Drivetrains 101 | Consumer Reports

A car’s drivetrain is how you get power from the engine to the wheels. Consumer Reports’ expert explains the difference between front-wheel, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel, and four-wheel drive.

Top 10 Most Expensive Car Crash Tests Of All Time

For most car manufacturers, a crash test often means sending about a dozen cars to a crash test facility where the vehicles will be tortured, destroyed, and abandoned in most cases. The more expensive the car is, the more money its maker has to spend for the tests. Here are some of the biggest spenders in the industry. ---------------------- 10) Range Rover Velar 9) Audi Q8 8) Tesla Model S 7) Porsche Taycan 6) Mercedes-Benz G-Class 5) Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG 4) Lamborghini Murciélago 3) Bugatti Veyron 2) Koenigsegg Regera 1) Pagani Huayra

Best Car Safety Features | Consumer Reports

There are many ways to prevent car accidents. Consumer Reports looks at the latest technology designed to save people’s lives.

Four Common Automotive Collision Repair Insurance Questions

 

By Craig Pelton  | 

After an auto accident, it is important that you have your vehicle damage professionally repaired by a reputable collision repair shop. However, dealing with the insurance adjusters and finding the answers to your many questions can be overwhelming. This is why we have taken the time to answer some of the most common insurance questions that our clients ask during the collision repair process.

Does the insurance company choose where you should have your vehicle repaired? It is entirely your choice as to where you have your vehicle repaired after an accident. Your insurance company may try to steer you toward a preferred shop in their network, but the choice is up to you. In fact, state law prohibits these "steering" tactics. Don't feel pressure to work with a collision repair shop simply because your adjuster prefers them. Your vehicle is a big investment and you want to be sure that an experienced and reputable automotive collision repair shop expertly repairs any damage.

Once an insurance company makes an estimate, will I need to pay for any additional damage that is discovered during the repair process? An appraiser is only able to make an estimate for the damage that is visible. Once the vehicle is taken apart for repair, the technician will look for evidence of any further damage. He will inform the insurance company of any additional repairs that must be made. It is not unusual for there to be at least one supplement to the original estimate.

Should I choose the repair shop with the lowest price because insurance is paying? That old phrase, "You get what you pay for" is often the case when it comes to automotive collision repair. Just because a shop offers the lowest price, it does not necessarily mean that it is the best place to have your car repaired. The vehicles of today are quite complex so you want to be sure that you are working with repair technicians that can restore your vehicle to its pre-accident condition. This includes repairing the outside appearance as well as the safety equipment and special equipment found on modern vehicles. Your car is a big investment so you want to be sure that you receive the best quality automotive repairs available.

Will my car ever be the same? If you use a reputable collision repair shop, your vehicle should be returned to its pre-accident state. This includes returning the function, safety, performance and appearance of the vehicle to like-new condition. Be sure that your technicians use new, high-quality replacement parts. You should choose a shop that offers comprehensive warranties on all repairs. This is one way to guarantee that the customer is completely satisfied with their repaired vehicle.

Repairing your vehicle after a collision should not be a traumatic experience. Find an auto body shop in your area that is experienced in working with insurance companies. They can guide you through the process so you feel comfortable and secure every step of the way.

Craig Pelton is the owner of Worldwide Auto Body, a full-service auto paint and collision repair center located in Kernersville, NC.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Craig_Pelton/1212530

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6767509

Garfield and AAA : Keep Your Children Safe in the Car

Garfield shares an important safety message from AAA on keeping your children safe in the car. For more information about child passenger safety, contact your local AAA club or visit www.AAA.com/safeseats4kids for fun safety activities.

AAA

AAA Distracted Driving PSA

Whether it’s texting, calling, navigating, or something else, using your cellphone while driving can be dangerous. In fact, texting and driving can have the same consequences as drinking and driving: deaths and injuries. Help reduce the number of these preventable tragedies by putting down your phone—because lives depend on it. You don’t drive intoxicated, so don’t drive intoxicated.

AAA Northeast

How Not To Drive Your Car On The Road

In these type of videos I'm trying to show situations on the roads which are for educational purposes, so the drivers can learn from other mistakes, not their own.

