Knowledge to Prosperity

Conventional defensive driving is driving in a manner to prevent accidents despite the incorrect actions of other drivers or pedestrians. Be alert! Be prepared! Act in time.

Practical Defensive Driving will remind you to drive the way that ensures the longest life possible for your vehicle. The best drivers know how to operate their vehicles efficiently because they have a basic understanding of today's technology and its impact on driving. When knowledge of the technology is combine with and applied to quality driving, the result is powerful protection for the driver and his/her passengers.In fact, the driver who drives efficiently, drives also safely.

Statistically,sixteen year olds are at the highest risk with over halve being involved in a crash the first year of driving. Teenagers drive much better when their parents are sitting next to them. Monitoring devices have been improving safety and reducing vehicle crashes for years in commercial fleet vehicles.Just knowing the box is there can change the driver's behavior. Fear of getting caught may be a more powerful motivator than fear of getting killed. Remember, the "Driving Chip" (vehicle proper operation device) gives real-time feedback to the driver when he/she is doing something that can harm the vehicle.

A fleet owner can use "Driving Chip" as a perfect communication tool between drivers and the management, in order to enforce safety and proper vehicle operation. Of course, a technical automotive knowledge is still the best protection.

Why does aggressive driving shortens the

life of vehicles.

Aggressive drivers are frequently applying a full power during acceleration, braking and turning. This generates the excessive pressure on moving parts. It squeezes the oil or grease out from stressed spots. Therefore, friction without lubrication can cause the excessive heat, burning, and damage to moving parts.

For example:

A drag racing vehicles's engine can catch a fire during powerfully accelerating due to unsatisfied lubrication of some moving parts. A racing car's wheel can catch a fire during hard braking in high speed.

In the "book of records" Irf Gordon as having the car with the highest documented 1,880,000 miles. The venerable vehicle still has its original transmission and engine rebuilt once at 675,000 miles. To increase your car's longevity, he advises avoiding fast starts at traffic lights and brake-squealing stops.

Hybrid Vehicles:

A great portion of fuel is used during acceleration. the faster the acceleration, the more fuel is used. Maintaining a steady speed uses a minimum of fuel. Braking is waste of energy. The harder the braking, the greater the waste of energy. Hybrid vehicles use braking power to produce electricity to recharge the batteries. An electric motor uses battery's electricity to accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed, then the gas engine takes over to maintain that speed. The longer the braking, the more electricity is produce. The longer the acceleration, the better the gas mileage. In essence, a good vehicle operator can get the best gas mileage on either one the hybrid or gas powered vehicles.

HONDA teaches you how to save gas

Honda's Insight hybrid softens the effect of wasteful driving and tells you when you're indulging in bad habits. "Eco Assist" displays a glowing arc above the digital speedometer, the arc's color varies from blue (wasteful) to blue-green (somewhat efficient) to green (efficient), depending on how a driver accelerates or decelerates. Powered by a 1.3-liter, 88-horsepower gas engine and 13-horsepower electric motor. The car averaging 38 MPG even if you ignoring "Eco Assist" warnings. Mileage goes up to the low 50s when you engaging the car's "Eco Assist" device.

South Fallsburg, N.Y. School and Rolling Bus Corporation

has implemented a driving behavior device to help drivers identify and correct risky driving behavior in real time. If the driver is turning too hard or another incorrect maneuver, a led display flashes a yellow or red light, notifying the driver unsafe driving behavior.

Click to see a similar device

Achieving ultra-high mileage is to dramatically cut weight and wind resistance. The challenge is to make an aerodynamic vehicle that's reliable, crash worthy, and inexpensive to mass produce. By using novel-composite construction techniques, including inexpensive molds and automated fabrication processes, the cost can be under $ 20.000.

THIS INFORMATION IS GOOD AS GOLD

If the on board computer finds any abnormal values, it will store a trouble code and light a malfunction indicator, "Check engine" or "Service engine soon". Poor electrical connection are the most common cause. It can be due to corroded terminal. Dirt and moisture can get into connectors, causing high resistance. Remember that about 80% of all performance problems are caused by problem listed above. This problem can be easily corrected by disconnecting then re-connecting all connectors. They are located under the hood. If this does not correct the problem than replace the sensor. When you buy the sensor, please ask also for a printout of information where the part is located. A continuous light means, the trouble is not critical. A flashing light means, the trouble is critical. Before you talk to the mechanic please go to the Auto Zone (auto parts store) for a free diagnostic scan codes. You can surely save money by telling your mechanic what's wrong with your car and not the way around. A new technology can benefit or rob consumers.

A rough engine idle and poor gas mileage can be caused by a bad PCV valve.

A clogged fuel filter can limit the speed, damage the emission system, and cause hard starting.

"Miracle" fuel-saving product.

Over and over again, the product turns out to be bogus, yet new ones are always being introduced to the market, and uninformed customers are easily be taken in by the the claims and marketing tricks. Fuel consumption is what most people are interested in. The basic problem here is that fuel consumption is extremely sensitive to driving style, type of journey, even the weather.

