Drunk driving, driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, drink-driving, impaired driving, operating under the influence: no matter what you call it (and no matter where you are), drunk driving is one of the most reckless activities you can participate in. Not only is it illegal in all US states and most countries around the world, but most repeat drunk drivers end up irrevocably altering (or ending) many lives: their own and those of strangers, friends, loved ones, and children.
Although specific drunk driving regulations may differ from state to state, the penalties are high. Those who kill or injure another while driving under the influence can face heavy fines and civil suits as well as jail time. Most states have adopted strict sentencing laws that ensure those convicted will serve the full time they are sentenced to.
Since 2004, the most common legal limit for drunk driving is .08% Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). Different people will reach this BAC at different points; on average, consuming 3-5 drinks in an hour will bring your BAC close to this limit. However, it’s important to note that your BAC keeps going up for three hours after you’ve finished drinking and that alcohol affects different people in different ways. Many jurisdictions also have open container laws which prohibit the presence of open containers of alcohol within a motor vehicle, even if the driver is not consuming alcohol. In other states, it is illegal to even sleep in the driver’s seat while drunk.
Drivers can experience impaired faculties at BAC levels as low as .02%. At .05%, drivers suffer from a reduced ability to track moving objects, to respond to emergencies, and to steer effectively. At .08%, drivers cannot control speed effectively, suffer from impaired concentration and memory, and have a harder time processing information, such as the appearance of new obstacles or changing traffic conditions.
Knowing this, it’s not surprising that roughly 10% of traffic-related fatalities are caused by drunk driving. In the United States, on average one person dies from an alcohol-related crash every 40-45 minutes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), these accidents result in $50 billion in costs each year. Young drivers are particularly at risk. Drivers in the 21-24 year old bracket are the most likely to drive drunk. Alcohol is also a factor in 31% of fatal crashes in the 15-20 year old bracket.
While for some drivers drunk driving may be a rare poor choice, many are repeat offenders. On average, a driver arrested for the first time for drunk driving has driven drunk 87 times before! Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), an organization which has radically changed the way Americans view drunk driving, estimates that over 2 million drunk drivers with three or more prior convictions are on the road on any given day.
However, these drivers face stern consequences. In many places, drivers arrested with BACs of over .2 or .15 suffer from additional penalties, including the installation of ignition interlock devices (an in-car breathalyzer which drivers must blow into before the car will start), larger fines, and longer DUI programs. In many states, physicians are allowed to violate doctor-patient confidentiality in order to report drunk driving. In other states, such as Ohio and Minnesota, repeat offenders are issued special license plates. In South Africa, a country which has notoriously high rates of drunk driving accidents, local newspapers have begun to print “lists of shame” on Monday morning which make public the names of drivers convicted of drunk driving over the weekend.
Although rates of drunk driving arrests and convictions have declined in recent years, this is clearly still a serious issue. You can help to prevent drunk driving by making sure that you and your friends make safe choices. If you know you will be drinking, make arrangements to take a taxi, use public transportation, or call a safe ride service. You can also take turns serving as designated driver or choose bars and restaurants within walking distance. If worse comes to worst, call a family member or (very good) friend. While they may be annoyed at having to fetch you late at night, they’ll be glad that you’re safe in the morning.
If you host a party, make provisions for your guests. Either make sure that each group has a designated driver or provide space for guests to stay over. There are lots of delicious recipes for non-alcoholic cocktails and punches out there, so think about providing an attractive alternative for your non-drinking guests.
If you see a driver on the road who looks like he or she may be driving drunk, don’t hesitate to alert your local police. A report like yours will be enough cause for an officer to pull over the driver in question. Symptoms of drunk driving include rapid and erratic acceleration and deceleration, stopping suddenly and/or in an inappropriate place, driving in the center of two lanes, driving very slowly (i.e. under 10mph) and other similar odd behaviors.
Educate your friends and family as well. While 80% of drivers in the US know the term “BAC,” many don’t know or understand the legal limits for their states. Don’t let friends or acquaintances get behind the wheel after drinking and make sure they know what the consequences can be if they do.
If you’d like to get more involved in the fight against drunk driving, there are a number of non-profit organizations dedicated to doing so. The most famous of these is Mothers Against Drunk driving (www.madd.org). Among their current initiatives is a lobby to have ignition interlock devices installed in the cars of all convicted drunk drivers, so that they cannot easily become repeat offenders. The Century Council (www.centurycouncil.org) is another leader in the fight against drunk driving.
Check out these sites for more information about defensive driving and business driver safety.
Showing posts with label driver safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label driver safety. Show all posts
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
COMMON BRAKE PROBLEMS AND MAINTENANCE
Your brakes are easily one of the most important components of your car. Having well-maintained and effective brakes will go a long way towards keeping you safe on the road! Few things are more terrifying than jamming on the brakes in an emergency and finding they don’t work. Before reading further, it may be helpful to check out a previous entry on how brakes work. This will help you to understand some of the problems discussed here.
Should you experience brake failure, there are a few things you can do to slow down your car and minimize potential damage; check out these tips. However, this situation is best avoided altogether!
First, practice good driving techniques to avoid putting excess wear on your brakes. Regularly braking hard—“slamming on the brakes”—puts a great deal of strain on your brakes. Driving in stop-and-go traffic also exacerbates brake wear; if possible, try to arrange your schedule so as to avoid the worst of rush hour. While driving, don’t “ride” the brake pedal or let your foot rest on it. Also, coasting to slow down before braking can help to save your brakes. Try to plan ahead; slow down if you see cars braking ahead. Look down the road a ways to spot other hazards, stop signs, and red lights that may be coming up in your path. Also avoid carrying excess weight in your car, as this will put extra strain on your brakes. Note that several of these strategies will also help you to save gas! Finally, there are different grades of brake shoes and brake pads. While the lower grade pads are cheaper initially, they will wear out faster and often don’t perform as well. Purchasing the higher grade pads and shoes will be more cost-effective in the long run and will reduce wear on the other components of your brake system as well.
Next, pay careful attention to the feel of your brakes when braking and the sound they make. Unusual noises and feelings can be symptoms of brake problems. Here are some of the most common problems and their causes:
Brake warning light comes on: This most likely indicates that there is a leak in the system. Don’t drive until you have had the system checked out, and any leaks have been repaired.
