Category: Auto

Considering the increase in fuel costs and environmental awareness, it is surprising that the most popular vehicle in America is still the sport utility vehicle.  With a higher rollover occurrence, higher center of gravity, and increased difficulty of handling, driving a SUV can be dangerous. 

SUVs are completely different from lower-bodied sedans.  They need much more braking distance between themselves and the car in front of them.  They also are much more prone to slip, skid, or flip in hazardous road conditions; according to research done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 10,000 people each year die in SUV rollovers.. By following these basic tips, you will be better informed of how to safely maneuver in a SUV.

• Slow down. Driving too fast is dangerous; driving too fast in an SUV is even more so.  The longer you have to react, the less likely you are to cause or be involved in an accident.
• Avoid sudden or sharp steering.  An SUV is not designed to make fast, sharp turns as a smaller, lower, car can.  Allowing yourself more time to react will allow you to make smoother steering transitions.
• Learn to brake in an SUV. While driving your vehicle, you should be considerate of those around you.  Those behind and beside you will not be able to see around you, so the more warning you can give before you brake, the better. 
• Check blind spots frequently.  The biggest mistake most SUV drivers make is feeling invincible.  You are in the largest car, but that doesn’t mean you are in the safest.  Many SUV drivers do not use turn signals, or check blind spots, before pulling out or changing lanes, making a collision with a smaller vehicle all the more likely.
• Avoid overloads. Carrying a great deal of cargo, or even passengers, can throw off the center of gravity even further, making the car more likely to flip over. This also wears on tires and brakes, overheats tires, and can result in a blowout.

Every thirty seconds, a vehicle is stolen in the United States.  That means over 1 million vehicle owners each year find themselves victims of auto theft.  In the event your car is stolen, contact the police with the following information immediately: make, model, year, color, license plate number, VIN, approximate time of theft, location, and witnesses, if any. You should know this information, or have it available at all times.  Then, contact your insurance company.  Preventative measures, however, could prevent this tragedy from ever happening.

Some tips to consider:

• Install an anti-theft device.
• Never leave the keys in the vehicle, or the vehicle running, while unattended.
• Keep doors locked at all times, and windows up.
• Never store valuables or packages in plain sight.
• Have your VIN etched into windows and other parts of your car, making resell on the black market more difficult.
• When parking on the street, turn your wheels, use your emergency brake, and park between other cars (making it harder for a thief to tow).
• Avoid parking in long-term lots if at all possible.
• Park in a safe, well-lit, or well-traveled area at night.

In a recent study, The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimated that side air bags offering head protection could save the lives of about 2,000 drivers a year if every vehicle were properly equipped. The study was based on federal crash data involving 1997-2004 model year cars involved in crashes from 1999-2004 and 2001-2004 SUVs involved in crashes from 2000-2004.

The agency’s conclusion is based on insurance industry research that shows driver deaths in side-impact collisions dropped by more than 50 percent in SUVs equipped with head-protecting side air bags. The study also found that the risk of death dropped 30 percent in side collisions involving SUVs with side air bags that only offer protection to the chest and abdomen.

In passenger cars struck on the driver’s side, the risk of the driver being killed dropped 37 percent in autos with side air bags that have head protection. The risk of driver death fell 26 percent for cars with side air bags providing just chest and abdomen protection. The researchers discovered that fatality risks were lower across the board in vehicles with side air bags, whether the crash involved older or younger drivers, male or female drivers, and drivers of compact cars or larger passenger vehicles.

The side air bag was introduced in the mid-1990s, and has been credited for allowing motorists to escape serious injuries and death when struck in the side. In a head-on crash, the vehicle’s front-end absorbs most of the impact. However, a motorist struck in the side has very little protection without the side air bags.

Side-impact crashes are a major concern. In 2004, the government estimated that 9,270 people were killed in these types of crashes, which amounted to almost 30 percent of traffic deaths reported that year.

Although federal regulations don’t require side airbags in passenger vehicles, more and more manufacturers are installing them as standard equipment. This is due primarily to a 2003 voluntary agreement among automakers to improve occupant protection in side impacts for SUVs and pickups. The agreement is supposed to result in all cars, SUVs, and pickups having side airbags with head protection by 2010.

