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Washington C.H. Record Herald - Fall Car Care, Saturday, September 8, 2012 1B

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2B Washington C.H. Record Herald - Fall Car Care, Saturday, September 8, 2012

By Family Features

In today's fast-pacedand hectic world, mostpeople are constantlylooking for ways tosqueeze as much as possi-ble from each second ofthe day, and time spent inthe car is no exception.Eating, cell phone use andeven adjusting vehiclecontrols are all some ofthe major tasks distractingAmerica's drivers.

To help remind alldrivers that crossing thefinish line responsibly ispriority number one,Motorola Mobility isteaming up withNASCAR racing legendKyle Petty.

"If I've learned any-thing after more thanthree decades in racing,it's the importance ofkeeping two hands on thewheel," said Petty. "Thereare some simple tips toconsider that will helpyou stay responsiblebehind the wheel."

Buckle up. Forty-ninestates and Washington,D.C. have mandatory seatbelt laws, and statisticsshow seat belt use isincreasing. In 2011, useof seat belts was estimat-

ed at 84 percent nation-wide. Even so, certaingroups, like new drivers,are less likely to buckleup, according to theNational Highway TrafficSafety Administration. Toresearch vehicle laws inyour area, including safe-ty belt and child restraintlaws, visitwww.iihs.org/laws.

Obey the law. Do yourhomework. If you'reuncertain about the lawsin your area, or if you'retraveling and not clear onthe regulations in an unfa-miliar area, a list of cellphone and texting lawsstate-by-state is availableatwww.motorola.com/handsfreelaw.

Eliminate distractions.Mobile phones can be adistraction for drivers,especially when used fortexting. In fact, cell phoneuse while driving hasincreased significantlywithin the last few years,with as many as 10 per-cent of drivers using ahand-held device, accord-ing to the CaliforniaOffice of Traffic Safety.

The good news is awide range of technologysolutions are available to

help drivers stay compli-ant with state and locallaws. For example,Motorola's suite of hands-free Bluetooth enabledheadsets and speaker-phones, like the Roadster2 in-car speakerphone orthe Elite Sliver headset,make it easy to receive acall and hear or respondto a text message whilekeeping your hands on thewheel.

Practice good defense.In NASCAR, they saythat the best offense isgood defense, and it holdstrue for all drivers. Beinga good defensive drivermeans being fully awareof your surroundings,including road conditionsand other drivers.Heightened awarenessalso means you are betterable to react when theneed arises. To learn moreabout responsible drivingpractices, visitwww.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety.

For more informationabout how you can drivemore responsibly usingMotorola's line up ofhands-free Bluetoothdevices, visitwww.motorola.com/ThumbsUp.

Tips for responsible driving

2012FALL CAR CARE

Preparefor winter

Local service providers share helpful tipsBy RYAN CARTERManaging Editor

As fall approaches andwith colder tempera-tures on the horizon,

it’s not too early to startthinking about the mainte-nance of your vehicle.

Doug Marine, owner ofDoug Marine Motors, andWayne King, the service man-ager at Doug Marine Motors,offered some advice for carcare this fall.

“Going into the fall andwinter, it’s very important tohave the cooling systeminspected,” said Marine. “Werecommend that you have thecooling system inspectedevery two years. That includesnot only visual inspection butpressure testing and leak test-ing as well.”

The cooling system not

only keeps the engine runningat the proper temperature butalso produces heat for theinterior passenger compart-ment.

“It’s extremely important tokeep the proper flow and cir-culation in the cooling sys-tem,” said Marine. “If you donot, it can severely damagethe engine. We see a lot ofneglect when it comes to cool-ing system maintenance.”

Another important tip is tomaintain the charging systemof your vehicle.

“With the battery, the cold

weather is hard on it,” Marinesaid. “Older batteries shouldbe attended to. With thesophisticated diagnostics wehave now, the battery can betested relatively easy at a rea-sonable cost.”

King recommends thatfour-year-old batteries bereplaced.

“It’s a preventative measureso you don’t end up beingstranded in the cold,” saidKing.