Brake pedal “rests” at a lower position: This is usually caused by drum brake adjusters not working properly. If the adjusters are rusty or they stick, they won’t advance properly. In addition to having the brakes readjusted, you will need to have the adjusters cleaned or replaced. This could also indicate that the brake pads or shoes need to be replaced or that there is a leak in the system.
“Spongy” brake pedal: If your brakes are “soft,” i.e. the pedal doesn’t offer as much resistance when you push it, then there is likely air in hydraulic system somewhere. Your mechanic will need to “bleed” brake lines, i.e. drain and replace the oil.
Need to push pedal too far in: This could be due to a variety of problem: worn brake pads or shoes, poorly adjusted drum brakes, or air in the lines. You can pump the pedal several times to compensate for this, but you will still need to get your brakes checked as soon as possible.
Pedal pulses or vibrates when you brake: This occurs when the rotors on the disc brakes, which should be flat, are worn unevenly. As a result, they don’t make contact evenly with the pads, which then causes vibrations. The rotors need to be resurfaced or, if the problem is severe, replaced.
A scraping noise: This occurs when there is metal to metal contact in the brakes, which means that you have worn entirely through the brake pads or shoes. A brake servicing is long overdue! Driving with shoes or pads this worn can seriously damage your brakes, forcing you to replace more expensive parts in your brakes.
A squealing noise: This can be caused by vibrations between the brake pads and rotor or caliper. This may be unavoidable on some older brakes which use semi-metallic compounds in the pads. Replacing the brake pads with newer ones can help. There are a few other strategies your mechanic can use to minimize this noise. However, this could also be a more serious problem, such as worn brake pads or a missing gasket, so do get your brakes checked soon.
A jerky, “slip-and-grab” feeling: It’s likely that brake oil or another substance has leaked onto to the brake mechanism. Contaminated pads will need to be replaced and, of course, the source of the contamination has to be identified and stopped.
Pedal sinks to the floor: This occurs when pressure isn’t being maintained in the hydraulic system. This is likely a leak or a worn-out master cylinder. Don’t drive in this situation! Instead, have your car towed and fixed immediately.
Brakes don’t release properly: There are several potential causes: the springs in the drum brake are not working properly; the floating caliper in the disc brakes isn’t adjusted correctly; the emergency brake cable or mechanism is broken; or the adjuster mechanism in drum brakes has extended too far.
Car swerves to one side when brakes are applied: This means that braking power isn’t evenly distributed between the front brakes. The car will “draw” to the side with the stronger brake, as the opposite wheel now has greater driving power. It’s likely that a leak, broken piston, stuck caliper, or other mechanical failure has occurred in one of the brakes. This can also be caused, however, by different brands of brake pads being used on the two front brakes, as different makes of pad and compounds have different braking properties.
Brakes are hard or difficult to use: Usually this means that the vacuum assist isn’t working properly, forcing you to put a lot more power into the system. The booster itself could be leaky or defective, or the check valve could be failing. You can test the check valve by running the engine for a few minutes (building vacuum) and then turning off car. If you don’t have power assist after a few minutes, the check valve is broken. To test the vacuum booster itself, turn off the engine. Pump the brake pedal a few times to “bleed” all remaining vacuum from the booster. Then, restart the engine and let it run for a couple of minutes. This should build vacuum in the booster again. Now, try your brakes. If there’s no power assist, this means that the vacuum booster is broken.
ABS Warning light comes on: This means that the computer has detected a problem in this system and turned it off. While this isn’t going to put you in immediate danger, it’s still better to have this system checked sooner rather than later.
Brakes lock: This is likely caused by a damaged brake pad or shoe. Have your car towed immediately.
In addition to listening for problems like these, you should also check your brake system periodically in order to stop problems before they happen. First, check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir often. If necessary, top up with fluid as needed; if the level of fluid seems to be sinking quickly, have your mechanic check for a leak.
Have your brake pads checked regularly and changed as needed. How often you will need to do this depends a lot on your driving habits and the car you drive. In general, brake shoes will need to be replaced after four rotations of brake pads.
Finally, take a moment from time to time to check that your brake lights are working.
You should have a thorough “brake job” done either when the pads are worn down or if you notice any of the symptoms above. Your mechanic will carry out a variety of routine maintenance tasks, including replacing the front pads, resurfacing the rotors, replacing the shoes (if needed), resurfacing the brake drums, bleeding the brake lines, checking for leaks, and checking and adjusting the parking brake.
More comprehensive maintenance will also include new hardware for drums—springs in particular age with exposure to heat and should be replaced—and the of rebuilding wheel cylinders and calipers.
To read more on a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about defensive driving and business driver safety.
Should you experience brake failure, there are a few things you can do to slow down your car and minimize potential damage; check out these tips. However, this situation is best avoided altogether!
First, practice good driving techniques to avoid putting excess wear on your brakes. Regularly braking hard—“slamming on the brakes”—puts a great deal of strain on your brakes. Driving in stop-and-go traffic also exacerbates brake wear; if possible, try to arrange your schedule so as to avoid the worst of rush hour. While driving, don’t “ride” the brake pedal or let your foot rest on it. Also, coasting to slow down before braking can help to save your brakes. Try to plan ahead; slow down if you see cars braking ahead. Look down the road a ways to spot other hazards, stop signs, and red lights that may be coming up in your path. Also avoid carrying excess weight in your car, as this will put extra strain on your brakes. Note that several of these strategies will also help you to save gas! Finally, there are different grades of brake shoes and brake pads. While the lower grade pads are cheaper initially, they will wear out faster and often don’t perform as well. Purchasing the higher grade pads and shoes will be more cost-effective in the long run and will reduce wear on the other components of your brake system as well.
Next, pay careful attention to the feel of your brakes when braking and the sound they make. Unusual noises and feelings can be symptoms of brake problems. Here are some of the most common problems and their causes:
Brake warning light comes on: This most likely indicates that there is a leak in the system. Don’t drive until you have had the system checked out, and any leaks have been repaired.
Brake pedal “rests” at a lower position: This is usually caused by drum brake adjusters not working properly. If the adjusters are rusty or they stick, they won’t advance properly. In addition to having the brakes readjusted, you will need to have the adjusters cleaned or replaced. This could also indicate that the brake pads or shoes need to be replaced or that there is a leak in the system.
