I was running out for lunch the other day and I noticed something during my trip that I thought I needed to write about.
Let me first start by saying that in the late 80’s automakers began installing airbags in cars for safety reasons, and there’s no doubt that over the past 30 years airbags have saved thousands of lives.
However, it is important to note that airbags are designed to protect average-sized adults…not young children. I know we’ve all heard it, but airbags can pose a serious risk to children who ride in the front seat.
In fact, according to research conducted by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, “children exposed to airbags during a crash are twice as likely to suffer a serious injury”. The American Academy of Pediatrics states, “children under the age of 13 are safest seating in the back seat of a car”.
The following are some safety guidelines for children riding in a car.
Infants seated in a rear-facing safety seat should never be placed in the front seat of a car that has an airbag – When the airbag engages, the force of the airbag is directed right at the infant’s head as it comes out of the dashboard.
Children seated in a forward-facing child should not be placed in the front seat of a car that has an airbag. – Again when the airbag engages, the child’s head is in the path of the airbag as it emerges from the dashboard.
Remember for children 13 and under: The safest place to be in a car is the back seat.
For children ages 13 and up riding in the front seat remember:
All children should wear a lap/shoulder belt.
Move the front seat as far back as possible from the dashboard.
Make the sure the child doesn’t lean forward.
Have the child sit upright against the seat at all times.
Note: Engineers are constantly improving airbags to improve safety. Known as 2nd-generation or de-powered airbags, these airbags are still NOT designed for children. Children are best protected in the rear seat.
If you have any questions about child safety in your vehicle, don’t hesitate to contact me at Freeman Grapevine. You can even swing by, and we’ll show you thee proper way to install your child safety restraint systems.
Two wheels, or four, Freeman Grapevine wants to remind you that you are responsible for sharing the road with motorcyclists. Motorcycle sales have grown in the US, on any given trip you will see at least one or two. But do you really see them? Have you ever been behind a motorcycle and provide a protective rear shield, or do you barrel up to them as if you didn’t even see them. Maybe you didn’t. Maybe you haven’t conditioned yourself to look for motorcycles you share the road with. Maybe you don’t look twice before changing lanes. Maybe you don’t use your ears to listen for the rumble of their exhaust. Maybe you should start doing these things.
Now granted there are a few daredevils out there who abuse the freedom that a motorcycle can provide. I’ve seen idiots popping wheelies on the freeway and doing endo stoppies at red lights to show off. Those aren’t the guys I’m writing about. They’re dumb and reckless. I’m talking about the cruisers who are going the speed limit, not weaving in and out of traffic like an imbecile. It’s those motorcycles who seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to driver who isn’t paying attention.
Nearly 40% of all motorcycle accidents are cause by other vehicles turning left in front of motorcycles. Come on people that is unacceptable! Look before you change lanes. The Last line in the video says it all: “when you get in a fender bender in a car, it’s really no big deal. But when you get in a fender bender on a motorcycle, it could be the end of your life.
Freeman Grapevine wants to remind you that your share the road with hundreds of motorcycles a day and it is your responsibility for their well being. Look twice before you change lanes, and listed for exhaust pipes, they may not only save the rider’s life, but also the rest of yours.
I know I talk about this a lot, but I think it bears repeating until we can get a grasp on the problem. Texting and driving accidents are at the highest point they’ve ever been and we need an intervention to help us stop the madness. AT&T has created a campaign to get drivers all over the country to pledge not to text and drive.
ItCanWait.com is a great resource for showing you how to create the shortcut “#X” so you can quickly tell someone that you’re about to be on the road and that you’ll get back with them in due time. AT&T has also created a couple of different apps to help you keep your eyes on the road and not answering texts or phone calls. One of them is the DriveMode app (available for Androids), in which all incoming calls and texts are silenced, no phone calls can be made and text messages cannot be sent out. Thereby, keeping your eyes on the road!
There are also plenty of other driving apps available, for both IOS and Android phones, that render your phone inoperable while you’re behind the wheel.
We hear about it on a daily basis, here at Freeman Grapevine and we really wish we didn’t. Not only are you at risk when you text and drive, but you’re also putting everyone on the road at risk, as well.
Check out this video for the “#X” pledge and visit the website today!