The auto industry has been keeping pace, and almost four of every five new car and SUV models already have standard or optional side airbags that include head protection. This is a significant increase since side airbags were introduced in the mid-1990s. If you would like model-by-model information on side airbag availability in 1996-2006 models, log on to iihs.org/ratings/ side_airbags/side_airbags.aspx.

The University of Utah completed a study that revealed some startling results about the likelihood of children being struck by a truck or minivan backing out of a driveway. Researchers found that children are 2.4 times more likely to be struck by a van and 53% more likely to be hit by a truck than by a car. The study also found that children hit by trucks or minivans are more likely to require hospitalization, surgery, and treatment in an intensive care unit than children backed over by cars.

The research was conducted using medical records and police reports that provided back-over injury data for Utah children under age 10 from 1998 to 2003. The number of state-registered vehicles was used to determine if injuries were more common among certain types of vehicles. The researchers further discovered that driveway back-over injuries represent an incidence of 7.09 per 100,000 children younger than 10 years old annually. Passenger cars account for only 1.62 injuries per 100,000 registered vehicles.  Previous reports have suggested that trucks and minivans produce a large rear blind spot, which makes them especially susceptible to this type of accident. However, this is the first study in the United States that has attempted to document the rate of injury by these vehicles.

The researchers emphasized the importance of educating parents and young children about the rules for safe play in driveways. They commented on the availability of rear cameras and sensors to warn a driver that a child or other obstacle is behind a vehicle. However, the study noted that there is no substitute for walking behind, or at least looking behind your vehicle before putting the car in reverse.

The federal government has also been working on this problem. Legislation pending in Congress would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to set a standard for rear visibility that all vehicles must meet. Larger rear-view mirrors, rear sensors that sound a warning beep or cameras are among the options.

NHTSA expects to complete work on a study on the various types of back-over technology within a couple of months. The purpose of the study is to examine how effective the systems are and how they are used by drivers. The information will then be used to establish a standard.

There sometimes comes a point in the relationship between adult children and their parents that you begin to notice a shift in power.  Suddenly, the people whose favorite words were “because I said so” are the ones being counseled on their decisions.  Role reversal is an extremely difficult change for parents, but it is no less intense for the adult child.  One of the areas this shift becomes the most unpleasant is when the child needs to tell a parent they should no longer be driving.

Driving often equates to independence.  Take away the keys and you limit personal freedom.  Obviously when faced with the option of not being able to come and go as they choose, often the result is the parent chooses not to go down without a fight.  Still, there are warning signs that a parent has arrived at that fork in the road when it becomes necessary to find other ways of getting around.  AARP lists the following warning signs:

• Changing lanes without signaling
• Going through stop signs or red lights
• Reacting slowly
• Problems seeing road signs or traffic signals
• Straying into other lanes
• Going too fast or too slow for safety
• Exhibiting problems making turns at intersections, especially left turns
• Performing jerky stops or starts

If you see these signs on a consistent basis, it is necessary to have that dreaded, forthright discussion with your parents.  When you decide it’s time, there are a few basic rules to follow.  The first is watching your approach.  Things may get loud, but avoid using a nasty tone, criticizing them, or making them feel inadequate.

Don’t make discussion of their deteriorating driving abilities a head on collision.  Try bringing it up indirectly by mentioning you read an article about problems older drivers have or perhaps you know of someone who decided to stop driving.  Ask them if they’ve noticed changes in their own abilities.  Then talk about ideas of how they can get around and not feel housebound.  This will necessitate having an action plan in place with family and friends as to who will be available to drive your parents to their regular activities. Get everybody involved so that it isn’t just the responsibility of one or two drivers.  Also, include in that plan any public, private and community transportation services available.  Be sure to investigate public buses, subways, taxis, private drivers for hire, senior transportation services and volunteer driver services.

Be understanding if your parents resist change.  It may require more than one discussion to finally get them to relinquish the keys.  However, you do need to remain firm without being harsh.

Finally, if your parents insist on continuing to drive, ask their doctor, their clergy, or a close family friend to speak with them.  Sometimes it’s easier for parents to accept advice from an outside source than it is for them to accept it from their children. AARP notes on their web site that, “As a last resort, you can contact the local Department of Motor Vehicles and report unsafe driving.  Most states will contact older adults and have them take a driving test, revoking their license if necessary.”