10 Things Everyone Should Know About Tires

By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

You probably know tires are made of rubber — but how much more do you know? Here’s a run-through of some important tire-related terminology:

1) Aspect ratio

This technical-sounding term refers to the relationship between the width of a tire and the height of the tire’s sidewall. High-performance “low profile” tires have “low aspect ratios” — meaning their sidewalls are short relative to their width. This provides extra stiffness and thus better high-speed handling and grip — but also tends to result in a firmer (and sometimes, harsh) ride. “Taller” tires tend to provide a smoother ride and better traction in snow.

2) Contact Patch

As your tires rotate, only a portion of the total tread is actually in contact with the ground at any given moment.  This is known as the contact patch.  Think of it as your tire’s “footprint.” Sport/performance-type tires are characterized by their wider footprint — more tread is in contact with the ground — which provides extra grip, especially during hard acceleration on dry pavement and during high-speed cornering.

3) Treadwear indicators

These are narrow bands built into the tread during manufacturing that begin to show when only 1/16 of the tire’s tread remains. Also called wear bars, treadwear indicators are there to provide an obvious visual warning that it’s time to shop for new tires.

4) Speed ratings

An alpha-numeric symbol you’ll find on your tire’s sidewall that tells you the maximum sustained speed the tire is capable of safely handling. An H-rated tire, for example, is built to be safe for continuous operation at speeds up to 130 mph. Most current model year family-type cars have S (112 mph) or T (118 mph) speed ratings. High performance cars often have tires with a V (149 mph) or  ZR (in excess of 149 mph) speed rating. A few ultra-performance cars have W (168 mph) and even Y (186 mph) speed-rated tires.

5) Maximum cold inflation load limit

This refers to the maximum load that can be carried in a given vehicle with a given type of tires — and the maximum air pressure needed to support that load. In your vehicle’s owner’s manual, you should be able to find the recommended cold inflation load limit. It’s important not to exceed the load limit (or over or under-inflate the tires) as this can lead to stability/handling problems and even tire failure. Always check tire pressure “cold.” Driving creates friction which creates heat; as the tires warm up, the air inside expands, increasing the pressure. Measuring air pressure after driving can give a false reading; you may actually be driving around on under-inflated tires.

6) Load index

This number corresponds to the load carrying capacity of the tire. The higher the number, the higher the load it can safely handle. As an example, a tire with a load index of 89 can safely handle 1,279 pounds — while a tire with a load rating of 100 can safely handle as much as 1,764 pounds. It’s important to stick with tires that have at least the same load rating as the tires that came originally with the vehicle — especially if it’s a truck used to haul heavy loads or pull a trailer. It’s ok to go with a tire that has a higher load rating than the original tires; just be careful to avoid tires with a lower load rating than specified for your vehicle, even if they are less expensive. Saving a few bucks on tires is not worth risking an accident caused by tire failure.

7) Radial vs. bias-ply tire

Bias-ply tires have their underlying plies laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread; radials have their plies laid at 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread. That’s the technical difference. The reason radial tires are dominant today is that they help improve fuel efficiency and handling; they also tend to dissipate heat better than bias-ply tires. No modern passenger cars come with bias-ply tires these days and their use is generally not recommended. (Exceptions might include older/antique vehicles that originally came equipped with bias-ply tires. Some RVs also used bias-ply tires, etc.) It is very important never to mix radial and bias-ply tires; dangerously erratic handling may result.

8) LT and MS tires

These designations indicate “Light Truck” and “Mud/Snow” — and are commonly found on tires fitted to SUVs and pick-ups. LT-rated tires are more general purpose, built primarily for on-road use — while MS-rated tires typically have more aggressive “knobby” tread patterns designed for better off-road traction.

9) Temporary Use Only

Many modern cars come with so-called “space-saver” tires which are smaller and lighter than a standard or full-size spare tire. They are designed to leave more room in the trunk and be easier for the average person to handle when a roadside tire change becomes necessary. However, they are not designed to be used for extended (or high-speed) driving. Your car will probably not handle (or stop) as well while the Space Saver tire is on – and you should keep your speed under 55 mph and avoid driving on the tire beyond what’s absolutely necessary to find a tire repair shop where you can have your damaged tire repaired or replaced.

10) Treadwear, Traction and Temperature ratings

Each tire has three separate ratings for Treadwear, Traction and Temperature.

