Tag Archives: Tips

Safe Winter Driving Tips

By StatePoint 

While winter can be a beautiful time of year, it can also be a treacherous season on the roads. Winter driving conditions require increased attention and an ability to adapt quickly.

In 2015, 8,010 people nationwide were killed in car crashes between December and March, resulting in an average seven percent per month increase from 2014, according to the National Safety Council (NSC). These numbers are a warning to everyone on the roads about how dangerous winter driving can be.

“Winter looks more idyllic outside our house windows than outside our windshield,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “The good news is many cars are equipped with life-saving technologies. It is important that drivers understand how the technologies work in order to drive safely in winter conditions.”

In an effort to prevent crashes on the road this winter, MyCarDoesWhat, an NSC and University of Iowa initiative, is offering some major pieces of advice for driving in winter conditions.

  • Slow down. Drivers frequently underestimate how long it takes to brake and how difficult it can be to steer on slippery roads.
  • Don’t use cruise control on slippery surfaces like ice and snow. It will diminish your control and reduce your reaction time in the event of a skid.
  • Remember, bridges and overpasses freeze before roadways, so be alert in cold weather when approaching one.
  • Many new safety technologies (like back-up cameras) have outside sensors that can freeze or fog up. Always make sure they are clear so they work their best.

MyCarDoesWhat also reminds drivers of the safety technologies that can help vehicles adapt in slippery and changing conditions.

  • Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) help drivers maintain control by preventing wheels from locking up. ABS works differently than traditional brakes, delivering and releasing precise braking pressure to each wheel as needed. So, don’t pump the brakes if you have ABS. Just hold them down firmly and look and steer in the direction you want to go. The brakes may buzz and vibrate when the ABS has activated.
  • Traction control helps you accelerate without spinning out on slippery surfaces like snow and ice.
  • Electronic stability control senses when you may be losing control around a corner or curve, and can stabilize your car if it begins to veer off the road.
  • Adaptive headlights adjust to changing roadway conditions — such as curves — to provide optimum illumination along the roadway during long winter nights and periods of low daytime visibility.
  • The temperature warning feature provides updates about upcoming roadway conditions such as black ice.

“When there is snow and ice on the road, antilock brakes can improve the stability of your braking so you can steer better,” said Dan McGehee, director of the University of Iowa National Advanced Driver Simulator. “Remember to hold the brakes down even when they pulse and vibrate.”

For more information, visit MyCarDoesWhat.org and follow MyCarDoesWhat on Twitter and Facebook.

Stay safe this winter. Learn how your car works and drive slowly in dangerous conditions.

 

Save On Everything For Back-To-School

Back-To-School-WEBWith these Smart Tips and Tricks

By StatePoint

Whether your kids are school playground-bound or college-bound, the back-to-school season can be an expensive time of year. Families with children in grades K-12 plan to spend an average $673.57 while college students and families with children in college plan to spend an average of $888.71, according to a National Retail Federation 2016 annual survey.

Where are their dollars going? The top five back-to-school supplies searched for are Crayola ColorStudio iMarker, BIC Pencil Xtra, TI 84 graphing calculator, Brita filtration water bottle and Crayola Washable Erase, according to Qmee, an online shopping companion.

So how can you save on these popular items and more when shopping?

“Whether it’s a calculator, backpack or dorm furniture, before making a purchase, it’s important to do your research. Educated shoppers always get the best deals,” says Jonathan Knight, Co-Founder and CEO, Qmee.

Shopping online is the best way to save time and be sure you’re getting a good deal, says Knight, who recommends a few strategies for how parents can get more bang from their back-to-school buck:

  • Price check: Price comparison tools can help you know for sure whether you’re getting the best deal on any given item. These tools automatically research what you’re searching for to show you the best prices available.
  • Use coupons. These days you don’t need to spend hours scanning the paper with scissors. Online coupons and discount codes can help you save big at checkout. Before clicking “Purchase,” always verify whether any such deals are available.
  • Connect: Brands are looking to connect with their consumers online. In some cases, you can earn cash for your everyday searches by clicking on relevant ads. Likewise, by sharing your valued consumer opinion through surveys, many brands will reward you with cash.
  • Use shopping tools: Download a free browser app which will automatically allow you to earn cash for your everyday searches, and also find the best coupon codes while you shop online. For example, online search and save companion Qmee unobtrusively becomes part of your browser to work with search engines and commerce sites such as Google, Bing, Amazon and Walmart, to help you search for what you want, compare prices, secure discounts and offer opinions while earning cash. It’s a good tool to help college kids stick to a budget while shopping for everything from books to dorm supplies. For more information or to download, visit Qmee.com.

Back-to-school shopping for students of any age can be expensive, but with the right knowledge, there are plenty of ways to save time and money.