The idea of traveling long distances is a good one. Packing up your suitcase, getting your dogs in the car, then hitting the road. Driving across the state, or even across the country is one of America’s past-times. But there’s one thing that will end your vacation quickly: highway hypnosis. After an extended period of time out on the road, seeing the cars drive by, and staring at the road in front of you, even the most experienced drivers tend to get dreary and sleepy. Highway hypnosis is dangerous because you could very easily drift into another lane, or off the road completely, and we don’t want to think about what happens then. Here are a few ways to combat that sleepy feeling.
1. Sing Along With The Radio
If you find yourself getting dreary, crank up the radio and belt out your best rendition of “Don’t Stop Believing“. It puts your mind to work in areas other than driving. You won’t be taking your eyes off the road, but your brain will be jolted back to life and you’ll be more alert.
2. Take A Break
It’s good to get out of the car and walk around for a bit. Maybe you could make a phone call and walk around a store for a few minutes, just to get your blood flowing. If you’re running low on gas, it’s time to fill up and take a break.
3. Avoid Heavy Meals
There’s a reason everyone takes a nap on Thanksgiving. It’s because we eat so much. Our bodies are using energy to digest the massive amounts of food we just put into our bodies. In turn, that makes us tired and sleepy. If you’re heading out for an extended trip, avoid the heavy meals that make us want to pull over and take a nap.
4. Roll the Windows Down
If the weather’s nice enough, you can always roll your windows down and give your senses something more to focus on. The smell of the outside, and the wind rushing in will give you a lift and you’ll be more awake.
Next time you’re traveling, be sure to remember these tips.
We’ve all seen them. We look in the mirror and we see a car cruising a mere 6 feet away from your bumper. Tailgaters. The aggressive drivers who want to go faster than you and want you to be out of their way. Truth be told: tailgating is one of the most dangerous habits that drivers have. Just think about the last time you were out on the road, I can almost bet that you were driving to close to the person in front of you. After years of driving, we tend to forget what we were taught in Driver’s Ed.
Tailgating is dangerous at any speed, from a 20 mph school zone to a 85 mpg highway. A sudden stop, or even just a slight deceleration could end up being a disaster. If you find yourself in an accident with you being the aggressor, you will stand to lose more than a few dollars. It will cost you money to repair your car, pay your fines and likely have a hard time finding a new insurance company.
We recommend keeping a 1.5 – 2 car distance between yourself and the car in front of you for every 10 mph you are traveling. For instance. If you are going 60 mph on the highway, then you want, at least 9 car lengths between you. Sure, there will be some hiccups along the way (merging traffic, drivers who cut you off, etc..), but that shouldn’t stop you from slowing down and letting the other drivers get far enough ahead of you so if they realize they are going too fast and hit the brakes, even for an instant, you won’t slam into their bumpers.
Here’s a fun fact for you! Not tailgating will actually help your car’s fuel mileage. If you aren’t flooring the accelerator and keeping up with the speed fluctuations the car in front of you has, your engine will maintain a steady pace and use fuel accordingly.
I realize that it may be hard to do with our congestion here in Dallas-Fort Worth, but rest assured, when you remember to keep your distance from the cars in front of you, you’ll have less of a chance of causing a minor (or major!) accident.
How many times am I going to feel compelled to write about this subject? Does it take the death of someone with some fame to get the public’s attention? Apparently not, because once again Hollywood is setting a prime example of what not to do.
Following the horrific car crash of “Jackass” star Ryan Dunn early Monday morning, police have uncovered that he was driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .196-two times the legal limit.
Dunn was purportedly driving 140 mph on a 55 mph road when he crashed his Porsche 911 GT3 through a rail and into the woods where it crashed into a tree and erupted into flames. Dunn and his passenger, Zachary Hartwell, died at the site. Wrecks similar to this serve as a tragic reminder of the risks of driving intoxicated.
It appears that, Dunn had an earlier DUI accident a few years before, but was in a position to clean up his record through court requirements and was not required to install an alcohol interlock machine on his automobile. If he had survived this collision, Dunn’s upcoming cars would’ve been mandated to possess this piece of equipment for at least one year following his license was reinstated.
What can you expect after a DWI?
Expect to prove you haven’t been drinking when you get behind the wheel! Alcohol interlocks are a technique the government is hoping will cut back the 11,000 deaths each year from drunk driving. Forty-nine states have some kind of interlock condition and 11 states have required provisions subsequent to the initial conviction. The driver has to blow into the machine to check for alcohol for their car will start.