“Spongy” brake pedal: If your brakes are “soft,” i.e. the pedal doesn’t offer as much resistance when you push it, then there is likely air in hydraulic system somewhere. Your mechanic will need to “bleed” brake lines, i.e. drain and replace the oil.
Need to push pedal too far in: This could be due to a variety of problem: worn brake pads or shoes, poorly adjusted drum brakes, or air in the lines. You can pump the pedal several times to compensate for this, but you will still need to get your brakes checked as soon as possible.
Pedal pulses or vibrates when you brake: This occurs when the rotors on the disc brakes, which should be flat, are worn unevenly. As a result, they don’t make contact evenly with the pads, which then causes vibrations. The rotors need to be resurfaced or, if the problem is severe, replaced.
A scraping noise: This occurs when there is metal to metal contact in the brakes, which means that you have worn entirely through the brake pads or shoes. A brake servicing is long overdue! Driving with shoes or pads this worn can seriously damage your brakes, forcing you to replace more expensive parts in your brakes.
A squealing noise: This can be caused by vibrations between the brake pads and rotor or caliper. This may be unavoidable on some older brakes which use semi-metallic compounds in the pads. Replacing the brake pads with newer ones can help. There are a few other strategies your mechanic can use to minimize this noise. However, this could also be a more serious problem, such as worn brake pads or a missing gasket, so do get your brakes checked soon.
A jerky, “slip-and-grab” feeling: It’s likely that brake oil or another substance has leaked onto to the brake mechanism. Contaminated pads will need to be replaced and, of course, the source of the contamination has to be identified and stopped.
Pedal sinks to the floor: This occurs when pressure isn’t being maintained in the hydraulic system. This is likely a leak or a worn-out master cylinder. Don’t drive in this situation! Instead, have your car towed and fixed immediately.
Brakes don’t release properly: There are several potential causes: the springs in the drum brake are not working properly; the floating caliper in the disc brakes isn’t adjusted correctly; the emergency brake cable or mechanism is broken; or the adjuster mechanism in drum brakes has extended too far.
Car swerves to one side when brakes are applied: This means that braking power isn’t evenly distributed between the front brakes. The car will “draw” to the side with the stronger brake, as the opposite wheel now has greater driving power. It’s likely that a leak, broken piston, stuck caliper, or other mechanical failure has occurred in one of the brakes. This can also be caused, however, by different brands of brake pads being used on the two front brakes, as different makes of pad and compounds have different braking properties.
Brakes are hard or difficult to use: Usually this means that the vacuum assist isn’t working properly, forcing you to put a lot more power into the system. The booster itself could be leaky or defective, or the check valve could be failing. You can test the check valve by running the engine for a few minutes (building vacuum) and then turning off car. If you don’t have power assist after a few minutes, the check valve is broken. To test the vacuum booster itself, turn off the engine. Pump the brake pedal a few times to “bleed” all remaining vacuum from the booster. Then, restart the engine and let it run for a couple of minutes. This should build vacuum in the booster again. Now, try your brakes. If there’s no power assist, this means that the vacuum booster is broken.
ABS Warning light comes on: This means that the computer has detected a problem in this system and turned it off. While this isn’t going to put you in immediate danger, it’s still better to have this system checked sooner rather than later.
Brakes lock: This is likely caused by a damaged brake pad or shoe. Have your car towed immediately.
In addition to listening for problems like these, you should also check your brake system periodically in order to stop problems before they happen. First, check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir often. If necessary, top up with fluid as needed; if the level of fluid seems to be sinking quickly, have your mechanic check for a leak.
Have your brake pads checked regularly and changed as needed. How often you will need to do this depends a lot on your driving habits and the car you drive. In general, brake shoes will need to be replaced after four rotations of brake pads.
Finally, take a moment from time to time to check that your brake lights are working.
You should have a thorough “brake job” done either when the pads are worn down or if you notice any of the symptoms above. Your mechanic will carry out a variety of routine maintenance tasks, including replacing the front pads, resurfacing the rotors, replacing the shoes (if needed), resurfacing the brake drums, bleeding the brake lines, checking for leaks, and checking and adjusting the parking brake.
More comprehensive maintenance will also include new hardware for drums—springs in particular age with exposure to heat and should be replaced—and the of rebuilding wheel cylinders and calipers.
To read more on a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about defensive driving and business driver safety.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Hypermiling Basics
Hypermiling. The first time I heard the word, I imagined some strange engine malfunction, or perhaps a kind of car-induced anxiety attack, the automotive equivalent of hyperventilating. Of course, neither of these vague impressions was remotely correct. In reality, hypermiling is many things: extreme cost-cutting strategy, environmentally friendly practice, competitive sport, and 2008 Word of the Year (according to the New Oxford American Dictionary.)
Hypermiling is, in short, the pursuit of the maximum number of miles per gallon. Hypermilers aim to exceed the EPA miles-per-gallon rating of any given car. Hypermilers regularly practice many of the basic gas-conservation measures I described in my previous post on the subject; however, they also implement an array of advanced techniques that can result in amazing gas savings. Experienced hypermilers regularly achieve over 100 MPG (when driving Hybrids.) For example, at the 2006 Hybridfest MPG Challenge in Madison, Wisconsin, the winning driver (Wayne Gerdes) averaged 183 MPG over the assigned route.
Some critics, including the American Automobile Association, have argued that hypermiling practices can be dangerous and, in some cases, illegal (overinflating tires and coasting with the engine off are two examples often cited in this debate.) In response, hypermiling associations have argued that true hypermilers would never endorse an illegal practice and that, in fact, hypermilers are more conscientious about practicing safe driving measures often ignored by others, such as paying detailed attention to their surroundings, anticipating traffic hazards, and driving at or below posted speed limits.
Like many things, hypermiling practices are tools, which can be used to good and bad effect. In this post, I’ll describe a few of the most common hypermiling measures, although dozens, if not hundreds, more exist. Bear in mind that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. You won’t be able to achieve 100 MPG (or more) overnight; many of these techniques take some time and practice to adjust to. Experienced hypermilers recommend adding techniques to your toolbox one at a time, and testing them out first in an empty parking lot or other safe practice area. When sharing a road with others, don’t ever attempt maneuvers that you don’t feel 100% comfortable executing.
