Are Your Tires in Dangerous Condition?

Good tires are one of the most important aspects of safe driving.  Hands down.  Sean Kane, president of Safety Research and Strategies, Inc. explains an aging tire to an old rubber band. "If you take a rubber band that's been sitting around a long time and stretch it, you will start to see cracks in the rubber," says Kane, whose organization is involved in research, analysis and advocacy on safety matters for the public and clients including attorneys, engineering firms, supplier companies, media and government.

Cracks in the rubber develop over time and can appear on the surface and inside of the tire, as well.  This cracking can cause the steel belts in the tread to separate from the rest of the tire. Improper maintenance and heat can accelerate the process.

How Long Does a Tire Last?

Lifespan differs and there is no guideline on tire aging, but tire manufacturers like Continental and Michelin say a tire can last up to ten years, provided you get annual tire inspections after the fifth year. There’s no way to put a date on a tire because there are several factors that affect the life of the tire:

·      Heat

·      Storage

·      Conditions

·      Use

How to Determine Your Tire’s Age

All you need to know is the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) number.  Tires manufactured after 2000 have a four-digit DOT code.  The first two numbers represent the week, while the second two represent the year.  If a tire has the code 1109, it was made in the 11^th week of 2009.   After finding the tire’s birthdate take a look at the rubber.  Look for tread distortion, hairline cracks in the sidewall, and vibrations in the dynamic properties of the tire, could be cause for alarm. 

For more information, come in and see us.  We’ll do an extensive tire inspection and let you know the exact status of your tires.

National Teen Driver Safety Week

Handing over the keys to your teenager can be a scary thought for many parents and makes many very hesitant as to letting them drive. This week, October 20-26 is National Teen Driver Safety week and here are some helpful tips to discuss with your teen about the safety of driving.

·      The phone and texts can wait.

o   To many drivers today are becoming more distracted by their cell phones and paying less attention to the road. Talk to your teen about staying off their phones until they have reached their destination.

·      Developing a Parent-Teen Driving Contract

o   By having establishing certain ground rules as to who can travel in the car and a curfew can help protect your teen and make you feel at ease.

·      Going over safety

o   Whether it would be to remind your teen to always wear their seat belt to making sure their vehicle is safely equipped is always important to discuss safety concerns before your teen heads out on to the road.

By discussing some of the following topics will help to better protect and to be more comfortable with your teen driving on the road.

5 Facts About Kids and Car Safety

 

Kids are the future of our nation, the bubble gum popping and bike riding youths of the new world.  Keeping them occupied in the back seat of a moving vehicle is difficult enough.  Today, in our weekly blog, we describe 5 facts about kids and car safety. 

1.)     Most accidents happen near home: Most accidents occur on residential, rural roads that are local, during a routine trip to the grocery store or day-care center.  No matter what, always buckle your child into their seat, even if the drive is two minutes away.  "Always buckle your child up, no matter how near or far you're going," says Marilena Amoni, associate administrator for research and program development at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). "And never forget to use your own seat belt. Kids watch everything that you do, so it's important that you set the right example."

2.)     Kids are at more risk than babies and toddlers: If your child is between 4 and 8 years old, they are more likely to be hurt in an accident than their smaller counterparts.  Most parents strap their infants into rear facing car seats, but only 20% of kids between 4 and 8 ride in booster seats as safety experts recommend. Some children even sit in the front seat before 13 years old.  Children are the safest in the backseat, putting them far away from the impact of a frontal crash.

3.)     SUVs aren’t safer: It’s BIG, bad, and menacing, but SUVs are no safer than ordinary sedans.  They’re more likely to rollover.  The safest vehicles are low to the ground and larger (station wagons).

4.)     A car does NOT have to move to be dangerous: Parked cars are also, surprisingly deadly.  As many as 220 children per year are killed in non-traffic auto accidents.  Some are strangled by a window when they’re leaning out, inadvertently leaning on the rocker-type power window switch.  Other children, when alone, release the emergency brake, setting the car in motion.  Finally, at least 30 kids die each year when their parents leave them in the car and they suffocate from overheating. "Children should never, ever be left alone in an automobile -- not even for a minute," says Terrill Struttmann, executive director of Kids in Cars, an education and advocacy organization he and his wife started after their 2-year-old son was killed by a car set in motion by two kids playing alone inside.

5.)     Kids don’t need to be inside a car to be hurt by one:  nearly 400 children are killed each year when they’re hit by an automobile.  ALWAYS keep an eye on your little ones, no matter how many times you’ve warned them to stay out of the streets.  A survey conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide found that a majority of drivers speed in school zones, and that nearly a third violate stop signs in neighborhoods where there are kids.