What’s being done?
At this time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is conducting their “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” operation through July 4th in an effort to tag intoxicated drivers before a deadly accident occurs. This week in addition to next week are filled with graduation events, 4th of July picnics, in addition to added summer revelry. Keep the streets safe by following these valuable tips…tips you should already know and be putting into practice.
If you are planning to consume alcohol, designate a sober driver ahead of going out. In the event you are impaired, don’t drive.
Hail a taxi, make use of mass transit, or phone a sober buddy or member of the family to get you home safely.
Plan in advance and stuff a bag to stay over someone’s residence should you know you might be drinking.
Report drunk drivers you observe out on the roads at once to the police by calling 911.
Always put on your safety belt while in a car or wear a helmet as well as protecting equipment while on a motorcycle.
If you happen to see someone about to drive intoxicated or travel with somebody who’s intoxicated, get the keys and aid them reach where they’re going unharmed.
..and I misspoke before…it’s not Hollywood’s problem…it’s all of ours!
…to seeking cover under an overpass during a tornado
The misconception is that the wind associated with a tornado is confined to within the visible funnel cloud. Unfortunately, a tornado is not a vacuum cleaner hose hanging out of the sky. One possibility why many people think that being under an overpass offers protection is that with something above them, the bridge will prevent the wind from going ‘up’ underneath the overpass. This simply is just not true.
There is no doubt that essentially living at the southern tip of tornado alley we get to see our fair share of destructive tornadoes. Being in your home is one thing, you can take shelter in an interior room. However, what do you do if you are caught out on the road? I know every one’s first instinct is to protect their car and themselves and their first instinct is to take shelter under the nearest immovable object like an overpass. If you know anything about physics, you should rethink this tactic. The fact of the matter is that you may have just made your situation much worse.
Actually, the interaction between a tornado and an overpass is much more like this.
…and here’s a visual reference behind the science.
This is why one of the first and foremost rules in general tornado safety is to get as low as possible, because that is where the wind speed is the lowest! By climbing up underneath the overpass, you are moving into a place where the wind speeds are typically higher. In addition, under an overpass, it is possible in some situations that when air is forced through the narrow passage underneath the bridge, this might cause an increase in the wind speeds (as mentioned earlier). Further, under different circumstances, the area beneath and just downstream of an overpass might become a debris deposition zone, where piles of debris accumulate. Think a hard rain is uncomfortable? Try being pelted with glass, shards of metal, splintered wood, hail and everything else that’s been hurled into the air.
If on a road, hide under an overpass if a tornado approaches.
The sad fact is this idea has caused many deaths of motorists already. The worst thing you can do is hide under an overpass. Winds can actually be worse under an overpass which makes it a bad place to go. Please listen, never use an overpass for protection. See the following document for more info. Overpass deaths report
Open your windows during a tornado? Scientists once thought that the low pressure in a tornado caused the normal air pressure in
houses to explode out. It turned out that the strong winds from the tornado destroyed the
houses, not the pressure change. If the tornado wants your windows open, it will open them for you.
The southwest corner of a basement is the safest place to go during a tornado.
The best place to go during a tornado is in a center room of the basement, like ones that are usually found under the stairs that lead down to the basement. I was once thought that the SW corner was the best place to go, but it was found the debris collects it the corners which makes it a bad place to go.
Tornadoes can’t cross water or where rivers meet. Many tornadoes have crossed rivers & lakes, with out any effect to the tornado.
Tornadoes can not cross big hills or mountains.
Tornadoes have made damage paths up and down the side of 10,000 foot mountains, in Wyoming so the hills in eastern Kansas will not protect you.
Tornadoes can’t/don’t hit big cities. Miami, FL, Nashville, TN, Wichita, KS, Fort Worth, TX, and Oklahoma City have all been hit by tornadoes in the past few years. Take shelter if a tornado warning is issued for your city.
To see what happens when you take shelter under an overpass take note of the people the pass before under the overpass and again after they drove back through.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJkDphU5olo
So far, this has been the deadliest year for tornadoes across the US. North Texas and specifically DFW (none of us forget the tornado that his Fort Worth) are susceptible to extreme weather. It’s my responsibility to make sure that all of you are provided with the best information possible about your car, driving, etc. However, it’s just as important , if not more-so, that you understand the appropriate action to be taken should you ever encounter a tornado while on the road…What you decide to do or not do can potentially have fatal outcomes. I hope you will remember this article if you ever are in this situation.