EQUIPMENT
Obviously, the kind of car you drive will have a huge impact on the MPG you can achieve. Hybrids, such as the Honda Insight or Toyota Prius, are far more fuel-efficient than the average car. Watch out for an upcoming entry on purchasing, owning, and driving a hybrid, and entries on other types of fuel-efficient technologies (such as bio-diesel.) However, many of these hypermiling techniques will also produce noticeable increases in fuel efficiency in “normal” cars.
Driving a manual transmission, rather than automatic transmission, can also aid hypermiling. The greater control over the car that manual transmission gives you makes many hypermiling maneuvers, such as coasting, easier.
Finally, consider investing in an Instantaneous Fuel Consumption Display (unless you drive a car, like the Toyota Prius, that comes equipped with such a device.) There are a number of different kinds of devices that can be used to monitor fuel consumption; you may want to speak to your mechanic about which would best suit your budget and model of car. Having such a device is perhaps one of the best ways to train yourself to be a more efficient driver, as you can easily see the results of different techniques as you apply them.
EIGHT KEY STRATEGIES
First and foremost, hypermiling begins with basic fuel economy strategies: avoid sudden braking and acceleration, avoid unnecessary idling, try not to drive in heavy traffic, use air condition sparingly, combine several short trips into one longer one, and don’t drive too fast.
However, hypermilers go above and beyond these basic common sense tenets with a number of advanced maneuvers:
1. Ridge Riding
This is a way of avoiding the “drag” caused when water or snow accumulates in the troughs worn into the lanes on the road. Basically, most drivers drive in the center of the lane, which produces uneven wear on the pavement, creating ridges and troughs. (These depressions are slight but can have a noticeable impact.) Instead of driving in these slight depressions, drive on the “ridges” on either side, so that the car has one wheel on the center ridge and the other on the ridge on the right or left side of lane. According to some hypermiling proponents, this technique has the added safety benefit of causing other drivers to take notice of your unusual positioning in the lane, and hence they will drive with greater awareness.
2. Anticipate Potential Obstacles
Driving at a steady speed, without stopping or accelerating, is a great way to increase gas mileage, as acceleration burns excess gas. For this reason, hypermilers maintain an awareness of road conditions in the distance, so that they can anticipate and avoid potential obstacles in order to maintain a constant speed.
3. Driving With Load (DWL)
Essentially, driving with load means maintaining a constant fuel consumption rate as you pass over hilly terrain. Say you have cruise control set. Cruise control keeps your car at a constant speed; however, this means that your engine has to exert more power to maintain this speed when you are going up a hill. In DWL, you maintain a constant fuel consumption instead of a constant speed. If you have an instantaneous fuel consumption display, you can use this device to make sure that you maintain constant fuel consumption. If you don’t have an IFCD, however, you can approximate constant fuel consumption by keeping the accelerator “locked” at a fixed angle as you move up and over the hill.
4. Driving Without Brakes (DWB)
Basically, when driving in heavy traffic, pretend you don’t have brakes. Create a large buffer zone around your car, so that you have time to react to changes in traffic speed without actually having to stop. This can take some patience, especially as other cars will likely cut into your buffer space. However, this can ultimately be a safer and more relaxing way to drive in traffic. The goal is to achieve a constant slow speed despite the “stop and go” of cars around you.
5. Smart Braking
When you brake, your brakes convert the kinetic energy of your moving car into heat, so that your car slows down. Essentially, braking is like “burning” up gasoline without making any forward progress. For this reason, hypermilers practice smart braking. First, anticipate lights; start slowing down way before the red light so that, ideally, you will still be moving when the light changes and the traffic moves forward again. The goal is to continue rolling without actually coming to a dead stop. (Remember, however, that rolling through stop signs is illegal. Safety and legality are still more important than fuel economy.)
If you are stopping on a downhill plane, try to stop some ways before the end of the hill so that you can use the slope to get your car rolling again without having to accelerate. If stopping near or on an uphill, try to roll as far up the hill as possible before coming to a complete stop, to avoid having to accelerate uphill.
6. Rabbit Timing
This is related to smart braking and is a technique for maximizing fuel economy when driving near lights with motion sensors. If you see a red, yellow, or stale green light ahead, slow down and allow another car to pass you and “trip” the motion sensor, so that the light is green by the time you get there, and you can continue through without stopping.
7. Smart Parking
Remember that your car is least fuel-efficient when the engine is cold. This means that you want to execute most of your parking maneuvers when the engine is warm. For this reason, reverse into parking spaces, so that you can easily pull away. If possible, seek out parking spaces on an incline, so that you will be able to roll out of the space, aiding your acceleration with a “cold” engine. Parking in the sun can also help to keep your engine warm and increase efficiency.
8. Engine Off Coasting
This is the limit of my personal hypermiling comfort zone. When slowing down or moving downhill, some hypermilers recommend engine-off coasting as a means to boost efficiency. This involves shifting to neutral, turning off the engine by setting the ignition key to IG-I, then turning it back to IG-II to activate the electronics so that the steering wheel doesn’t lock. However, power steering and power braking functions are likely to be lost. This most easily practiced in a manual transmission car without power steering.
However, this is one of the “borderline” hypermiling techniques that can potentially be dangerous and even illegal in some places. If you drive a manual transmission car, coasting in neutral with the engine still running is a safer, albeit less fuel efficient, alternative.
These are a few basic strategies. However, there are dozens more. If you do catch the hypermiling bug, you may want to check out http://www.cleanmpg.com/, which offers both introductions to hypermiling basics and forums for sharing more advanced tips, and http://www.ecomodder.com/, which offers a comprehensive list of 100+ hypermiling tips.
Even if you don’t become a committed hypermiler, incorporating one or more of these techniques into your daily commute could still help you to conserve gas and save money.
To learn more about this topic, or a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about online defensive driving in Texas, online defensive driving in Florida, and business driver safety.