If there is a problem withthe battery and jump startingyour vehicle is required, cau-

tion should also be takenwhen hooking up the cables.“Especially with newer vehi-cles, there needs to be extracaution with the hook up,”said King. “It could causeconsiderable damage to theelectronics of the vehicle ifit’s not properly hooked up.”

And of course during thefall and winter months, keep-ing your tires maintained isessential.

“With tires, the tread isimportant on not only wetroads, but snow and ice-cov-ered roads,” Marine said. “It’simportant to keep properlyinflated tires and proper treadthickness.”

In fact, tires seem to be thesingle-most prevalent itemthat is neglected by vehicle

owners, according to Marine.“It’s important to keep

them properly inflated,” saidMarine. “A lot of car ownersjust eyeball them and thinkthey have enough air, butthat’s not alwaysthe case. People waste bigmoney in replacing tires pre-maturely because they didn’tmake sure the tires were prop-erly inflated.”

Anyone with additionalquestions about vehicle main-tenance can contact DougMarine Motors, 1120 ClintonAve., at (740) 335-3700 andask for Wayne King in theservice department.

“With tires, the tread is importanton not only wet roads, but snow

and ice-covered roads. It’simportant to keep properly inflatedtires and proper tread thickness.”

— Doug Marine, Doug Marine Motors

Whether talking to someone in the seat next to you or on the other end of thephone, don’t allow yourself to be distracted while behind the wheel.

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Washington C.H. Record Herald - Fall Car Care, Saturday, September 8, 2012 3B

2012FALL CAR CARE

By RYAN CARTERManaging Editor

A law to ban textingwhile driving took effecton Aug. 31, initiating asix-month warning period.Signed by Gov. John

Kasich on June 1, HouseBill 99 makes textingbehind the wheel illegalfor motorists of all ageson a secondary enforce-ment basis. The offensecan be cited only if anoth-er moving violation hasoccurred.“It’s a very difficult

law for us to enforce,”said Fayette CountySheriff Vernon Stanforth.“Unfortunately, themajority of citations comeout of traffic crashes afterthe fact. Hopefully, manypeople will just voluntari-ly not answer the textsthey are receiving whenthey are driving. You

don’t have to answer yourtexts right away. Thinkabout how many urgenttexts there actually are.Not many.”The bill also makes it

illegal for drivers underage 18 to use an electron-ic wireless communica-tions device in any man-ner. For novice driversthis means they can beticketed for texting whiledriving and for talking ona cell phone. No ticketmay be issued for a viola-tion of either prohibitionuntil after the six-monthwarning period.“This is also difficult,”

said Stanforth. “How canwe know who is 17 or 18years old? We can’t arbi-trarily start pulling peopleover either. You can getinto constitutional viola-tions. Again, we justencourage everyone touse common sense. If atext really is urgent and

you are driving, you canfind a place to pull overand send a response.”AAA is warning

motorists about the dan-gers of texting while driv-ing.“Texting while driving

is the most dangerous ofall distractions behind thewheel,” said BrianNewbacher, director ofpublic affairs for AAAEast Central. “The teendriving portion of the billis very strong and AAAsupports it 100 percent.AAA would like to see aprimary enforcement banfor all drivers in thefuture but this is a greatstart.”Motorists violating the

law after the six-monthwarning period would besubject to a fine of nomore than $150. Teendrivers would be subjectto having their licensesuspended for 60 days for

a first offense.A recent survey of the

motoring public by theAAA Foundation forTraffic Safety found that35 percent of motorists ofall ages admitted to textmessaging while driving.Nearly half of driversages 18 to 24 admitted totext messaging whiledriving.AAA announced in