Do you have any tips of your own?  Feel free to comment below:

Improve Health While Driving

The average American spends approximately 101 minutes a day driving.  Many times we get stuck in serious traffic or we find ourselves having to wait at endless lights.  Have you ever thought to yourself, that you could be doing 9 million other things instead of just sitting in your car?  Do you like to multi-task? Are you procrastinating on taking better care of your health?  Well, I have the solution.  I will help you make better use of your drive time and improve your health while keeping your eyes on the road.  Here are 10 things you can do while driving that can help increase your health, making you stronger while sitting behind the wheel.

Chin and Neck Exercises

Spine Stretchers

Tension Tacklers

Best time to drink your water

Moisturize your cuticles

Drink you smoothies and juice instead of soda

Steering Wheel Isometrics

Park further away

Meditation

You can firm up that chin and neck by using a rubber or foam ball. Place the ball below your chin and below the larynx. Hold the ball in place with your hand, and use your chin to press down on the ball. Squeeze the ball gently downward with your chin. Do as many repetitions as you are comfortable with, stopping before your neck muscles get tired.

While driving, pretend you’re zipping a tight pair of jeans. Pull your belly button toward your spine and your lower belly away from your waistband. Hold, engaging your abs.  Up the intensity, quickly exhale 20 times. As you breathe out, contract your lower abs even harder to pulse them in and out.

While stuck in traffic, grip the steering wheel with your hands at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and round your back. Take a breath and release. This stretches the area between the shoulder blades and mid-back.

While stuck at a red light, tilt your right ear down towards your right shoulder. Relax your shoulders and breathe into the left side of your neck, stretching the left side of your neck. Hold for 10 seconds.  At the next light, repeat on the other side.

Steering wheel isometrics can really create a great workout, without you having to set aside 20 minutes during your day. With isometrics, you can use your body’s own resistance, but you can also employ stationary objects in your exercises such as a steering wheel that can heed some great results.

We know that water is essential to our health and if you aren’t doing this already, try to always have bottled water in your car.  You can easily get the required amount of hydration if you make this a habit.  The other option is juice or smoothies for your daily fruit or vegetable intakes.  There are several delicious versions located at places like gas stations and Starbucks.

Other areas that require healthy attention are our hands. Try moisturizing your cuticles by using a moisturizing lip balm.  This can really help make your nails grow and keep your hands looking lovely.

Of course the obvious isn’t so obvious sometimes. Instead of rushing to find the perfect parking spot; park further away and walk brisk to get a little bit more cardio in.  Heck, if you have the time-do laps around the parking lot!

Driving can be stressful but it can also create Zen. To practice Moving Meditation you must fully accept where you find yourself. Divest yourself of all expectations and standards of technique and take that clear, observing, unobserving, unobstructed state of being, and keep on driving!

These tips will not only improve your health and keep you fit, they will also make your drive time seem more productive.  Pssssst…give it a whirl and pass it on!

Here's a list of 10 great things you can do to improve your health while driving:

The Best Ways to Make Your Tires Twinkle

We love our cars.  SUV’s, coupes, sedans, mini-vans…they’ve all become an integral part of our busy lifestyles.  We know that you take pride in your vehicle, giving it the routine wash, occasional ‘spit’ shine when necessary, but it’s always been difficult to clean one location efficiently.  The tires!  In today’s blog, we’ve got a couple options for you to choose from.

Spray-On

The Spray-on method is an easy to use solution in a bottle with a sprayer and nozzle on top.  Basically, you apply the spray directly to the tires, making sure to not spray TOO close.  By using a sweeping motion to cover a large area, you can achieve a nice wet glossy look to your tires.  What’s the only downside?  The spray-on sheen can sometimes leave stains on the side of your car from an outside breeze.  We recommend using it inside a garage or putting the liquid on a sponge and applying it manually. 

Gel

When compared to the spray-ons of the world, a gel seems to last longer, enabling a lasting effect with tires over time.  You’ll need an applicator, and a sponge for this method.  The gel gives a nice black color to tires without the ‘gloss’ effect.  You can achieve a glossier look by applying a second coat of gel, just be sure to wait a few minutes for the gel to dry, as it could attract dirt if it’s driven on too quickly. 

Foam

Foam Tire shine also comes with it’s own spray bottle and the easiest to apply.  This type also cleans off the dirt from your tires.  Just apply the foam and wipe it after it sits idle for a couple of minutes. However, be careful with some products that may turn your tires brown or yellow. Some tires really do not agree with certain tire shine products so you may have to try a new product.

Have a tip for us to add?  Let us know below!