Hypermiling is, in short, the pursuit of the maximum number of miles per gallon. Hypermilers aim to exceed the EPA miles-per-gallon rating of any given car. Hypermilers regularly practice many of the basic gas-conservation measures I described in my previous post on the subject; however, they also implement an array of advanced techniques that can result in amazing gas savings. Experienced hypermilers regularly achieve over 100 MPG (when driving Hybrids.) For example, at the 2006 Hybridfest MPG Challenge in Madison, Wisconsin, the winning driver (Wayne Gerdes) averaged 183 MPG over the assigned route.
Some critics, including the American Automobile Association, have argued that hypermiling practices can be dangerous and, in some cases, illegal (overinflating tires and coasting with the engine off are two examples often cited in this debate.) In response, hypermiling associations have argued that true hypermilers would never endorse an illegal practice and that, in fact, hypermilers are more conscientious about practicing safe driving measures often ignored by others, such as paying detailed attention to their surroundings, anticipating traffic hazards, and driving at or below posted speed limits.
Like many things, hypermiling practices are tools, which can be used to good and bad effect. In this post, I’ll describe a few of the most common hypermiling measures, although dozens, if not hundreds, more exist. Bear in mind that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. You won’t be able to achieve 100 MPG (or more) overnight; many of these techniques take some time and practice to adjust to. Experienced hypermilers recommend adding techniques to your toolbox one at a time, and testing them out first in an empty parking lot or other safe practice area. When sharing a road with others, don’t ever attempt maneuvers that you don’t feel 100% comfortable executing.
EQUIPMENT
Obviously, the kind of car you drive will have a huge impact on the MPG you can achieve. Hybrids, such as the Honda Insight or Toyota Prius, are far more fuel-efficient than the average car. Watch out for an upcoming entry on purchasing, owning, and driving a hybrid, and entries on other types of fuel-efficient technologies (such as bio-diesel.) However, many of these hypermiling techniques will also produce noticeable increases in fuel efficiency in “normal” cars.
Driving a manual transmission, rather than automatic transmission, can also aid hypermiling. The greater control over the car that manual transmission gives you makes many hypermiling maneuvers, such as coasting, easier.
Finally, consider investing in an Instantaneous Fuel Consumption Display (unless you drive a car, like the Toyota Prius, that comes equipped with such a device.) There are a number of different kinds of devices that can be used to monitor fuel consumption; you may want to speak to your mechanic about which would best suit your budget and model of car. Having such a device is perhaps one of the best ways to train yourself to be a more efficient driver, as you can easily see the results of different techniques as you apply them.
EIGHT KEY STRATEGIES
First and foremost, hypermiling begins with basic fuel economy strategies: avoid sudden braking and acceleration, avoid unnecessary idling, try not to drive in heavy traffic, use air condition sparingly, combine several short trips into one longer one, and don’t drive too fast.
However, hypermilers go above and beyond these basic common sense tenets with a number of advanced maneuvers:
1. Ridge Riding
This is a way of avoiding the “drag” caused when water or snow accumulates in the troughs worn into the lanes on the road. Basically, most drivers drive in the center of the lane, which produces uneven wear on the pavement, creating ridges and troughs. (These depressions are slight but can have a noticeable impact.) Instead of driving in these slight depressions, drive on the “ridges” on either side, so that the car has one wheel on the center ridge and the other on the ridge on the right or left side of lane. According to some hypermiling proponents, this technique has the added safety benefit of causing other drivers to take notice of your unusual positioning in the lane, and hence they will drive with greater awareness.
2. Anticipate Potential Obstacles
Driving at a steady speed, without stopping or accelerating, is a great way to increase gas mileage, as acceleration burns excess gas. For this reason, hypermilers maintain an awareness of road conditions in the distance, so that they can anticipate and avoid potential obstacles in order to maintain a constant speed.
3. Driving With Load (DWL)
Essentially, driving with load means maintaining a constant fuel consumption rate as you pass over hilly terrain. Say you have cruise control set. Cruise control keeps your car at a constant speed; however, this means that your engine has to exert more power to maintain this speed when you are going up a hill. In DWL, you maintain a constant fuel consumption instead of a constant speed. If you have an instantaneous fuel consumption display, you can use this device to make sure that you maintain constant fuel consumption. If you don’t have an IFCD, however, you can approximate constant fuel consumption by keeping the accelerator “locked” at a fixed angle as you move up and over the hill.
4. Driving Without Brakes (DWB)
Basically, when driving in heavy traffic, pretend you don’t have brakes. Create a large buffer zone around your car, so that you have time to react to changes in traffic speed without actually having to stop. This can take some patience, especially as other cars will likely cut into your buffer space. However, this can ultimately be a safer and more relaxing way to drive in traffic. The goal is to achieve a constant slow speed despite the “stop and go” of cars around you.
5. Smart Braking
When you brake, your brakes convert the kinetic energy of your moving car into heat, so that your car slows down. Essentially, braking is like “burning” up gasoline without making any forward progress. For this reason, hypermilers practice smart braking. First, anticipate lights; start slowing down way before the red light so that, ideally, you will still be moving when the light changes and the traffic moves forward again. The goal is to continue rolling without actually coming to a dead stop. (Remember, however, that rolling through stop signs is illegal. Safety and legality are still more important than fuel economy.)
If you are stopping on a downhill plane, try to stop some ways before the end of the hill so that you can use the slope to get your car rolling again without having to accelerate. If stopping near or on an uphill, try to roll as far up the hill as possible before coming to a complete stop, to avoid having to accelerate uphill.
6. Rabbit Timing
This is related to smart braking and is a technique for maximizing fuel economy when driving near lights with motion sensors. If you see a red, yellow, or stale green light ahead, slow down and allow another car to pass you and “trip” the motion sensor, so that the light is green by the time you get there, and you can continue through without stopping.
7. Smart Parking
Remember that your car is least fuel-efficient when the engine is cold. This means that you want to execute most of your parking maneuvers when the engine is warm. For this reason, reverse into parking spaces, so that you can easily pull away. If possible, seek out parking spaces on an incline, so that you will be able to roll out of the space, aiding your acceleration with a “cold” engine. Parking in the sun can also help to keep your engine warm and increase efficiency.
8. Engine Off Coasting
This is the limit of my personal hypermiling comfort zone. When slowing down or moving downhill, some hypermilers recommend engine-off coasting as a means to boost efficiency. This involves shifting to neutral, turning off the engine by setting the ignition key to IG-I, then turning it back to IG-II to activate the electronics so that the steering wheel doesn’t lock. However, power steering and power braking functions are likely to be lost. This most easily practiced in a manual transmission car without power steering.