Traction ratings run from AA to A to B and C — with C being the lowest on the scale. The ratings represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement under controlled testing conducted by the government. C-rated tires are marginal and should be avoided. Never buy a tire with a Traction rating that isn’t at least equal to the minimum rating specified by the manufacturer of your vehicle.

Temperature ratings from A to B to C — with C being the minimum allowable for any passenger car tire. The ratings correspond to a given tire’s ability to dissipate heat under load; tires with lower ratings are more prone to heat-induced failure, especially if driven at high speeds (or when overloaded). As with Traction ratings, never buy a tire with a Temperature rating that’s less than specified for your vehicle.

Treadwear ratings differ from Traction and Temperature ratings in that they aren’t a measure of a tire’s built-in safety margin. Instead, these ratings — represented by a three digit number — give you an idea of the expected useful life of the tire according to government testing. A tire with a Treadwear rating of 150, for example, can be expected to last about 1.5 times as long as a tire with a Treadwear rating of 100. These are just guides, however. Your tires may last longer (or not) depending on such factors as how you drive, whether you maintain proper inflation pressure and rotate the tires per recommendations — and so on.

Comments?

www.ericpetersautos.com

Which Age Group Causes The Most Car Accidents?

According to statistics collected over the last decade, two age groups cause the most car accidents: teen drivers and the elderly. There are a number of reasons for these statistics, but the reality is that car accidents are a part of everyday life, and that even though someone might be a member of these demographic groups it does not automatically mean that they are going to be in a crash. 

  Teen drivers Driving represents a lot of things to teens. Freedom, empowerment for the first time in their lives and status as drivers makes putting teens behind the wheel a dangerous prospect. Teen drivers cause car accidents because they are full of youthful exuberance, and they lack the experience of more seasoned drivers, and they are prone to taking risks because they feel they are invincible. Furthermore, teen drivers also drive cars that are not the safest on the road, such as smaller vehicles that have more blind spots, or do not have the safety and accident avoidance features that many other cars have. Also, teens engage in riskier behaviors, such as racing, drinking and driving, and overloading their cars with too many people, all of which can contribute to causing an accident. Unfortunately, the combination of inexperience and propensity for risk taking means that teen drivers are among the most dangerous, and the statistics bear this out. That's why insurance companies generally charge more for the policies of teen drivers, because the companies understand the risks of teens on the road and adjust their premiums accordingly. 

  Elderly drivers On the flip side of the accident-causing spectrum, elderly drivers are also an age group that causes the many car accidents. Though they may have decades of driving experience, safe cars and a risk-avoidance mentality, these very factors can actually contribute to causing accidents. Throw in diminished reaction times, failing vision and hearing, and a sense of entitlement and elderly drivers can be just as dangerous as the newly-minted 16 year old out on the road for the first time. As the body ages, the mind and reflexes slow down. Hand-eye coordination decreases significantly, and it is a lot harder for older people to respond rapidly to conditions on the road or other drivers in dangerous situations. Then accidents occur. Older drivers tend to think of themselves as perfectly safe drivers, obeying the rules of the road while the world around them takes dangerous risks. While this is partially true, elderly drivers make can make judgment errors about the flow of traffic and distances between vehicles much easier than younger drivers. If this happens and there is no way to fix this incorrect perception of reality, older drivers can make assumptions that cause accidents. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of everyone on the road to be as safe a driver as they possibly can. Young drivers need to learn that they are not invincible, and older drivers need to realize that their skills and perception have likely decreased over time, and need to make adjustments to accommodate. Article 

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4339406

Why do Cars Get Impounded?

Impounded cars are those placed in tow yards legally before they are returned back to their owners, recycled, auctioned or completely destroyed. Impounding agencies must have a legal right before impounding a vehicle. The agents tow the vehicle once they find it in their list of automobiles for impounding.

Police or private agencies have the right to impound vehicles that are violating the law and store them in their yards. The law allows them to store impounded cars until all the fees charged are paid. They are licensed to have your vehicle impounded. If not, find a lawyer to represent your case in court.
Auctioning of abandoned vehicle is often organized to assist in recovery of cash used during towing and the time the auto was stored in the yard. This is usually done if the owner of the vehicle is not found, the owner doesn’t want the car anymore or if the vehicle has overstayed in the yard.
Before retrieving your impounded vehicle, you first need to understand why it was impounded in the first place. This will allow you plan accordingly.

