Worst Crash Tests Ever

Featuring Italian, British, and Chinese cars. These cars all fail miserably. The highest score here was 2 stars by the Fiat

Side Impact Protection Improves - And Not Just Because Of Side Airbags

Vehicles that earn good test ratings for side-impact protection greatly reduce risk of dying for drivers in real-world crashes

ARLINGTON, VA — Drivers of vehicles that perform well in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's side-impact crash test are much less likely to die in a real-world left-side crash than drivers of vehicles that do poorly, a new analysis finds. The study includes only passenger vehicles with side airbags, demonstrating that airbags, while crucial, are far from the whole story in side crash protection.

Waxing Your Car Is A Worthwhile Effort

I admit that I love cars, so it's easier for me to apply myself to the discipline of washing and waxing. Still, I often get busy and have a hard time keeping up. What keeps me motivated is the knowledge that the time and effort pays off in the long run.

Many people don't know that washing a car fails to remove all the possible contaminants that can adhere to your car's paint. It's certainly important to wash with regularity. And it's a good idea to use a car shampoo, a deep bucket of water a proper washing mitt and micro fiber towels for drying. It won't hurt to use a soft cotton terry towel but use a light touch. Drying is faster and easier with an auto squeegee.

It's important to wash and wax your car away from direct sunlight and it helps if the surface is cool. An overcast day can be ideal. A hot surface can make water dry faster - with unappealing water spots. And it also makes wax harder to work with.

There are lots of different kinds of wax on the market and many different ways to apply it. Your paint needs to be "cleaned" after it's been washed. That means removing those extra contaminants I mentioned earlier. Tree sap, bug juice, industrial fallout and other airborne evils can stick to your paint, preventing it from having the kind of shine that you want. It's also important to know that "clean" paint is easier to wash and keep clean.

After your car has been washed you then go to the paint cleaning stage. There are a few ways to do this. A common way is to use a cleaner wax, which incorporates a cleaning agent and wax in one product and applied in one step. Another way to do it is to is to use a paint cleaner as a special product. You can then apply a pure carnauba wax, or use a polish before the wax. A third way to do this is to use detailing clay.

Many people are unfamiliar with detailing clay but it's a great product and can be very effective in removing contaminants. Detailing clay is available online, at many auto parts stores and from top quality catalogs. Detailing clay requires some kind of lubricant in the process, like a quick detailing spray. You can also use a spray bottle with soapy water. The clay won't last forever. When it starts falling apart you know that it's pulled up too much junk to work any longer.

One of the advantages of detailing clay relates to the downside of using cleaner wax. If you press too hard when using cleaner wax you can create swirl marks in your paint. The same is true when washing your car. Detailing clay greatly decreases the risk of making those marks, and it's pretty easy to use. It sounds kind of odd, but it really works well.

The end result of regular washing and occasional waxing is a car that you'll be more proud to own and sell. When you take that kind of care of your car, be prepared for ready buyers. On the other hand, you might like your car so much you might not want to sell it.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6267128

Keeping Children Safe In Crashes: Booster Seats

For parents of children who have outgrown their forward-facing seats

More than 1,000 children 12 and younger die in passenger vehicles crashes every year, and more than 100,000 are injured. Parents can reduce the risk to their kids by properly securing them in the back seats.

The "Keeping Children Safe In Crashes" series of videos help parents choose the right type of restraint for their child's age and size and provide general information on installation and use.

Children should ride in harness-equipped child restraints as long as possible, up to the height and weight limit of the seats. When they have outgrown child restraints, children should use belt-positioning booster seats until adult seat belts fit properly, usually when a child reaches 4'9" in height and 80 pounds. Boosters elevate children to improve the fit of the vehicle's three-point safety belts, which are designed for adults and not children. There are highback boosters, backless boosters, and built-in boosters. Some dual-use highbacks convert to backless by removing their backs. Highbacks have built-in guides to route shoulder belts and lap belts and can offer some head support in vehicles without head restraints in the rear seat. Backless have lap belt guides but may need a plastic clip to properly position shoulder belts in many vehicles. Combination and 3-in-1 seats are designed to be used as boosters as children grow. In booster mode, parents remove the built-in harness and use the vehicle lap and shoulder belts to restrain their child. Some manufacturers have built-in booster seats in their vehicles.