However, this is one of the “borderline” hypermiling techniques that can potentially be dangerous and even illegal in some places. If you drive a manual transmission car, coasting in neutral with the engine still running is a safer, albeit less fuel efficient, alternative.
These are a few basic strategies. However, there are dozens more. If you do catch the hypermiling bug, you may want to check out http://www.cleanmpg.com/, which offers both introductions to hypermiling basics and forums for sharing more advanced tips, and http://www.ecomodder.com/, which offers a comprehensive list of 100+ hypermiling tips.
Even if you don’t become a committed hypermiler, incorporating one or more of these techniques into your daily commute could still help you to conserve gas and save money.
To learn more about this topic, or a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about online defensive driving in Texas, online defensive driving in Florida, and business driver safety.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Driving in the Dark
Driving at night is, unfortunately, a necessary evil: necessary, because we all need to get places after dark; an evil, since driving at night is far more hazardous that driving during the day. A National Safety Council study revealed that you are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident at night than during the day. At first, driving at night may “feel” similar to daytime driving, especially if you are fortunate enough to live in an area with good street lighting. However, even under ideal conditions, driving at night can be hazardous.
In short, your eyes need light to see. When the amount of light available decreases as the sun goes down, your eyes begin to function differently, in order to make the most of the limited light available. This allows us to see at night. However, you do have to pay a price for this improved function. At night, it is more difficult for us to see clearly (20/20 vision is nearly impossible to sustain); we are unable to see colors; our depth perception decreases; and our field of vision is reduced.
How to compensate for this? First, slow down. Remember that you’re less likely to see hazards that may cross your path, such as animals, bicyclists, pedestrians, etc. You can only see as far ahead of you as your headlights; low beams provide around 250feet of vision, while high beams provide about 350-500. In order to avoid any obstacles in your path, you’ll need to be able to stop within this distance, i.e. the area illuminated by your headlights. Adjust your speed accordingly.
Remember that you see contrast less clearly at night, which means you won’t spot bumps in the road as easily. Keeping a slower speed will allow you react to any unexpected contours in the road, which means that you won’t damage your car by flying into a pothole or over a speed bump. You’ll also want to keep your eyes moving, checking for approaching lights, obstacles, etc.
Glare is also a major issue when driving at night (as well as during sunset and sunrise.) In fact, the presence of other lights on the road may actually be more dangerous than the dark itself. The lights of approaching cars can cause a couple seconds of temporary blindness. During these seconds, a car going at 55mph will travel half the length of a football field! However, you can do a few things to combat glare.
First, make sure to keep your windshield clean. The dirt and grime that accumulate on your windshield will reflect the light on the road, making glare worse. You may have noticed that while your windshield looks fine during the day, it looks worse as the sun is setting. Remember to clean your windshield on both the outside AND inside; over time, your exhalations and condensation will dirty the inside of the windshield as well. You should also keep all other lights and mirrors clean as well.
Next, avoid using your high beams within 500 feet of approaching vehicles or if you are following a car at less than 500 feet distance. You do want to use your high beams when it is safe to do so, as these can be a great help to you. However, you don’t want to blind other drivers, so be courteous in your use of high beams.
However, we all forget to turn off our high beams sometimes. If a driver approaches with high beams on, don’t flash your high beams in response, as this could temporarily blind the other driver. Instead of looking at the approaching car(s), look down and to the right, focusing on the white line at the side of the road.
Many cars also have a “day-night” setting on the rear view mirror (perhaps a little tab that changes the angle of the mirror?). You can use this to help reduce the accumulation of glare at night. Adjusting your side view mirrors properly can also help eliminate glare; see my entry on “How To Eliminate Your Blind Spot” for advice on how to do this.
In addition to these basic practices, you can take a few steps to prepare for night driving. First, if you are driving in a new area or to an unfamiliar destination, try to drive this route for the first time during the day, as navigating at night can be particularly stressful.
Next, have your headlights aligned during your next tune-up or inspection. Try to do so at least once a year. Properly aligned headlights will improve your field of vision and won’t cause as much glare for other drivers.
Also, make sure to have your vision checked regularly. Our night vision deteriorates as we age, but you may not notice this right away. It took me months of squinting at the blackboard in high school before I admitted that I needed glasses. Keep in mind that a fifty year old probably needs twice as much light as a thirty year old to see clearly at night. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin A, as this helps to keep your night vision in good working order. If you do wear glasses, you may want to get anti-reflective coating for them, as this will also help prevent glare.
Drive slowly, be aware, and don’t be a deer caught in the headlights of approaching drivers!
To learn more about this topic, or a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about online defensive driving in Texas, online defensive driving in Florida, and business driver safety.
In short, your eyes need light to see. When the amount of light available decreases as the sun goes down, your eyes begin to function differently, in order to make the most of the limited light available. This allows us to see at night. However, you do have to pay a price for this improved function. At night, it is more difficult for us to see clearly (20/20 vision is nearly impossible to sustain); we are unable to see colors; our depth perception decreases; and our field of vision is reduced.
How to compensate for this? First, slow down. Remember that you’re less likely to see hazards that may cross your path, such as animals, bicyclists, pedestrians, etc. You can only see as far ahead of you as your headlights; low beams provide around 250feet of vision, while high beams provide about 350-500. In order to avoid any obstacles in your path, you’ll need to be able to stop within this distance, i.e. the area illuminated by your headlights. Adjust your speed accordingly.
Remember that you see contrast less clearly at night, which means you won’t spot bumps in the road as easily. Keeping a slower speed will allow you react to any unexpected contours in the road, which means that you won’t damage your car by flying into a pothole or over a speed bump. You’ll also want to keep your eyes moving, checking for approaching lights, obstacles, etc.
Glare is also a major issue when driving at night (as well as during sunset and sunrise.) In fact, the presence of other lights on the road may actually be more dangerous than the dark itself. The lights of approaching cars can cause a couple seconds of temporary blindness. During these seconds, a car going at 55mph will travel half the length of a football field! However, you can do a few things to combat glare.