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Reasons cars get impounded

i. Driving with no license
ii. Possession of a stolen car
iii. Car was involved in an accident
iv. The car isn’t insured
v. Over speeding
vi. Your car was found abandoned on the road
vii. Driving under suspension
viii. Outstanding fines for parking

ix. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
x. If your car got involved in assaulting someone
xi. If the car is not correctly parked
xii. Your registration is expired
xiii. If you are violating traffic rules
xiv. Driving vehicles that are not roadworthy
xv. If your car is exposing the public to potential health hazards or any other risks

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Has the vehicle been impounded illegally?

In case your car gets impounded illegally, contact a criminal defense lawyer to help you fight for your lawful rights. Most people with impounded cars often make claims of ownership and get collection letters. Once at the correct impounding station, you’ll be needed to prove your identity and ownership of the car.

Sometimes, you might not be able to retrieve your car by yourself due to unavoidable circumstances. If you’d wish to send someone on your behalf, let them bring with them a letter of authorization signed by you, a copy of your driving license and an insurance certificate to prove your identity.

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The cost of retrieving your vehicle

Getting your car back for free is almost impossible; there are fees that must be paid before you get your car. The police or private agencies charge you storage and towing fees. All your outstanding charges and fees must be cleared. Abandoning your vehicle because you don’t want to pay charges is not advisable.
It might result in your car being auctioned or completely destroyed. Afterward, you won’t have any claim for that car. The impounding agencies would benefit from auctioning your car. Even so, the municipal or companies you owe debts for years would still want you to pay them.

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Read more

What You Might Not Know About Using and Maintaining Your Spare Tire

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Source:  https://www.fifetowing.com/blog/why-cars-get-impounded/

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We Tried Warning Them. Some Won't Listen.

This time we tried being very proactive in letting people know not to park in unauthorized spaces. In addition to the signs, the staff member on duty was using the intercom speakers to alert drivers. Some people just won't listen.

GTOger

How Semitrucks Are Crash Tested | Carsplainers | Insider Cars

Just like consumer cars have to undergo crash testing, so do commercial semitrucks. While some of these tests are the same that production cars undergo, others are designed specifically for trucks. Thanks to trucking companies like Volvo and Scania as well as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, safety standards for these trucks are only improving. Correction: In the video, we said that the trucks weighed 120 tons. The trucks are 8 to 12 tons and crashed at speeds of 30 to 50 miles per hour. We regret the error. Thank you.

Insider Cars

Watch This Incredible Heavy Duty Rollover Recovery in Action!

Watch This Incredible Heavy Duty Rollover Recovery in Action! Sick of container rollovers yet? Neither are we! I tried to include the entirety of the video, from the moment Alex showed up until the moment we left just to show you how fast and efficient we are at this. I've received some hater comments occasionally saying "you'd be done an hour faster if you didn't film" as if the filming takes up hours. This video should put all those haters to rest! Hector arrived first in our 50ton Vulcan wrecker, then Alex in Big Flipper, our 75ton rotator, followed by myself in the infamous Hulk, a 2020 50ton rotator. Weight inside the container was approximately 40,000lb, and our usual tag team method of the rotators controlling the container while the wrecker controlled the cab went as smooth as ever. I tried a new viewing angle with my 360 camera on the auxiliary line, what did you guys think of this? If popular, I will definitely use it more often. Don't forget to head to www.pepestowla.com/shop after the video and grab your cool Pepe's swag to represent your favorite tow company! ►All footage was shot with an iPhone 14 Pro and Alex's GoPro, and my Insta360 1" RS. I also edit my own footage using DaVinci Resolve Studio.

Pepe's Towing Service

81.8K subscribers

81.8K subscribers

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Forces and Motion – Collisions

Jeff Jerousek, Vice President of Sales at Switch-N-Go, shares new bodies and capabilities at Switch-N-Go for 2021 focusing on five (5) core customer groups: Landscape, Municipal, Arbor, Residential Trash, and Construction. By executing the development of products for these industries, we've been able to create compelling value propositions for them with our engineering team. We've developed over 26 interchangeable body types for these vocational groups. • Seasonal Change Capabilities with no downtime by switching bodies for a variety of job needs. • Safe Ground Level Loading • No more idle time for a particular body/chassis combo • Increased return on investment • Reduce cost of capital equipment • Increase the numbers of job capabilities • Provides the ability and the flexibility to adjust to changing environments and budgets 0:00 - Introduction 1:05 - Focusing in on Core Customer Groups

How Road Barriers Stopped Killing Drivers

We've gotten way better at the engineering and design of road barriers — often in surprising ways — to dramatically reduce driving deaths. To understand crash costs better, NPR has a great podcast on how life is valued: https://www.npr.org/2020/04/15/835571...