2009 that it will work topass laws banning textmessaging by drivers inall 50 states, citing strongpublic support for thelaws and the danger of

distracted driving. Ohiobecame the 39th state toban texting behind thewheel with AAA workingfor passage of a textingwhile driving ban forapproximately four years.In a recent AAA sur-

vey, 95 percent of OhioAAA members support astatewide ban of textingbehind the wheel.Currently 39 states and

the District of Columbiahave laws that addresstext messaging by alldrivers. Ohio citiesincluding Cleveland andBeachwood ban texting

on a primary basis andthose laws will takeprecedent due to Ohio’sHome Rule laws. Studieshave shown texting whiledriving to be an extremelydangerous distraction fordrivers due to the extend-ed time (an average of 4.6seconds) spent not look-ing at the road.AAA East Central is a

not-for-profit organizationwith 80 local offices inWestern Pennsylvania,Ohio, West Virginia,Kentucky and New York,servicing 2.6 millionmembers.

Texting bannow in effect

After the warning period, adult violators would be fined and teen drivers would besubject to license suspension.

WASHINGTON (AP)— The Obama administra-tion has finalized regula-tions that will forceautomakers to nearly dou-ble the average gas mileageof all new cars and trucksthey sell by 2025.The rules mean that all

new vehicles would have toget an average of 54.5miles per gallon in 13years, up from 28.6 mpg atthe end of last year. Therequirements will bephased in graduallybetween now and then, andautomakers could be finedif they don't comply.The regulations,

announced Tuesday, willchange the cars and truckssold in U.S. showrooms,with the goal of slashinggreenhouse gas emissionsand fuel consumption.Automakers will need toimprove gasoline-poweredengines, and sell morealternative fuel vehicles.Critics say the rules willmake cars unaffordable byadding thousands of dollarsto the sticker price.The "Corporate Average

Fuel Economy," or CAFEstandards, will vary byautomaker depending onthe mix of models they sell.The requirements will belower for companies suchas General Motors, Fordand Chrysler, which offermore pickup trucks. Thestandards can be loweredby the government if peo-

ple suddenly start buyingless-efficient vehicles in thefuture, although few expectthat to happen.The administration says

the latest changes will savefamilies up to $7,400 onfuel over the life of a vehi-cle. The standards also arethe biggest step the U.S.government has ever takentoward cutting greenhousegas emissions,Environmental ProtectionAgency Administrator LisaJackson said. Tailpipeemissions from cars and

light trucks will be halvedby 2025.President Barack

Obama said the new fuelstandards "represent thesingle most important step"his administration has takento reduce U.S. dependenceon foreign oil.But Republican presi-

dential nominee MittRomney has opposed thestandards, and his cam-paign on Tuesday said anysavings at the pump wouldbe wiped out by the risingcost of cars and trucks.

Already, automakershave committed to an aver-age of 35.5 mpg by modelyear 2016 under a dealreached with the Obamaadministration three yearsago.In the arcane world of

government regulations, therules don't mean that eachnew car or truck will get54.5 mpg. The averagevehicle will get closer to 40mpg in real-world driving.Automakers will be able tosell pickup trucks and less-efficient vehicles as long asthat's offset somewhat bysmaller vehicles thatalready can get upward of40 mpg.Automakers can reduce

the mileage they're requiredto get with credits for sell-ing natural gas and electricvehicles, changing air con-ditioning fluid to one thatpollutes less, and addingstop-start circuits that tem-porarily shut off the engineat stop lights.At showrooms, dealers

are likely to offer more effi-cient gas-electric hybrids,natural gas vehicles andelectric cars. There alsowill be smaller motors,lighter bodies and moredevices to save fuel.Automakers have

already been adding tech-nology to boost the effi-ciency of gasoline-poweredengines, mainly becausepeople want to spend lessat the pump. Fuel economy

is the top factor peopleconsider when buying a carin the U.S., according tothe research firm J.D.Power and Associates. Thenational average for gaso-line hit $3.76 Tuesday, thehighest price ever for thistime of year.Fuel efficiency has been

rising for the past five yearsbecause government regu-lations and high gas priceshave encouraged smallervehicles and engines. Theaverage new car now goesalmost four miles farther ona gallon of gas than it didin October of 2007, accord-ing to the University ofMichigan TransportationResearch Institute.Market demand for