First, make sure to keep your windshield clean. The dirt and grime that accumulate on your windshield will reflect the light on the road, making glare worse. You may have noticed that while your windshield looks fine during the day, it looks worse as the sun is setting. Remember to clean your windshield on both the outside AND inside; over time, your exhalations and condensation will dirty the inside of the windshield as well. You should also keep all other lights and mirrors clean as well.
Next, avoid using your high beams within 500 feet of approaching vehicles or if you are following a car at less than 500 feet distance. You do want to use your high beams when it is safe to do so, as these can be a great help to you. However, you don’t want to blind other drivers, so be courteous in your use of high beams.
However, we all forget to turn off our high beams sometimes. If a driver approaches with high beams on, don’t flash your high beams in response, as this could temporarily blind the other driver. Instead of looking at the approaching car(s), look down and to the right, focusing on the white line at the side of the road.
Many cars also have a “day-night” setting on the rear view mirror (perhaps a little tab that changes the angle of the mirror?). You can use this to help reduce the accumulation of glare at night. Adjusting your side view mirrors properly can also help eliminate glare; see my entry on “How To Eliminate Your Blind Spot” for advice on how to do this.
In addition to these basic practices, you can take a few steps to prepare for night driving. First, if you are driving in a new area or to an unfamiliar destination, try to drive this route for the first time during the day, as navigating at night can be particularly stressful.
Next, have your headlights aligned during your next tune-up or inspection. Try to do so at least once a year. Properly aligned headlights will improve your field of vision and won’t cause as much glare for other drivers.
Also, make sure to have your vision checked regularly. Our night vision deteriorates as we age, but you may not notice this right away. It took me months of squinting at the blackboard in high school before I admitted that I needed glasses. Keep in mind that a fifty year old probably needs twice as much light as a thirty year old to see clearly at night. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin A, as this helps to keep your night vision in good working order. If you do wear glasses, you may want to get anti-reflective coating for them, as this will also help prevent glare.
Drive slowly, be aware, and don’t be a deer caught in the headlights of approaching drivers!
To learn more about this topic, or a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about online defensive driving in Texas, online defensive driving in Florida, and business driver safety.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Magic Bubble: Maintaining A Safety Cushion Around Your Vehicle
I’ve written a lot recently about the importance of maintaining a safe following distance; I’m sure I will continue to harp on this very important point in later entries as well. So, I’d like to take a moment to clarify the concept of a “space cushion” and explain in greater detail how to maintain one around your car.
I visualize a “space cushion” as a giant airbag surrounding my car, or perhaps a magic bubble like the one Glinda the Good Witch uses for transportation in The Wizard of Oz. Basically, a space cushion is the empty space that separates your car from any potential hazards: other moving cars, parked cars, trees, road barriers, etc. This empty space gives you time to see, react to, and avoid any problem that may arise on the road around you. You need to maintain a space cushion in front of, behind, and on both sides of your car; I’ll cover each of areas in turn.
FRONT CUSHION
You can use the “three second rule” to make sure that you are maintaining a safe following distance, especially on the highway. Note when the car ahead of you passes a certain marker, perhaps a particular tree or shadow on the road. Then, begin to count: “one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three.” You should finish saying this before your car passes the marker. If not, then you need to slow down a bit to increase your following distance.
In general, most of us are probably used to driving too close to the vehicle ahead of us. As a result, this three-second space may seem abnormally large. However, imagine the car in front of you were to stop suddenly; how much space would you need to stop safely?
Say you are traveling at 60 mph, on a dry road, and are alert. In the time it takes you to react to the car stopping, you will cover 132 feet; you will need another 160 feet to come to a full stop. If you are traveling at 80 mph, you will need almost 500 feet to react and come to a stop. As you can see, the three-second space is definitely necessary!
Remember that when you are tired or otherwise distracted, you’ll need more time to react. If the conditions are less than ideal, it will take longer for your vehicle to come to a stop (particularly if it icy.) In these situations, you’ll want to add time to your following distance. For information on specific conditions (ice, snow, rain, fog, etc.), check out some of my earlier blog entries on these topics.
In heavy traffic, it can be tempting to reduce your following distance. However, this is the most important time to maintain an appropriate front cushion, as heavy traffic can slow down or stop suddenly for no apparent reason.
It’s also important to maintain a large following distance behind trucks, which can limit your field of vision, and motorcycles, which may be able to stop more quickly than you can. Also, try to be aware of other driver’s blind spots and avoid staying in this position for too long. Not everyone knows this handy trick for eliminating your blind spot.
Should someone cut you off on a road, don’t react in anger. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator in order to regain a safe following distance. Letting go of minor annoyances like this one will not only keep you safe, but will also reduce the stress of driving and help you to have a happier and more peaceful trip.
You also need to maintain a front safety cushion when you are stopped at a light or stop sign, or in traffic. First, remember that the car in front of you may have manual, rather than automatic transmission; as a result, the car may roll slightly (or a lot, depending on the skill of the driver) when starting to move, especially if you are an incline. Second, you need to give yourself enough space to pull out from behind the vehicle in front of you should the car in front of you stall or otherwise fail to start. Basically, make sure that you always leave yourself enough room for an “escape route,” if this becomes necessary.
REAR CUSHION
While this part of your safety cushion may seem a bit out of your control, there are a few steps you can take to diffuse potential tailgating hazards.
First of all, don’t get angry. While tailgaters can be annoying and frustrating, keep in mind that you never know why someone is tailgating you. Always extend the benefit of the doubt—maybe he or she is rushing to the hospital with a medical emergency. Acting on this assumption will help you to stay calm and respectful, instead of trying to “teach them a lesson” by braking suddenly or something along those lines. Be the bigger person!
Next, if someone is tailgating you, increase your following distance by one or two seconds. Basically, you want enough space for both you and the tailgater to be able to react to a sudden stop or other hazard ahead. When it is safe to do so, either move to a right-hand lane (if possible) to allow the tailgater to pass, or slow down a bit more that he or she can pass you safely.
Remember that traffic tends to move in packs or waves on the highway. If possible, try to stay in one of the gaps between packs, so that you are in a fairly open space on the road. Also, remember to stay in the right hand lane if you are traveling slower than the speed of traffic. People often become annoyed with, and then tailgate, cars that are moving a bit too slowly for the lane they are in.
