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Some ABC’s for the Road
Here are 22 miscellaneous but noteworthy items to remember, in alphabetical order:
Accidents—I don't use this term to describe what happens when two or more vehicles collide. That’s because what happens on the roads should be called “crashes,” because someone nearly always is at fault. If you have one, there are several important things to do:
1. Stop. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime. If you have to, pull out of the way of traffic, but never leave the scene unless it is a very minor incident and all parties agree to do so. When in doubt, call the police and stay and wait for them.
2. Check yourself for injury. If you aren’t sure, don’t move until a rescue squad arrives.
3. Help anyone else who is injured by applying pressure to bleeding wounds and keeping them warm until help arrives. Do not attempt to move an injured person, however, unless he or she is in danger from fire or moving vehicles.
4. Make sure the crash has been reported to the police.
5. Exchange the following information with the other people involved: name, driver’s license number, license plate number and insurance company (including agent’s address and policy number). If necessary, try to obtain the name and address of everyone who is injured.
6. Notify your insurance company as soon as possible.
Bump and Mug—A threat to motorists, particularly females, which occurs from time to time. If you’re driving alone and usually at night, someone might try to bump you from behind then assault you when you stop. If this ever happens, keep your doors locked and your windows up. Stay in your car and call the police. If no phone is available, drive to the nearest police station and report the incident, or to the nearest public place and call.
Cigarettes—Don’t smoke and drive. You have enough to do behind the wheel without holding a burning object in your hand. It is a hazardous distraction. Besides, smoking is stupid, outside or inside the vehicle.
Drinking and Driving—If you need to be told, you don’t belong on the road.
Emotions—Always keep them under control. Be cool behind the wheel. Don’t drive when you are angry, and don’t get angry when you drive. You could get into a terrible situation. There are lots of extremely immature and volatile people out there who fly into road rage at the slightest provocation. Don’t be one of them. There’s way too little courtesy on the roads and too much rudeness. Don’t add to the problem.
If someone cuts you off or behaves stupidly, don’t take it personally. Everybody makes mistakes. Shrug it off. Take a few deep breaths and concentrate on maintaining your cool. If you’re in the wrong, there’s a very effective tool for dealing with the other party: apologize. A nice big gesture that communicates “Sorry!” is the best thing you can do. People might stay angry for a while, but they almost always will cool down if you don’t continue to provoke them.
Fatigue—Something that’s every bit as dangerous as alcohol, because it slows your reflexes and dulls your senses. Don’t ever think that because you’re young, you can’t fall victim to fatigue. Exercise the same caution about fatigue that you would about drinking. If you’re tired, don’t drive. Sleep over or ask for a ride.
Fatigue can strike during the day, too. On long trips, your reflexes can dull over time. Take a short break at least once every two hours. Every four hours, stop and eat something, or take a walk and stretch. Don’t drive if you’re taking medication, particularly antihistamines or sedatives.
Gauges—The order of importance of the three warning gauges on your instrument panel (and your own catchy phrase to remember them):
Boil—The first and most important gauge monitors engine temperature. When this warning light is on or the gauge moves into the red, it means the temperature of the engine coolant is too high and therefore the engine itself will soon be overheating. No question, if the instrument panel warns about high temperature, the proper response is to get the vehicle off the road immediately.
If the coolant temperature is too high, it will boil off. You will be able to see steam emerging from the radiator cap. There could be several possible causes. The main thing is that without coolant, the engine practically can self-destruct within a very short time. So, it is extremely important to turn off the engine and allow it to cool down. To do so, get the vehicle off the road.
Oil—Next is the oil gauge or warning light. It signifies that the oil level in the crankcase is low. Oil is a critical ingredient in the operation of an engine. Without it, the metal parts inside, many of which are rubbing together up to 100 times a second, would overheat and eventually fuse together.
Engine failure due to oil loss takes longer than failure due to coolant loss. In fact, if the oil light comes on, it usually means that the level is low. Therefore, there is sufficient time to take care of it. Get to a service station.
Coil—This relates to the battery or alternator light or voltage gauge. If trouble is indicated, it means the battery is not being charged. This is the least urgent of the three warnings. The problem eventually will bring things to a stop, but it doesn’t require immediate or emergency attention. Just get to a service station as soon as it’s convenient.
Remember: Boil/Oil/Coil, in that order.
Highway Workers—They have difficult and dangerous jobs. Slow down whenever you see them and give them plenty of room. If flag persons are directing traffic, follow their instructions and wave thanks to them as you pass by.
Identification—You always need three types when you’re driving: driver’s license, owner’s registration and proof of insurance. If you’re sharing a vehicle, keep your license in your wallet or purse and always make sure the other two documents are in the glove compartment. If it’s yours and yours alone, keep all three with you. That way, if the vehicle is stolen, the thief won’t have proof of ownership.
Jack—If you’re lucky, you’ll never have to use one. One way to avoid it is to belong to a roadside assistance organization, which will send out a mechanic. Otherwise, you need to learn the procedure. Before you begin driving any distance away from home, read your vehicle’s instruction manual and learn the entire jacking process. Learn where the lug wrench and jack and
spare wheel are stored and how to remove them. Learn the proper places on the vehicle to mount the jack.
You don’t necessarily have to replace a tire if it’s very low. You can drive slowly on it (with your emergency flashers on) for several miles until you reach a service station or a parking lot. If this is possible, it’s a better situation than the roadside. If you’re on a road with a speed limit above 35, drive along the shoulder. If this isn’t possible, then stay where you are.
The first thing to do is find as level a place as possible that is at least one vehicle width away from the road. Make sure the engine is turned off, the transmission is in park (or first gear) and the parking brake is engaged. Find something—like a rock—to block the wheel diagonal to the one you’re changing.
