April 18, 2015
❘ 1 C
SO FRESH,
SO CLEAN
Extend your car’s longevity with these spring cleaning tips
T
he open road lies in
front of millions of
drivers who are ready
to lower the windows
and feel the warm breeze.
Nothing curbs the excitement of
a spring drive more than car
issues that could have been
avoided by simple maintenance
to combat the lasting effects of
driving through winter.
Many people consider spring the perfect time
to clean their homes, but it is also important not
to forget the vehicle. The average vehicle stays
on the road nearly 11 years, according to a
study by Polk Research. This trend of con-
sumers holding onto their vehicles longer than
usual continues to grow.
To help protect what is typically the second
largest investment for any consumer — your
vehicle — here are tips to make sure you are
ready for a successful spring travel season.
• As temperatures change, so can tire pres-
sure. Proper tire inflation is essential for
increased automotive safety, optimum driving
performance and significant cost savings,
including better fuel mileage.
Tires should be inflated to the vehicle manu-
facturer’s recommendations printed on the
vehicle door placard or in the glove box, and
should be checked at least monthly. Over-infla-
tion can lead to premature or irregular tire
wear and under-inflation reduces a vehicle’s
fuel efficiency.
• Keep hydrated: Many fluids require atten-
tion, including the engine oil, transmission
fluid and power steering fluid. Spring is the
perfect time to make sure they are all clean
and at the proper levels.
Additionally, to help ensure maximum
engine life, change the oil and oil filter every
3,000 miles, or as directed by your owner’s
manual.
• Breathe free: Re-placing a dirty air filter
can increase a vehicle’s life expectancy and fuel
efficiency by reducing the strain on the engine,
especially during warmer months.
Over the winter months, salt, sand and other
impurities may build up in a vehicle’s air filtra-
tion system, and replacing this air filter can
improve acceleration time by around 6 to 11
percent, according to fueleconomy.gov.
• Many times, consumers postpone tire pur-
chases, but after enduring a harsh winter and
looking ahead to the wet spring weather, it is
not the time to have low tread on your tires. The
lower the tread depth, the less traction you will
have on wet roads, and the greater the distance
you will need to stop. —BPT
‘Distracted driving’ at an all-time high; Stretch dollars
on your next
new approaches needed, say experts
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Young,
inexperienced drivers have always
gotten into more automobile acci-
dents, but if you add in a lot of
distractions, it’s a recipe for disas-
ter — and a new Pacific
Northwest research program is
learning more about these risks
while identifying approaches that
may help reduce them.
Distractions have been an issue
since the age of the Model T,
whether a driver was eating a
sandwich or talking to a passen-
ger. But the advent of cell phones,
text messaging and heavy urban
traffic has taken those distractions
to a historic level, say researchers,
who emphasize that there appears
to be value in educating young
drivers about these special risks.
A new study of 3,000 teenage
drivers in Alaska, Washington,
Idaho and Oregon has found that
interactive presentations adminis-
tered to young drivers in a class-
room or auditorium — more than
passive listening — can have
some ability to raise their aware-
ness of this problem.
Experts conclude that more
work of this type should be pur-
sued nationally.
“Based on recent studies, any-
thing that takes your attention
away, any glance away from the
road for two seconds or longer can
increase the risk of an accident
from four to 24 times,” said David
Hurwitz, an assistant professor of
transportation engineering in the
College of Engineering at Oregon
State University, and correspon-
ding author of the study,
which was published in the
Journal of Transportation
Safety and Security.
“This is a dramatic
increase in risk, with inex-
perienced drivers who are
least able to handle it,” he
said. “The absolute worst is
texting on a cell phone,
which is a whole group of
distractions. With texting,
you’re doing something besides
driving, thinking about something
besides driving, and looking at the
wrong thing.”
One study has equated texting
on a cell phone equivalent to driv-
ing drunk.
While many young drivers
understand the risks of texting,
Hurwitz said, they are much less
aware of other concerns that can
be real — eating, drinking, talking
on a cell phone, smoking, adjust-
ing the radio, changing a CD,
using a digital map or other con-
trols.
“Automobile manufacturers
have made cars significantly safer,
but in the interests of passenger
comfort they also continue to add
more pleasant distractions within
the vehicle,” Hurwitz said. “More
experienced drivers learn how to
control these distractions, but
we’re finding the most problems
ing, discussion and tactile prob-
lem-solving.
“Young people learn better
when they are involved in the
process, not just sitting and listen-
ing to a lecture,” Hurwitz said.
“Based on recent studies, anything that takes
your attention away, any glance away from the
road for two seconds or longer can increase the
risk of an accident from four to 24 times.”
—DAVID HURWITZ, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
with the very young driver, within
six months of getting a license.”
Aside from lack of experience,
he said, young drivers also have a
higher risk tolerance, use seat
belts less, and choose higher
speeds. The recent research found
that 27 percent of respondents
changed clothes or shoes while
driving, and some worked on
homework.
Adding more distractions does-
n’t help.
What researchers found that can
help is “interactive” driver train-
ing that focuses on the issue of
distractions, which can be done
with driving simulators or simple
computers, and can involve writ-
“We think an increase in active
learning will help with this prob-
lem and can improve driver edu-
cation. Students doing this can see
how much better their awareness
and reaction time are when they
aren’t distracted.”
The research is finding some
surprises, as well.
Studies are showing that
“hands-free” cell phones are real-
ly no safer than a hand-held cell
phone. The real distraction
appears to be the driver talking to
someone who is not in the car, a
distant voice who’s oblivious to
the freeway traffic jam.
See
DRIVING 3C
road trip
n an era of escalated airline ticket prices and
extra travel expenses, road trips have
emerged once more as a popular and cost-
conscious mode of vacationing for individuals
and families.
Nearly 80 percent of leisure trips in 2012 were
made by car, says the U.S. Travel Association.
Various trips exist that can take you through
urban or rural areas.
Those making road trips may be concerned
about keeping costs down, particularly if saving
money is the catalyst behind the road trip vaca-
tion.
The following are a few tips to stretch dollars
that much further on your next road trip.
• Dine out sparingly. Road stops and drive-
thru food expenditures can quickly add up during
the course of a road trip.
Therefore, pack the majority of the food you
will eat in a cooler. Not only will this save
money, it will mean food is at the ready when
hunger strikes. Food need not be all cold snacks,
like sandwiches. Frozen burgers or refrigerated
frankfurters can be cooked on a camp stove or
tossed on a grill at a park’s picnic area. Save
restaurant dining as a special treat during the
vacation.
• Look for inexpensive lodging. While on a
road trip you may need to compromise some of
the comforts of home to save some money. Motel
rates are another trip budget-buster. But by mix-
ing overnights at motels with less expensive
options you may be able to mitigate costs.
I
See
TRIP 3C
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