I’ve been hearing plenty of reports of police officers starting to pull people over for looking at their phones while driving. Not talking, just looking! I, for one, totally agree with the decision to crack down on looking-and-driving. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard stories about people who have ‘almost’ gotten into an accident because they were checking their Facebook account, getting directions from Google Maps, or checking their email. You may think you’re a pro at sneaking a peek at your phone when you aren’t in any danger, but after you have one fender bender, you’ll come to realize that sending that last email wasn’t worth the thousands of dollars of damage to your vehicle and the poor person you hit’s vehicle. If you think a fender bender is the most damage you’ll do, then consider that there are thousands of people across the U.S. who have been severely injured or lost loved ones due to people not paying attention when they are behind the wheel.
So what can you do to stop the temptation of checking your phone while you drive? I know that there are a lot of people out there who use navigational apps to help them get from Point A to Point B and they often cause problems when you are trying to get where you are going and heed the maps directions. I suggest turning your radio down and letting the app speak the commands while you are driving. Sure, we think it’s annoying but it’s way better than taking your eyes off the road to verify that you’re going in the right direction.
If you’re not using your phone for directions, keep it in your pocket while you drive. It’s the best place for it and it will stay out of your eyesight, so you won’t be tempted to check out the new notifications you’ve received.
What do you do to keep yourself from looking at your phone while you drive?
This past weekend, it was our first foray into 90+ temperatures and already someone has accidentally left their child in a car. According to North Richland Hills police, the temperature was only 84 degrees, but that was high enough to kill a 1 year old. Don’t make the mistake of leaving your child in a car, not even for a few minutes. Here in Texas, during the summer, it gets up to 110 degrees and when you’re inside a car, the temperature jumps up 20 degrees within a few minutes.
If the ambient temperature outside is 90 degrees, the temperature of a car can reach 109 degrees in just 10 minutes. Contrary to popular belief, slightly cracking the windows has little effect on the internal temperature of your car.
Also:
More than 550 kids have perished in hot cars in the United States since 1998. This number is astonishing, when considering that most of these deaths were completely preventable.
That’s a number that makes me sick to my stomach. Over 500 kids have died because they were left in a car on a hot day. If you are too distracted to remember that you have a child in the back seat of a car, then you probably shouldn’t be driving in the first place. As we learned last week, distracted driving also kills.
If you see a child left alone in a car, no matter for how long, call 9-1-1 immediately. I’m still waiting for our auto industry to develop alarms that notify you when you’ve left precious cargo in your car. After all, we have backup cameras, bluetooth radios and plenty of other advancements. Be safe out there and never leave anyone (pets, children, others) in your car, regardless of the amount if time you’ll be gone, even if it’s just for a couple of minutes.
Well, it happened again. I know I preach about not texting and driving quite a bit, but as long as it keeps happening, I’m going to keep writing about it. There’s widespread news coverage of a 32 year old woman who sent a Facebook status update about the song she was listening to on the radio and moments later, she hit a car and never made it to the hospital. Here’s an excerpt of the news report from KTLA:
Courtney Ann Sanford, 32, was killed in the crash Thursday morning on Business Interstate 85 freeway in High Point, according to a High Point Police Department police report.
Sanford “became distracted by using a smartphone for Internet access just prior to losing control of her vehicle,” the police report stated.
If that’s not a wake-up call to everyone out there who insists on texting, checking their email, or updating their status on Facebook.
Research suggests that some 26% of traffic accidents involve smartphone use as the catalyst. When are we going to get it through our heads that taking our eyes off the road for any reason at all is a bad idea. Back when the radio was first made a standard feature in cars, there was a backlash from people who said it would distract drivers and cause more accidents. That same outrage needs to be taking place now that instead of car radios, everyone has a smartphone and can’t drive to the grocery store without checking it. One thing I’ve thought about doing is putting my cell phone in my glove compartment and locking it (with a key) to make doubly sure I can’t access it.
What do you guys and gals recommend? What can we do to stop people from staring at their phones instead of the road ahead? Let me know on our Facebook page.
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