Safety Features in a Car

By Luke Hirst
Co-Author: Darren Hirst

When stepping into a car you want to know that there are safety features put in place to help save lives in the even of a accident and you can identify these when getting into a car.You may want to look for these safety features if you're ever buying or renting a car as they can save you life if used properly.

Seat belts are now fitted in every car as it's the law that one is worn. A seat belt is there to protect you from hitting the windshield, wheel or dashboard in the event of a strong collision which without you may not survive. Make sure that when looking for safety features in a car you check they're in working order by pulling on it gently but quickly and it should lock into place. Some seat belts in more modern cars are now also adjustable to suit the driver or passenger and make them more safe and comfy; however a normal seat belt will do the job just as good!

Airbags are another safety feature of a car you may want to look for. The airbags work hand in hand with your seat belt to protect you against hitting the dashboard or side door at force. But without your seat belt on, the airbags won't work and you need to get in a habit of always putting your seat belt on to make sure you maximise the safety features of a car and use them to their full potential. To make sure there are no problems with the airbags check for a light on the dashboard of the car to indicate any errors.

You will find that most cars are fitted with head restraints at the top of the seat that can be altered depending on the height of the drivers and passengers. You may want to check this safety feature in a car and make sure it's set to the right height as it can reduce possible neck injury during an accident. When on your driving lessons in the UK, you will have to learn how to alter the cars head restrains as it's a show me tell me question on your practical driving test.

A safety aspect that may shock you is the weight of a car. Research shows that the heavier the car the less damage it sustains in a crash. Lighter cars have less protection and buckle under pressure a lot easier.
Traction control is also another safety feature in a car. If your car has traction control it's likely that it will be a 4 wheel drive. Having this safety feature improves vehicles stability by controlling the amount of power output which prevents the wheels from skidding off.

It's important to look for specific safety features you may want when looking to buy a car and it's important to be able to identify what safety features are in a car you may be a passenger, these tips are handy for anyone riding or driving a car. Some of these features you may learn on your driving lessons whereas others you won't.

 

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Good Ways to Clean Your Alloy Wheels

By Zora Ahmed

We all do it, when looking at a "flash" car the first thing we are drawn to is the wheels. That's why it is so important to make sure your wheels are pristine clean. You don't want them to be covered in scuffs and brake dust. After all, we all love the feeling on a summer day driving around in our shiny, clean car. Now we know our priorities when cleaning the car are to focus on getting the wheels shiny, it's time to find out how to go about doing so.

The first thing to take into consideration about your wheels is that the more times you clean them the better. It is so much easier cleaning dirt that is new to the surface rather than dirt and brake dust that has been there a while and bedded in. Acid and road salts also have a negative effect on alloy wheels so it is important that you keep up with the cleaning of them. The best time to clean your wheels is the same time you clean your car, which most people seem to just forget or ignore.

When you come round to cleaning your car (and wheels!) you must try not to use the same sponge for the bodywork as the wheels. If you do use the same sponge, it will just result in damage and scratches to the paintwork. For best effects, it is strongly advised you actually take the wheel off to carry out a thorough clean on them and to reach the back of the wheel. This can be a real pain every time you clean the car, so probably twice a year is the least you should clean the wheel in this way.

The steps of a thorough clean:

1. Give the wheel a good wash with preferably a jet wash. This high speed and power allows surface dirt to be washed off.

2. Then go over the wheels with a sponge. Brake dust and surface dirt will be taken off at this point leaving the harsher and dirtier areas more visible.

3. Now is the part where you will need a small toothbrush or something rough enough and small enough to get between the wheels and scrub away. Scrub away like Cinderella, it's the only way to get the dirt that is bedded in off.

4. Once you feel the wheel is as clean as it can be all you need now is to give it a good dry. Leaving wheels wet often leaves smear marks on them and spoils the effect.

5. You can now apply a layer of wax if you wish, as this acts as a form of protection to this wheel surface. If you go to your local car part manufacturer you will find plenty of wheel protectors.

You should now have yourself a shiny car along with pristine wheels. Heads will be turning when your driving down town! I hope you found this article informative and useful, however you may be in the situation where you want a professional to do the job for you. A specialist can do a great job for you alongside many more things you may not have the tools to do.

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Ways a Locksmith Can Help You With Your Car

By Viktoria Carella

If you are having problems getting into your car, you are probably wondering if a locksmith can help you or not. The good news is, a locksmith can help you, they are not just there to help you with your standard lock and key for your home or business. You want to make sure that you are looking for a great locksmith that can help you with your locksmith needs for your car. There are many ways that they can help you with your situation, and get you back into your car and on the road in no time.

Getting Into Your Car Or Trunk:

One of the first things to think about are the locks on the doors. A locksmith can get into these locks even if they aren't the traditional kind. They are all trained on how to deal with the electronic locks as well as the conventional ones. So, if you have lost the key to your door or your ignition, they can help you get a new one and can get you into your car as well. They can even help you do things like be able to get your trunk popped if it is stuck.