more efficient vehiclesalready has pushed the autoindustry to boost mileagewith an array of technolo-gy, said Roland Hwang,transportation director forthe Natural ResourcesDefense Council. "We'repleasantly surprised to seehow fast the industry ismoving," he said.The administration esti-

mates that the new rules,combined with those thatbegan in 2011, will raisethe cost of a new car about$2,800 by 2025. The esti-mates are based on 2010dollars. But the governmentsays the net savings fromthe requirements still willbe $3,500 to $5,000because people will spend

less on gas.The administration also

predicts that the new regu-lations will cost the autoindustry about $135 billionfrom 2017 to 2025.The new rules were

adopted after an agreementbetween the administrationand 13 automakers lastyear. That's a change fromthe past, when automakersfought the regulations, say-ing they cost too much.Industry leaders repeat-

edly told the Obamaadministration that theywanted one nationwide fuelstandard, fearing separatemileage standards fromCalifornia and other states."They wanted certainty

so that as they invest in thefuture they will know whatrules they are playing by,"the EPA's Jackson said.Fuel economy standards

were first imposed on U.S.automakers in the 1970s.The aim was to make carsmore efficient and reducethe nation's dependence onforeign oil at time when theArab oil embargo was cre-ating gasoline shortages.The administration saysthis is the first update indecades.The National Highway

Traffic SafetyAdministration will enforcethe standards, calculatingthe average mileage of carssold by each automaker.Automakers can be fined ifthey don't comply.

New mileage standards would double fuel efficiency

The administration says the latest changes will savefamilies up to $7,400 on fuel over the life of a vehicle.

MILAN (AP) — FordMotor Co. on Sept. 6unveiled 15 new orrestyled vehicles for theEuropean market that itwill launch over five yearsto revive slumping sales.

While other carmakersare holding back on newcar launches due to tank-ing European demand,Ford executives announcedthat the Detroit carmakerwill accelerate new carlaunches in Europe,expanding its lineup ofSUVs, restyling the hot-selling Fiesta, redesigningits commercial vehiclesand bringing the iconicMustang sports across theAtlantic.

Ford Europe CEOStephen Odell saidimprovements in the "bru-tal" European market arenot expected soon. Ford'sfirst-half European salesdropped 10 percent to517,094 units, a 7.8 per-cent market share for thefifth-largest carmaker inEurope.

Consumer demand forcars in Europe has plum-meted as the sovereigndebt crisis has spread tothe real economy, cuttingeconomic production andforcing up unemploymentin the region. Vehicle salesin the European Uniondropped 6.8 percent in thefirst six months of the yearto 6.64 million, from 7.1million in the same perioda year earlier — raisingconcerns about factoryovercapacity across thecontinent.

But Odell said Ford

wants "to demonstrate thatdespite the economic cri-sis, we are investing in thefuture. ... We want to makea statement loud and clearthat we believe there isgreat opportunity inEurope."

Ford forecasts that carsales in Europe, includingRussia, will increase by 20percent in the next fiveyears to 23 million vehi-cles.

Many of the new vehi-cles announced at a gather-ing of Ford dealers inAmsterdam, broadcast liveon the Internet, are eitherrestyled versions of exist-ing vehicles or Europeanlaunches of vehicles avail-able in other world mar-kets, as the car companyaccelerates its globalmodel strategy devised sixyears ago to confront theeconomic crisis in NorthAmerica.

Ford CEO Alan Mulallysaid the so-called "OneFord" strategy has helpedthe automaker post 12straight quarters of profits.

"In 2017, our Europeanshowrooms will feature 15truly global vehicles,"Mulally said, bringing to71 percent the share ofglobal models in Europe,compared with 43 percentcurrently.

Aaron Bragman, an

automotive industry ana-lyst at IHS Automotive,said the strategy worked inhelping Ford get throughthe crisis in the UnitedStates.

"They gave us half theequation," Bragman said."The other half that wasn'tdiscussed was what kindof changes are going tohappen at Ford of Europeinternally to bring theircosts under control."