Collision Repair: How Much Damage Is Too Much?

From minor bumps to high-speed crashes, most car accidents result in damages that require the expertise of an auto body repair shop. Collision repair isn't always simple. Even minor accidents can cause auto body damage that is expensive and timely to repair. The type of impact and the style of the damaged car both play a role in determining how much damage has occurred.

Determining a Total Loss

Many drivers think that there's no hope if their insurance company says that their car is 'totaled.' A car that is totaled is not necessarily unrepairable though. The extent of the damage has very little to do with whether or not an insurance company declares a total loss. Instead, the decision is based on the costof the collision repair in comparison to the fair market value of the car. If repairing the auto body damage will cost more than the car is worth, it is said to be totaled.

Structural Damage

Correcting damage to a vehicle's frame is one of the most expensive types of collision repair, but undoing structural damage is not impossible. A knowledgeable auto body repair shop will generally inspect a wrecked vehicle for misalignment before anything else. If the car doesn't meet the exact measurements of the manufacturer, advanced machines are used to pull the frame back to its original specifications.

Rear End Collisions

Depending on the speed, a car that is rear ended can suffer quite a bit of damage. Structural damage is not uncommon after a powerful rear collision. The amount of damage will also depend on the car. In a recent IIHS study, a low-speed rear end collision in a compact car with a poorly designed bumper can result in more than $3,500 in auto body damage. On the other hand, a car with dent-resistant plastic body panels can often be repaired for less than $200.

Frontal Impacts

Front-end collision repair is often more extensive than rear end damage. At higher speeds, a head-on collision can cause damage to the front bumper, the hood, the windshield, and the quarter panels. If the damage is minor, the auto body technician may choose to repair the panels rather than replace them. Unless the parts are pre-painted, the body shop will also have to match the paint color and re-spray each panel before reassembling the car.

Rollovers

A car that rolls over generally has much more auto body damage than a vehicle involved in a frontal or rear end crash. Damage to the frame is usually inevitable in a rollover. There is a possibility that every piece of the car has suffered at least minor body damage. The decision to repair a vehicle that has rolled over should be made carefully. Extensive damage like this could require additional mechanical work, as well.

Whether auto body damage appears to be major or minor, an experienced collision repair specialist should examine the car for unseen damage. Accidents can cause cosmetic damage that is fairly easy to repair, as well as frame damage or mechanical troubles that are much more costly to fix. Almost any type of collision damage can be repaired, but sometimes it is more cost efficient to scrap the vehicle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6736670

Car Maintenance Tips & Tricks : Air Conditioning vs. Fuel Efficiency

Air conditioning is great, but it can cause your fuel efficiency to go down. Learn about air conditioning versus fuel efficiency with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.

Tire Gauges and Tire Pressure

Keeping your car tires properly inflated is an easy maintenance chore that's vital to your safety. Under-inflated tires build up excess heat as you drive, which can result in tire failure.

The Difference Between ABS and Non-ABS Emergency Breaking

At a Lexus safety features event in Alameda, California a professional driver explains and demonstrates the difference between how a car performs with and without anti-lock braking.

Safe Driving Tip #15: Things to Check

A professional driver explains what you should do before you drive down the road. These tips are from Ford Motor Company's Driving Skills for Life program, which is designed to help young drivers improve their skills in four key areas that are critical factors in more than 60% of teen vehicle crashes, hazard recognition, vehicle handling, space management and speed management.

Crumple Zones Save Thousands Of Lives!

Which is safer? Crumple zones actually save thousands of lives!

Consumer Reports: This crash test between a modern sedan and the classic 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air shows just how far passenger protection has come in the last fifty years. The Institute for Highway Safety staged the test to commemorate its 50th anniversary.