Andrew Lam

Andrew Lam

163K subscribers

Scorpion Truck Mounted Attenuator - Saving Lives

A Truck Mounted Attenuator (TMA) is mounted to a shadow vehicle for purposes of protecting the work crew in front of the shadow vehicle and protecting the motorist that might drive into the lane closed off by the shadow vehicle. Shadow vehicles should be trucks in a weight range of 16,000 lbs. to 20,000 lbs. and preferably 20,000 lbs., which is the weight of the truck tested for certification. The TrafFix Scorpion TMA 10,000 is available in three basic models. • Model A is a TL-2 device tested at 70 km/hr. for use on trucks needing low speed protection or as a replacement cartridge for trucks already equipped with a TL-2 attenuator cartridge. • Model B is a TL-3 device tested at 100 km/hr for use on trucks needing high speed protection. The Model B uses a strut section in addition to the TL-2 cartridge section to achieve a higher speed device. The rear cartridge section has a hinged hydraulic coupling with fluid on both sides of the cylinders and solenoid valve lockouts. The rear cartridge can be raised to 90º where a scissors lock engages to lock the cartridge in the 90º position. An operators switch has an up and down button and the down button releases the lockout and lowers the cartridge. The release of the up or down button stops the cartridge at that angle. The Model B has a 10º tilt at the strut to allow clearance at driveways. During construction when the shadow vehicle truck has to drive in and out of sloped areas such as the drainage median or a driveway, the strut can be temporarily raised 10º to travel over this terrain. In the normal transport mode the rear cartridge is elevated and locked at 90º for theModel B. • The Model C uses a 90º hydraulic tilt attached to the strut. This allows the Model C system to raise the strut to the vertical position with the cartridge in a horizontal position over the top of the truck for the normal transport mode. The Scorpion TMA 10,000 is mounted to a truck at a road clearance height of 12 ±1. In the deployed mode the system extends 13 to the rear of the truck. The Scorpion TMA 10,000 consists of three basic components. A steel back-up is attached to the rear of the truck with an all-steel support structure. An all aluminum tube frame extends out 13 from the back-up. Inside the tube frame is a series of four aluminum boxes filled with energy absorbing aluminum honeycomb. The back-up support structure uses all steel angles, plates, and C-channels welded using wire feed mig welding. The tube frame construction uses all aluminum tube and plate construction welded using wire feed mig welding on both sides of the tube/plate interface. The aluminum boxes use closed end sealing rivets for joining the sheet metal. The aluminum honeycomb is joined to the aluminum face sheets using oven cured epoxy resin. The aluminum boxes are painted with a bright yellow powder-coated finish for lasting durability. The Scorpion TMA has been tested and passed all optional and mandatory requirements suggested in the NCHRP-350 Report for TL-3 evaluation criteria, for speeds up to 62.5 mph (100 km/h) and is sold worldwide. For more information: https://www.traffixdevices.com/produc...

Auto insurance catch: Why they may deny your repair estimate

If you are in a car accident, your insurer is supposed to make sure the car is repaired, assuming you carry collision coverage. The law in most states says you can go to any repair shop you choose.

NHTSA’s New SaferCar App

Our new SaferCar app allows you to save your vehicles, car seats, equipment, or tires in a virtual garage on your smartphone. If a recall is issued, you’ll get an alert.

USDOTNHTSA

CRASH TEST Pickup Trucks – Ford F150, Toyota Tundra, RAM 1500, Nissan Titan

The majority of pickups recently put through the passenger-side small overlap front test struggled to maintain their structure, but two trucks — the 2019-2020 Ford F-150 and the 2019-2020 Nissan Titan — earn a good rating. ► These results are valid only for models sold in the USA

✅ Source: IIHS