That could includelooking at the manufactur-ing footprint, engineeringand staffing. "That will bea much harder look and itwon't be as fun to talkabout as new products,"Bragman said.

The refreshed lineupincludes a second-genera-tion Kuga midsize SUV tobe launched this year, as

well as a new Ecosportcompact SUV and theEuropean launch of thelarger Edge. The newFiesta small car features asharper exterior design andwill be available with tech-nology aimed at parents ofyoung drivers that setsmaximum vehicle speed orvolume for in-car audio.

Ford is targeting thelucrative midsize car mar-ket with a restyledMondeo, incorporating thecarmaker's new invertedtrapezoidal grill. TheMondeo will be availablein four-door, five-door,wagon and a four-door gashybrid electric version,Ford's first full hybrid carfor Europe. After shrinkingover the last decade, themidsize market has stabi-lized and Ford is forecast-ing growth of 15 percentby 2015.

Many of the vehicleswill be offered with Ford's1.0 liter EcoBoost enginethat increases performancewhile achieving greaterfuel efficiency.

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4B Washington C.H. Record Herald - Fall Car Care, Saturday, September 8, 2012

2012FALL CAR CARE

As much as we’d like to hope,gas prices aren’t likely todrop much. Consider these

simple tips to stretch your tank a lit-tle farther:

Gettin’ in tune —Keeping your car in proper run-

ning condition is vital to gettinggood gas mileage and saving money,so make sure your engine is tunedup. Especially crucial under the hoodare the spark plugs. Are they firingcorrectly? One that isn’t can cost youas much as 30% in fuel efficiency.All thumbs?You can still replaceyour own air filter and improve yourgas mileage up to 10%. Check thefilter periodically for the things thatcan clog it-dirt, dust, bugs, etc.-andchange it according to your owner’smanual guidelines.

Pump ‘em up —Make sure your tires are inflated

to the proper air pressure indicated inyour owner’s manual. Underinflatedtires can wreak havoc on threefronts-they rob you of precious gasmileage (up to 15%), they wear outfaster than properly inflated tires and

they can cause an accident. Do themath. If you’re getting 20 miles tothe gallon on underinflated tires, youcan possibly bump that to 23 withthe proper pressure. If your gas tankholds 15 gallons and you get threeextra miles a gallon, that’s 45 milesper fillup. If you fill up once a week,that’s 2,340 additional miles a yearyou’re getting. Buy a quality tiregauge and check your tire pressureonce a month.

Listen for the click —After filling up, make sure you

tighten your cap until it clicks toprevent evaporation of gas and yourmoney. More than 145 million gal-lons of gas evaporate each year fromvehicles, according to the Car CareCouncil.

To cool or not to cool? —The debate rages about whether

air conditioning use affects yourmiles per gallon. Follow your gut onthis one.

You’re not Jeff Gordon —Accelerate smoothly away from

stop signs and stoplights to get themost out of a tank of gas.

87, 91, 93, hike —Figuring out what octane gas to use

in your car can seem as complicatedas a football playbook. As a generalrule, use the octane recommendationin your owner’s manual. Using a high-er octane fuel won’t necessarily getyou better gas mileage, but it will youhit in the wallet or pocketbook. Andwhile you’re filling up, don’t worryabout topping off.You don’t need toget the absolute most miles possiblebefore your next pit stop, er, fillup, sotrying to top off will likely only leadto gas spilled on the ground or on thefinish of your car. Once the automaticnozzle shuts off, stop pumping.

Channel your inner Columbo —Snoop around town and find the

lowest gas prices-trenchcoat isoptional. You might notice a particu-lar station or two is always a fewcents lower-or higher-than the rest.The Web site gasbuddy.com canshow you gas prices as general as bystate or as specific as by ZIP code. Inmany parts of the country, prices areoften lowest on Wednesday and thenincrease toward the weekend.

$Going farther on a gallon of gas

Simple tips tostretch your tank

DETROIT (AP) —General Motors says itwill invest $220 millionat two Ohio factories tobuild the next generationChevrolet Cruze com-pact car.

