still hovering around $3 per gallon here in Texas and with the summer coming up, those prices are just going to get higher. There are a few things that are often ignored that we can do to keep our vehicles running at maximum fuel efficiency. These are simple fixes, nothing too complicated or that requires anything outside of regular maintenance. Give them a shot and see if it lessens the load on your wallet!

Tire Pressure

If your tires aren’t properly inflated, you’re losing money every time you fill up. Consider this: There’s a 1% loss of fuel efficiency for every 2 PSI under maximum pressure (usually in the 35-psi range). So if you’re currently at 26 PSI, you’re losing about 5%. In a truck or SUV, that’s about 1/2 MPG, but in a smaller car, that could conceivably be 1-2 MPG.

Slow Down

When were out on the highway, we often see people driving faster than the speed limits. Not only are they asking for a ticket, but they’re also draining their gas tanks quicker than needed. Higher speeds may get you there quicker, but at what cost. Keeping your vehicle at the speed limit and using cruise control makes sure your engine uses gas more efficiently to maintain a steady speed.

Regular maintenance

Replacing the belts, hoses, and oils in your vehicle ensures that most moving parts of your engine are properly lubricated and can move without hesitation. Once you start skipping tune-ups or oil changes, you’ll begin to notice your MPG heading south. Keep a regular schedule and make sure those moving parts get the proper attention they need to keep your car

Synthetic Motor Oil

Some people have reported seeing a 3-5% jump in their MPG since they have switched over to a synthetic oil. Better driving through science!

Lighten Your Load

Take that bowling ball that rolls around and bangs into the side of your trunk on every turn out of the car! We tend to use our cars as storage from time to time and it affects our gas mileage. For every 100 lbs, you’re losing about 2% in MPG.

What have you done to raise your MPG?

The Danger of Construction Zones

January 27, 2014Safe DrivingOzzie

We’ve seen our share of construction zones here in Grapevine. For the last couple of years, the road right outside our front door was under construction. It made getting to and from work a nightmare. Finally, all the work zones have slowly gone away and the commute is getting back to normal. For some people it’s even quicker. They’ve put in so many new features and roads, it looks completely different than it did before the start of the DFW Connector project. I, for one, am glad the roads are free and clear, but there’s also another group of people who are ever happier, the construction workers themselves. Not only do they have to work long, hard hours in the freezing cold or the brutal heat, they have to deal with drivers. I’ve driven by work sites and there are workers within a few feet of a car going 50-60 miles an hour. If that’s not unnerving, then I don’t know what is. The road construction crews work as hard, if not harder than any profession out there, and they deserve our attention when we are passing through a work zone. All you have to do is take your eyes off of the road for a split-second and a disaster could happen. In 2012, there were over sixteen thousand accidents that happen in a work zone, of those, there were 134 fatalities. That’s a number that scares me and it should scare you as well.

Not only is is a dangerous place to drive, it’s also a potentially costly one. In the state of Texas, your fine doubles if you are caught breaking the law in a construction zone. When they say “Slow Down”, they mean it. Do us all a favor when you’re out driving, pay attention to the work zones. They’re trying to get the job done so we can get to the places we go quicker and more efficiently. I recommend reading the TxDot report on driver safety and work zone awareness for more stunning statistics and facts.

Road Trips With Your Furry Friend

January 20, 2014UncategorizedOzzie

Nobody wants to leave their pets with someone for a few days while you go on a road trip. Surely, you don’t want to have them boarded, that costs money and your pet will be uncomfortable going into a place with strange people and strange animals. Luckily enough, taking a dog with you on your road trip isn’t as hard as you think it is! If you follow a few simple rules, a trip with your dog will be fun for both of you.

Crate your dog

Crating your dog is the smartest option for traveling long distances with them in the car. Not only does crating help keep your dog calm, but they cannot be a distraction while you’re driving. Dogs tend to get nervous in moving vehicles and oftentimes they will try to climb in your lap for reassurance. Once they are in your lap, your focus is now on your furry friend, which is bad for your driving. Keeping them in a crate is better for everyone.

Don’t feed them

Dogs are prone to have motion-sickness and if you give them a big meal before heading out, you may have a mess on your hands (or your seats)! You may give them a small treat when you’re stopped for gas or for a meal. Otherwise, wait until you’ve reached your destination or are done for the night.

Take them for a walk

Before you head out for a few hours and you’re stuck in the car, take them for a long walk. Getting them to exercise before a long trip will help them relax and stay calm while in the crate. Also taking them for a walk during rest stops and breaks will help them stay relaxed and rest while you’re traveling.

Taking your best friend with you is always a bonus when you get to travel. Have you traveled with your dog? How did they handle it?

The Newest Danger to Drivers

January 16, 2014UncategorizedOzzie

I’ve written at length a number of times describing the dangers of taking your eyes off the road while you’re driving a vehicle, but today AAA Texas released a report warning of the dangers of taking “selfies” while behind the wheel. For those of you who aren’t aware, a “selfie” is a picture of yourself taken by yourself. Taking your eyes off the road at any point in time while you are driving is a terrible decision. Looking for your phone, answering a text message, fooling with the radio, or even checking your Facebook news feed are all things that can wait until you’re at your destination or stopped at a red light.