SIDE CUSHION
Always make sure there is free space on both sides of your car as well. First, drive in the center of the lane at all times. Make sure to check periodically to make sure that you are still in the center of the lane and haven’t drifted to one side or the other.
When approaching a narrow gap, say, a one-way street lined with parked cars, slow down until you’ve made sure that there’s enough space for you to pass. Then, proceed slowly.
Also, be aware of those you share the road with, particularly cyclists and pedestrians. Give cyclists a wide berth when passing them. Imagine the amount of space that would be taken up by bicycle and rider if lying horizontal on the street; then, use this space to calculate your passing distance—around two yards. Remember that bicyclists do wobble sometimes!
Finally, try to keep clear space on both of sides of you when driving on a multi-lane road. As I mentioned above, finding “gaps” in the traffic flow is often a good way to do so.
With your magic bubble in place, you’ll be far less likely to end up in a minor fender bender or a major collision! You’ll also reduce the likelihood that other people’s bad driving will have a negative impact on you and your car.
To learn more about this topic, or a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about online defensive driving in Texas, online defensive driving in Florida, and business driver safety.
I visualize a “space cushion” as a giant airbag surrounding my car, or perhaps a magic bubble like the one Glinda the Good Witch uses for transportation in The Wizard of Oz. Basically, a space cushion is the empty space that separates your car from any potential hazards: other moving cars, parked cars, trees, road barriers, etc. This empty space gives you time to see, react to, and avoid any problem that may arise on the road around you. You need to maintain a space cushion in front of, behind, and on both sides of your car; I’ll cover each of areas in turn.
FRONT CUSHION
You can use the “three second rule” to make sure that you are maintaining a safe following distance, especially on the highway. Note when the car ahead of you passes a certain marker, perhaps a particular tree or shadow on the road. Then, begin to count: “one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three.” You should finish saying this before your car passes the marker. If not, then you need to slow down a bit to increase your following distance.
In general, most of us are probably used to driving too close to the vehicle ahead of us. As a result, this three-second space may seem abnormally large. However, imagine the car in front of you were to stop suddenly; how much space would you need to stop safely?
Say you are traveling at 60 mph, on a dry road, and are alert. In the time it takes you to react to the car stopping, you will cover 132 feet; you will need another 160 feet to come to a full stop. If you are traveling at 80 mph, you will need almost 500 feet to react and come to a stop. As you can see, the three-second space is definitely necessary!
Remember that when you are tired or otherwise distracted, you’ll need more time to react. If the conditions are less than ideal, it will take longer for your vehicle to come to a stop (particularly if it icy.) In these situations, you’ll want to add time to your following distance. For information on specific conditions (ice, snow, rain, fog, etc.), check out some of my earlier blog entries on these topics.
In heavy traffic, it can be tempting to reduce your following distance. However, this is the most important time to maintain an appropriate front cushion, as heavy traffic can slow down or stop suddenly for no apparent reason.
It’s also important to maintain a large following distance behind trucks, which can limit your field of vision, and motorcycles, which may be able to stop more quickly than you can. Also, try to be aware of other driver’s blind spots and avoid staying in this position for too long. Not everyone knows this handy trick for eliminating your blind spot.
Should someone cut you off on a road, don’t react in anger. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator in order to regain a safe following distance. Letting go of minor annoyances like this one will not only keep you safe, but will also reduce the stress of driving and help you to have a happier and more peaceful trip.
You also need to maintain a front safety cushion when you are stopped at a light or stop sign, or in traffic. First, remember that the car in front of you may have manual, rather than automatic transmission; as a result, the car may roll slightly (or a lot, depending on the skill of the driver) when starting to move, especially if you are an incline. Second, you need to give yourself enough space to pull out from behind the vehicle in front of you should the car in front of you stall or otherwise fail to start. Basically, make sure that you always leave yourself enough room for an “escape route,” if this becomes necessary.
REAR CUSHION
While this part of your safety cushion may seem a bit out of your control, there are a few steps you can take to diffuse potential tailgating hazards.
First of all, don’t get angry. While tailgaters can be annoying and frustrating, keep in mind that you never know why someone is tailgating you. Always extend the benefit of the doubt—maybe he or she is rushing to the hospital with a medical emergency. Acting on this assumption will help you to stay calm and respectful, instead of trying to “teach them a lesson” by braking suddenly or something along those lines. Be the bigger person!
Next, if someone is tailgating you, increase your following distance by one or two seconds. Basically, you want enough space for both you and the tailgater to be able to react to a sudden stop or other hazard ahead. When it is safe to do so, either move to a right-hand lane (if possible) to allow the tailgater to pass, or slow down a bit more that he or she can pass you safely.
Remember that traffic tends to move in packs or waves on the highway. If possible, try to stay in one of the gaps between packs, so that you are in a fairly open space on the road. Also, remember to stay in the right hand lane if you are traveling slower than the speed of traffic. People often become annoyed with, and then tailgate, cars that are moving a bit too slowly for the lane they are in.
SIDE CUSHION
Always make sure there is free space on both sides of your car as well. First, drive in the center of the lane at all times. Make sure to check periodically to make sure that you are still in the center of the lane and haven’t drifted to one side or the other.
When approaching a narrow gap, say, a one-way street lined with parked cars, slow down until you’ve made sure that there’s enough space for you to pass. Then, proceed slowly.
Also, be aware of those you share the road with, particularly cyclists and pedestrians. Give cyclists a wide berth when passing them. Imagine the amount of space that would be taken up by bicycle and rider if lying horizontal on the street; then, use this space to calculate your passing distance—around two yards. Remember that bicyclists do wobble sometimes!
Finally, try to keep clear space on both of sides of you when driving on a multi-lane road. As I mentioned above, finding “gaps” in the traffic flow is often a good way to do so.
With your magic bubble in place, you’ll be far less likely to end up in a minor fender bender or a major collision! You’ll also reduce the likelihood that other people’s bad driving will have a negative impact on you and your car.
To learn more about this topic, or a broad range of subjects from “How To Change A Tire” to “How To Jumpstart Your Car”, visit DefensiveDriving.com’s Safe Driver Resources website!
Check out these sites for more information about online defensive driving in Texas, online defensive driving in Florida, and business driver safety.
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