The company saysthe investment in newequipment will preservemore than 5,000 jobs atfactories in Lordstown,near Youngstown, andParma near Cleveland.

GM says the newCruze will get freshstyling, a nicer interiorand better gas mileage

than the version on salenow. The Cruze nowgets 35 to 42 miles pergallon on the highwaydepending on engine andtransmission.

GM wouldn't saywhen production of thenew Cruze will start.The compact is GM'ssecond-best selling carwith nearly 129,000 soldso far this year.

The Lordstown facto-ry complex has built500,000 Cruzes sinceproduction began inSeptember of 2010.

GM investing $220M in 2plants to build new Cruze

Ford unveils 15 models for European market “We want to make a

statement loud and clear that we believe there is

great opportunity in Europe." — Ford Europe CEO Stephen Odell

DETROIT (AP) — Bigpickups carried U.S. autosales to their highest levelin three years.

Demand for full-sizepickups jumped 16 percentin August, helping to makeit the strongest sales monthsince August 2009. Overallauto sales increased 20percent from a year earlierto nearly 1.3 million,according to Autodatacorp.

The rising demandshows that businesses needto replace aging trucks andfeel more confident aboutthe recovery in U.S. hous-ing — an industry wherepickups are essential forhauling equipment andcrews.

"Businesses don't usual-ly go buy a fleet of trucksunless they have good rea-son to believe that businesswill be ramping up," saidJesse Toprak, vice presi-dent of market intelligencefor the TrueCar.com autopricing service.

Ford, GM and Chrysler,the biggest makers of full-size trucks, notched dou-ble-digit gains in overallsales last month.

In pickups, Ford's F-Series, the top-sellingvehicle in America, saw a19 percent sales increase,as did Chrysler's Rampickup. Sales of GeneralMotors' Chevy Silveradorose 4 percent, while theGMC Sierra was up 9 per-cent. Toyota's strugglingbig truck, the Tundra, post-ed a huge increase of 68percent.

The rising demandhelped push total U.S. autosales last month to anannual rate of 14.5 million.That's the best monthlysales pace since the gov-ernment's "Cash forClunkers" rebate programin August of 2009.

Pent-up demand is onereason for last month'struck increase. The aver-age vehicle on U.S. roadsis nearing 11 years old,

and some are simply wear-ing out.

But automakers andindustry analysts say theeconomic recovery — newhousing in particular — isstarting to make buyersfeel more comfortableabout a big-ticket pur-chase.

There's a direct correla-tion between the housingmarket and pickup sales,they say. When people whowork in housing or otherconstruction are more con-fident, they tend to investin equipment. Some maybe adding crews and needvehicles to get them to andfrom job sites.

Housing has been in thedumps since the 2008financial meltdown. Butrecently there have beensome good signs. U.S. newhome sales rose 3.6 per-cent in July to match atwo-year high reached inMay. In the past 12months, sales have jumped25 percent. But new-home

sales remain well belowthe annual pace that econ-omists consider healthy.

Truck sales fell dramat-ically in 2008 and 2009 asgas prices spiked and thehousing industry col-lapsed. Since then, they'venever fully recovered.

Gas mileage also isplaying a role in the pick-up increase. Newer modelsare lighter than older onesand can be equipped withsmall but powerful V-6engines. A business ownercan cut costs dramaticallyby replacing a 10-year-oldpickup, said Jeff Schuster,senior vice president offorecasting for LMCAutomotive, an industryconsulting firm.

A new Ford F-150 witha six-cylinder engine canget up to 23 miles per gal-lon on the highway. A V-8-powered F-150 got only 18mpg on the highway in2002.

Normally, strong trucksales don't happen until the

last three months of theyear due to marketing pro-motions and customerswanting four-wheel-drivevehicles as winterapproaches, Schuster said.So the August surge bodeswell for the industry.

Toprak expects trucksales to grow faster thanthe rest of the U.S. carmarket for the remainderof the year.