In the 4 seconds it takes you to unlock your phone, find the camera icon, and snap the picture of yourself, you’ve traveled approximately the length of a football field (assuming you’re traveling at 60mph). That’s a lot of ground covered in a short amount of time and with your eyes off the road, your chances of getting in an accident go up exponentially.

I hear of minor vehicle accidents involving phones all the time, but knowing that people are focusing more on their pictures being taken than the road in front of them, is a big concern for me. In 2011, there were 385 deaths related to cell phone use on the road. I can only imagine that in the subsequent years that number has gone up.

In conclusion, doing anything that takes your eyes off of the road while you are driving is a bad idea. I’ve heard of people putting their phones in their glove compartments and locking it using the key, so there’s no way to get to it unless the vehicle is off and the key is out of the ignition. That may be an extreme example of self-restraint, but do whatever works, just keep your eyes on the road!

What Can I Do With My Unused Car?

January 15, 2014Tips and HIntsOzzie

Surely you know of someone who as a vehicle that is sitting in a garage somewhere, collecting dust, waiting to be fixed or sold. I see them all the time when I’m out and about. The cars that sit in the driveway and just take up space. Not only are they an eyesore, but they can actually do some good for someone if they are donated to a charity that uses them to fund medical research or any other great cause. I’ve selected a few and I want to make you aware of them, so next time you visit your friend or family member with an old car, boat or motorcycle missing an engine and likely never to be fixed, you can give them a reason to get it out of their driveway and reclaim their space. Not to mention, their donation is also tax-deductible!

Kars4kids.org

One of the largest 501(c)(3) organizations offering free pick-up of your unused cars, boats and RVs. Kars4kids.org uses all of the proceeds from the donated vehicle to help a variety of organizations that help children all across the United States. Check out some of the charities they are partners with.

Wheelsforwishes.org

This car donation service benefits the Make-A-Wish foundation and helps make a kid’s dream come true! Wheelsforwishes.org, like most of the car donation organizations, also accepts RVs and motorcycles if you have one sitting around the yard. Fill out their donation form online and help put a smile on a child with a life-threatening illness’ face.

Carsforustroops.org

If you’d rather make a donation to help our soldiers overseas, then carsforUStroops.org is right up your alley. They support a number of charities (including the Wounded Warrior Project) involved with members in active duty and veterans back home.

If you know of someone who doesn’t want to go through the hassle of selling their used (or broken) car, mention the donation options they have.

How Not To Get A Ticket

January 7, 2014UncategorizedOzzie

When’s the last time you got pulled over for running a stop sign? Maybe you were caught going a few miles over the speed limit, or forgot to put your seat belt on when you went to the convenience store. Getting pulled over for minor infractions is always a stressful undertaking and no one looks forward to it. When you do get pulled over, how you handle yourself and your attitude towards the police, can possibly get you out of a ticket!

1. Don’t lie.

When you’re nervous, you tend to tell fibs and police officers can tell when you’re lying. As a police officer, they are lied to on a daily basis and would appreciate the truth without having to ask you 100 questions.

2. Pull over when it’s safe.

Don’t stop in the middle of the road. Just because you see the flashing lights in your rear-view mirror doesn’t mean you have to pull over immediately. If there is no safe place to pull over and get out of traffic, then acknowledge to the officer that you are being pulled over and continue driving until you find a suitable spot. The officer will likely thank you for keeping traffic flowing and not causing a logjam.

3. Treat them with respect.

Whether or not you agree with me, the police are there for your safety and it takes a special kind of person to put themselves in the line of fire on a daily basis. Saying “yes, sir” or “yes, ma’am” is always appropriate. No back-talking or rude comments. If you do, you’ll likely find yourself with a ticket in hand.

4. Don’t make any sudden movements.

Police officers are killed during traffic stops at an alarming rate and it likely they are just as nervous or leery as you are. If you must open a glove compartment or search through your purse or backpack for your wallet, notify the officer so they know what to expect, don’t just reach back and grab something in your bag.

Getting pulled over is inevitable, we all do it. If you follow these tips, you may be able to drive away without a ticket.

Would You Buy a Driverless Car?

January 5, 2014UncategorizedOzzie

Remember back when you were a kid and you would read about the not-so-distant future? I remember comic books that had cars that drove themselves. I remember thinking that would be amazing! Well, as the technology has gotten better, that has now become a reality! California, Florida and Nevada have all passed legislation to allow driverless cars to hit the road. Google has been testing a driverless car for years and it has driven over 500,000 miles without an accident! That is a great statistic when you consider most drivers have a significant accident every 200,000-300,000 miles.

Driverless cars have thousands of sensors in the car and also use satellite guidance systems to navigate our busy streets. Just imagine the impact it could have on our drunk driving statistics. You could go into a bar and have a few too many, then safely make it home WITHOUT having to depend on someone else to drive you. Not only is it safer for you, it’s also safer for the innocent bystanders who happen to be on the road when you are.

Driverless cars also address another growing problem: elderly drivers. We are all going to be forced to make a decision to take away our parents driver’s license one day. With the advent of a car with no driver, the elderly will be able to go to the grocery store and wherever they wish to go!

There are plenty of legal problems to get through before we will start seeing them on our streets though. For example, who is at fault when there is an accident? The passenger? The owner? Will there always have to be a driver in the car who can take over in emergency situation? What are the age restrictions for riding alone in the car?
What do you think of driverless cars? Would you buy one?