Then follow those instructions to the letter!
A caution: If it’s dark and lonely, don’t do this. Don’t expose yourself to careless or predatory motorists. Stay in the vehicle with the doors locked and the windows up. Tie a handkerchief or white cloth to your door handle and wait for the police, or call them on your cell phone.
Keys—Keep an extra door key in your wallet, in case you accidentally lock them in the car. Keep your car keys separate from your house keys. If you park in a garage or a lot, and you have to leave your keys with the attendant, you don’t want a stranger holding your house keys. Take your keys with you every time you leave your vehicle, even for a minute. Don’t make a thief’s job easy, and never leave your vehicle with the engine running. In many jurisdictions, it’s a violation.
Locks and Lights—Check them both every time you leave your vehicle. Locks are easy. Before you get out, check the other doors to make sure they’re locked. Outside, when you close your door, try the handle. In the daytime, if the weather is bad and you’ve been driving with lights on, don’t forget to turn them off before you park and leave.
Also, get yourself into the habit of looking back at your vehicle after you’ve walked a few steps away from it. If you do, you’ll always see if you’ve left your lights on. By the way, turn your headlights on any time the sky darkens, any time you go through a tunnel, and any time you turn your wipers on. Not the parking lights, the headlights!
Motorcycles—They’re different than bicycles, because they travel at highway speeds. Treat them with more caution than other vehicles, because riders are much more vulnerable. Stay well behind them, and wait for them to go by when you’re pulling onto a road.
Necessities—Your vehicle’s glove compartment should contain a (working) flashlight, a notepad and pen, a white cloth (in case you need assistance), a stash of quarters (for parking meters and tolls), an extra pair of sunglasses, some napkins or “wet wipes,” and a tire pressure gauge.
Elsewhere inside keep a plastic grocery bag or two under the seat (for litter) and a local area map in case you become lost. You might want to have one of those cardboard windshield sun visors that doubles as an emergency sign.
In the trunk, keep an extra quart of motor oil, a gallon of washer fluid, pints of brake and power steering fluid, an old blanket (in case you ever have to lie on the ground to see under the vehicle), one or two emergency flares, and a small tool kit. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a first-aid kit.
In the optional category: a tire re-inflation canister, battery jumper cables and a carburetor/engine quick-start chemical. There are drawbacks to having these items, however. They require special handling and knowledge. Instead you might want to rely on emergency road service professionals for these contingencies.
Oil and Water—They are the two of the most important fluids in your vehicle. You must check them frequently, at least once a week. The best time to do this is when the engine is cold. You need a paper towel or a rag. Draw out the oil dipstick, wipe it clean, and reinsert it all the way. It will be marked so you can tell when to add oil. Use a good multigrade, such as 10W-40.
Keep your vehicle’s coolant reservoir filled to the proper level. You can add a mixture of water and coolant (usually 50-50) to the expansion tank at any time. But NEVER remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot! Pressure from the system could force boiling fluid or steam through the opening. You and anyone nearby could be scalded.
Just in case you haven’t learned yet, gasoline can be explosive. Never attempt to refuel your vehicle if anyone nearby is smoking or using a spark or open flame!
Potholes—They can kill your tires and damage other expensive components of your vehicle’s suspension. Always avoid them if you can. If you can’t, slow down as much as possible before you roll over them. And don’t brake while rolling over rough surfaces (see speedbumps).
Radios/CDs/iPods/MP3 players—Yes, they are fun, and they break up the monotony of driving, but they also can create hazards in four ways:
1. If you play yours too loudly, it could drown out road sounds that you need to hear, such as emergency sirens, approaching trains or another vehicle’s horn.
2. If you focus your attention on changing stations, or on switching a CD, you could miss spotting something critical on the roadway.
3. Never wear headphones or ear buds when driving.
4. Loose discs can do damage to you if they become flying objects in a crash. Keep them in containers that can be stored under seats or in dashboard compartments.
Cell phones also can create problems and dangers. If you have one in the vehicle, be extremely careful when you use it. No question: Talking on the phone while driving is distracting. Studies have shown that cell phone users are involved in crashes more frequently. While you’re still getting used to the road, avoid the added complication. Use the phone only when you’re stopped or sitting still in traffic.
Speedbumps—Annoying but necessary hazards put mostly in parking lots to keep speeds down. Brake first. Slow down before you go over them then ease over them, with the brakes off. They can hurt your suspension, too (see potholes).
Tires—Keep them properly inflated. You can’t always tell by looking. Check them when cold, a couple of times a month, according to the pressures recommended in your vehicle’s instruction manual.
Vision—Have yours checked periodically. Four out of 10 teens suffer from a condition called night myopia, which affects your eyes’ ability to focus in low light. Even if you don’t require glasses during the day, you may need them at night. This is no joke. Teen crashes occur at night four times more frequently than adult crashes.
Wipers and Washers—Wipers wear out frequently. When they do, they create streaks across your windshield. This can be especially annoying at night. If your wipers are performing poorly, replace the blades immediately. Blades are cheap. Crashes are expensive.
Washer fluid is indispensable for keeping your windshield clean. Check the fluid level often. Keep the reservoir full. Like I said, it’s a good idea to keep an extra gallon on board. Fluid is even cheaper than blades.
Zap!—That’s the feeling you get when the air is dry and you step out of your vehicle and touch it again. It’s caused by the buildup of static electricity. It’s more than annoying—it can also be dangerous. If you don’t discharge the static you’ve built up inside your vehicle, and you attempt to pump gas, if you create a spark near the filler nozzle it could trigger a fire or even an explosion.
There’s an easy way to avoid all of this: Whenever you get out of your vehicle, keep touching any metal part of the door until you’re outside and standing up. The metal will conduct away any static buildup, so you won’t get jolted.
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