Truck sales also aregood for automakers' prof-its, especially the DetroitThree. The companiesmake $5,000 or more onpickup sales, comparedwith $1,000 to $2,000 foran average car, Schustersaid.

The strong sales inAugust can't be attributedto deals. Discounts on theF-150 and Ram pickupsfell compared with lastyear, while they rose only5 percent on Chevy'sSilverado, to $4,787. TheF-150 incentives are thelowest since 2007, when

Ford offered an average of$3,598 per truck, accord-ing to the Edmunds.comwebsite.

In overall sales, Toyota,Honda and Volkswagen ledthe way with big increases.Toyota sales rose 46 per-cent, while Honda'sclimbed 60 percent. VWkept its stunning growthgoing with an increase of63 percent. Both Hondaand Toyota reported jumpsbecause last year's num-bers were depressed whenan earthquake in Japanhobbled their factories andcaused vehicle shortages.

Gas prices, which rosemore than 20 cents a gal-lon during the month to anaverage of $3.82, drovepeople into smaller cars.The Chevrolet Cruzenotched almost 26,000 insales, making it the top-selling compact inAmerica. Sales of Toyota'sCorolla, and Ford's Focussurged, and Honda Civicsales more than doubled.

Pickup trucks drive U.S. auto sales to three-year high

By CRAIG W. ARMSTRONGSave money AND save the planet.

Keeping our world green has been a concernfor many years., but now keeping money inthe bank and food on the table is a concernfor millions of Americans as well. A good wayto accomplish both is to practice green carcare.

The most basic way to think about it is thatthe longer you can maintain your vehicle, thelonger you will be able to avoid buying a new one.Spring is the perfect time to get your vehicle inspect-ed and ready for the warmer weather. A few areas thatneed inspection are the air filter, the oil and oil filter, andthe radiator and cooling system. If you are someone whoisn’t comfortable under the hood, take your vehicle to an autoshop and let them take a look.

If you are not mechanically inclined, there are still some ways to getyour vehicle ready for spring and save some money at the same time. Check your tirepressure. Tires that aren’t inflated to the correct PSI (pounds per square inch) createmore friction, make the vehicle work harder and use more gas. Keeping your tires prop-erly inflated saves you money at the pump and keeps the planet greener by the use ofless gas. The correct pressure will be printed on the tire or found in the owner’s manual.

Clean the inside of your vehicle with environmentally friendly products. Theseproducts can be purchased or you can make your own. There are many recipes forhomemade cleaners that can be found online. Instead of using paper towel to clean thewindows, use newspaper. It does a great job and you will be using it to get the newsAND clean your car.

Determine if your auto shop is green. Ask if they recycle oil and antifreeze. Alsofind out if rebuilt parts are available. The cost of these parts can be 50 percent less.You’ll be saving money and recycling at the same time.

One of the best ways to save money and be green is to be creative. We could all usesome extra money and maintaining our planet is something we can all take part in.

Spring has sprung and things will be getting green. Do your part and help our planetstay green and keep some green in your pocket at the same time.

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Washington C.H. Record Herald - Fall Car Care, Saturday, September 8, 2012 5B

2012FALL CAR CARE

Evaluate your driving. While most seniors are experienced drivers, it’s importantto take time to consider one’s driving “health” and habits.For instance, how frequently do you wear a seatbelt? Do youuse your signal and check for nearby traffic before changinglanes? Does traffic cause you to feel anxious? When was thelast time you had an eye exam? You can take a Driver 65Plus self-assessment at www.SeniorDriving.AAA.com to get a clear picture of just how good your driving skillsreally are, and you’ll also get suggestions for improvingyour driving.

Be aware of how aging affectsdriving habits.From hearing and vision loss, to mental fitness and reactiontime, seniors may not notice the gradual differences that canimpact their driving ability. For instance, by age 60, youreyes need three times the amount of light to see properly as they do for people 20 years old, which means it’s moredifficult to see at night. Likewise, one-third of Americanssuffer from hearing loss by age 65. This can pose aproblem, as senior drivers may be unable to hear high-pitched noises such as emergency response vehicles whileon the road.