Transponder Key Programming:

A locksmith will also be able to help you fix your transponder key programming. In doing this, they can also help you cut keys for these too. It is all going to depend on the type of car that you have and if this is necessary. Make sure that you are looking to them too if you have a chipped key or even one that has broken or is broken in the ignition. A locksmith is great at helping with all of these problems and helping you fix them in order to fix the problem so that you can be on your way.

New Ignition:

If you need a new ignition for your car, a locksmith can also help you with that. They are able to take the old one out and replace it quickly so that you can get back on the road with a new one. Truth be told, you will find that just about any task that needs to be done and involves keys is something that they are going to be able to handle for you. These are trained professionals that are here to make sure that you get just what you need and get you driving back on the road.
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What Makes A Good Driving School?

By Dominic Munroe

Driving schools have become a mainstay of life as laws regarding both driving and classroom experience have become more stringent in recent decades. Designed to protect young drivers from accidents and the most common mistakes made on the road, these laws have prompted many parents to consider intensive driving courses when giving their son or daughter their best shot at meeting state requirements, passing their road test, and staying safe on the country's busy highways and local roads. There are some key things to look for, as well as some things to keep in mind, when looking for these professional driving schools, however, and parents might want to start making a checklist of these items before they enroll their child in any particular driving school.

Ensure the Right Combination of Theory and Practical
Drivers are required to have a certain number of driving experience hours logged onto a special form before they can apply to take their practical driving test and become eligible for a drivers license. At the same time, students are required to learn in-depth information about driving which spans from how to handle inclement weather to the best ways to remain safe in aggressive driving environments. For this reason, it is important to look for a driving school which clearly states how much time they will dedicate to both teaching their students about the road as well as going out with them on the highways and letting them test these skills hands-on.

It is also important to understand just how many driving hours, or theory hours, a student will log when they participate in an intensive driving course. Some of these institutions might actually do all of the work themselves, ensuring that a student has all of the necessary driving time and classroom time needed after completion. Others will do a percentage of this work and hand off the rest of the driving experience and education to the parent or guardian. Before committing to driving lessons, understand the relationship of experience between the school and the parent.

Check Into the Instructor's Experience in the Driver Education Field
There is simply no substitute for experience when it comes to choosing a driving instructor. Any school worth its time and fees will employ only the most seasoned veterans of the road, and they will ensure that these professionals are effective at communicating their skills to novice and young drivers. That is a key part of any school, and choosing one without a proven track record of success and experience in education is a serious folly that can result in the student failing their road test or not meeting state requirements.

It is also important to look into the training and certification obtained by any instructor. There are often thorough requirements mandated by state departments of transportation for these professionals, and they should be willing to freely discuss their state qualifications as well as their experience in actually teaching new drivers how to handle their newfound privilege of operating a motor vehicle. If there is no such proof that an instructor is certified and experienced, it is time to look elsewhere when preparing a new driver for the road.
Research and Tough Questions are the Key to Selecting the Right School

Just like finding the best school or college, the best driving school should be chosen through the use of extensive research, lots of question-and-answer sessions, and careful attention to detail. Make sure that any institution is state certified or licensed, make sure that the instructor has a wealth of experiencing teaching young drivers about the road, and understand which requirements for young drivers will be met or exceeded at the conclusion of the course.

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What to Do If You Need a Windshield Repair

By Andrea Avery

Did you know that in most states, it is illegal to drive around with chips and cracks in your car's windshield? Being a vehicle owner can be tough. It may seem as if every time you turn around, you are in need of some sort of repair for your car. Unfortunately, that is one of the sad realities for car owners; vehicles are necessary in order to be able to get around time without any delays or inconveniences.

Driving on the freeway on in places where the roads are not completely repaired can cause you to end up cracks in your windshield and windows. Not only are these cracks and chips unattractive, they can actually become a much bigger and more expensive problem. The first time you happen to notice a crack or scratch on your car's windshield, you need to contact a windshield repair company right away.

Cracks in glass are often static. This means that they are unstable and depending on how the glass is sitting, the cracks can grow and crawl all across your line of view. Sometimes they cause smaller cracks and other times they cause much larger cracks to occur. Either way, they are very dangerous for you and your passenger. If you were to drive around with cracked and chipped glass, you are taking on the risk of that glass breaking or exploding and causing injury to all who are in the car.

If you don't have the time to go to a windshield repair facility on your own, there are mobile windshield repair companies that will come to you. You can easily schedule an appointment with the mobile company to come to your home and fix your windshield on the weekends or come to your job and fix it during your lunch break.

If you think that windshield repairs are expensive, guess again, they are not. The best part is most auto insurance companies will cover the cost of any repairs, depending on the coverage of your particular policy. If you want you can always shop around for the best provider that has the lowest prices.

The bottom line is you don't want to be caught by law enforcement with a cracked windshield. You also don't want to be seen by your friends, riding around in a car with a broken windshield. Not only is the citation costly, you may never be able to live down the embarrassment that you feel every time see you in your car before you have gotten it fixed. Spare yourself the trouble and get that window fixed as soon as possible. You don't want that small blemish to become a bigger blemish that can cause injury to you and your friends.

Think about your safety and the safety of your passengers and do what is right. Go to your nearest windshield repair facility and see what deals and discounts are available to save you money on your repair.

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