Reaction times can be slower for seniors as well. Butpreventative measures can go a long way.

� When following other vehicles, seniors should increasethe distance between their car and the car in front ofthem, to allow more time to react to sudden braking.

� Eliminating distractions in the vehicle and avoidingheavy traffic can also help seniors identify emergencysirens, and avoiding driving at night is another saferoption for seniors.

Find the right fit.With the wide array of vehicles offering all sorts of conveni -ence features, seniors may not realize that their car may notbe optimally adjusted to fit them. For example, sitting tooclose to the steering wheel can interfere with steer ing andcause fatigue, as well as injury, should the airbag deployduring a collision.

� Make sure you have at least 10 to 12 inches betweenyour chest and the steering wheel.

� When seated prop erly,you should be able tosee the ground in frontof your car within 12 to 15 feet and 1 1/2 carwidths left and right.

� Visit www.car-fit.org to assess the safety ofyour vehicle, find theproper seat and mirroradjustments and more.

Take a refreshercourse.No matter how many yearsa driver has been on theroad, a refresher course canhelp reinforce the basicssuch as iden tifying roadsigns, as well as provideinforma tion on updateddriving rules and newvehicle technologies.

Talk with yourdoctor andpharmacist.Ensure that the medications you take — both prescriptionand over-the-counter — will not impair your ability to drive safely. In addition, make sure all your medications go through one pharmacy, so the pharmacists on staff canbetter assess any potential drug interactions.

To help older drivers and their families deal with drivingand mobility challenges related to aging, AAA has launcheda new website (www.SeniorDriving.AAA.com) to make a comprehensive suite of tools and resources available at the click of a button. From an Ask-the-Expert feature toRoadwise Review — an online screening tool that measuresfunctional abilities (like vision and reaction time) linked to crash risk — and more, all of the features are free to sitevisitors. The site also offers links and resources to helpfamilies find other means of transportation when their lovedone is no longer able to drive safely.

Top 5 drivingtips for seniors1. Prepare for a drive by

adjusting your mirrors andseat to ensure you can seeproperly. Always wear aseatbelt.

2. Eliminate distractions, such as the car radio, which caninter fere with your ability to hear emergency responsevehicle sirens and otherimportant sounds.

3. Avoid driving in bad weather,heavy traffic or at night.

4. Making left-hand turns can be difficult for people withlimited vision. Avoid left-handturns at intersections withsignals by making three righthand turns around the blockwhen possible.

5. Manage slower reaction timesby increasing the amount ofspace between your vehicleand the car in front of you,allowing for more time toreact to sudden braking.

FAMILY FEATURES

Since January 2011, nearly 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day, joining the fastestgrowing age group in the nation. According to a recent American AutomobileAssociation (AAA) survey of that booming population, nearly half of seniors worryabout losing their freedom and mobility when the time comes for them to transition

from driver to passenger. From understanding how vision changes can affect one’s ability to drive at night, to

researching the effects certain medications can have on one’s driving ability, it’s important to get the facts about driving for seniors. Use these tips from AAA to help ensure you and your family members are driving safely:

Adjust your mirrors and seat to ensure you can see properly.

Always wear a seatbelt.

Tips for family membersIf you’re concerned about the safety of a senior family mem ber, look toresources such as their doctor or your local DMV, that can help identifytheir capacity to drive, and find transportation resources to help themmanage daily needs:

� If your family member has received two traffic cita tions, warnings or been involved in two collisions or “near misses” within a two yearperiod, it may be time to look for other forms of transportation.

� Make sure your family member speaks with their doctor and phar -macist about prescription and over-the-counter medi cations that mayimpair their ability to drive safely.

� Talk with family members, friends and neighbors about organizing acar pool to help seniors who need rides find transportation. Look tolocal public and supple mental transportation options as well.

Read more about assessing your family member’s ability to drive, as wellas where to find alternative transportation, at www.SeniorDriving.AAA.com.

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6B Washington C.H. Record Herald - Fall Car Care, Saturday, September 8, 2012