Motivation of proper motor vehicle operation:

A driver has to accelerate gently, decelerate gently, anticipate the stops and turns, and negotiate them carefully. In other words, all of these techniques make for a smooth drive and provide a good, safe, and comfortable ride for your passengers, A routine driver knows how to handle a vehicle that way without interfering with traffic flow. It ensures no accidents and no vehicle brake downs. Always drive with your driving logic-on. Easily getting upset will turn your driving logic-off.

Road to the future.

Here's how hydrogen fuel cells power vehicles while producing water as the only emission. Hydrogen fuel is fed into the anode of the fuel cell. Hydrogen atoms are split into electrons and protons. Electrons (-) are channeled through a circuit to produce electricity and propel the car. Only protons (+) pass through a membrane: electrons are blocked. Oxygen from the air enters the cathode and combines with the electrons and protons to form water.

Get a technical expertise

Anti-lock brake system: Reduces pressure from wheels that stop or skid.

Traction Control System: Applies pressure to wheel that spins faster than other wheels.

Stability Control System: Prevents tire spin or tire stop during acceleration or braking.

Braking is done by friction devices. A constant hard braking executed for a long time creates excessive heat which causes the friction material to burn and rough the finish. This can cause a braking unreliable and inefficient. You can check the vehicle's brake condition by driving straight at a low speed and than stepping on the brake pedal and observing the steering wheel. If the steering wheel is not moving during braking, than your vehicle's brake system is good. If it moves to the left or right there is a problem. You can also check all 4 wheels for body heat. Usually, one hot wheel indicates a mechanical problem, but all 4 hot wheels are caused by rough braking. You can correct small brake problems by starting to brake lightly. This would polish rough surfaces of the brake parts and restore the brake system.

Anti-lock Brake System(ABS) has some benefits but, like any new device it, needs testing, improving and testing again until perfection. If the computer detects an abnormal condition, it will then deactivate the ABS. In essence only good drivers can benefit from this feature. When driving on snowy or icy surfaces, an ABS will not bring the vehicle to a stop in the shortest possible distance. A locked or nearly locked wheel is preferred under these conditions, because the snow or dirt builds up under the front of the tires and helps stop the vehicle. This can't happen with ABS. An override switch to defeat the ABS has been created.

ANALYTICAL INFORMATION OF AUTOMOTIVE TECNOLOGY

A vehicle equipped with Stability control is not a substitute for safe driving practices. Factors like speed, road condition and driver steering input can all effect whether Vehicle Stability Control will be effective in preventing a loss of control. The probability of having a rollover crash increases as size, speed and center of gravity increases. The bigger the vehicle and the faster it is traveling the greater the rollover risk becomes. In spite of new technologies in vehicles, the driver is still the one in control.

ABS, or Stability Control are activated only during extreme driving, or during emergency situations like hard braking and turning to the left or right at the same time. Because the vehicle will not lose traction, it will turn and not slide. After a short turn the vehicle has to be turned back to the original direction in order to make it safe. Here is the catch! However, if turning continues too far, then the vehicle will turn over and crash because the ABS control is in action. A skilled driver can use his/her judgment to either employ or not employ a tire slip in order to get through safely without ABS. A new technology can be used to benefit or jeopardize safety for consumers.

Electronically Controlled Transmission uses clutches for coupling gears. Every gear has its own clutch. During acceleration the clutch of the the gear one unlocks its driving and driven disks, which sets the transmission to a neutral position, but at the same time the clutch of the gear two locks its driving and driven disks together by friction, and that completes the shifting from gear one to gear two. If acceleration continues, the shifting from the gear two to the gear three will follow. During deceleration the shifting is reversed. Clutches and bands are friction devices. A constant rapid acceleration executed for a long time causes the friction material to worn out completely, then the vehicle will not move. This is the main reason for the transmission to brake down.

The condition of the transmission can be checked by tossing out the transmission stick and checking the transmission fluid for color and smell. A red color of the transmission fluid is a sign that it is in good condition. A brown color and/or burning smell means that there is a problem. The reason is that the small particles of the friction material have been burned, reduced to powder and dropped into the transmission oil, which caused the color of the transmission fluid to change. A small transmission problem can be corrected by changing driving habits to a smooth acceleration.

Mixing alcohol and drugs can be dangerous.

Pills normally flow to the digestive track where they are broken down and then dispersed. Combining drugs and alcohol does the following. Drugs become suspended and not digested they are carried by alcohol directly into the blood stream at a much higher concentration. The concentration can be as high as 40 times normal or the same as taking 40 pills. Even aspirin can be dangerous.

No business can prosper without expertise. No one can drive well without a certain degree of knowledge.

Earn your technical degree online the skills of talented motor vehicle operators, or through On site Instructor-led classes.

Garden State Safety Council

NJ State point/insurance reduction sponsor. Agent/Instructor Vasil W. Turjancik

Please call: 973-478-8686 or

e-mail your request here

Please, type your name, address and phone number. A test will be conducted on your phone. After successful testing you receive your certificate in the mail. You pay for the potage and time of testing.

Safety Driving Service, 243 Ackerman Ave, Clifton, New Jersey 07011.

Tel: 973-478-8686 or 973-352-9213

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING CAN BE

ATTRIBUTED TO A LACK OF AUTOMOTIVE

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

It is ironic that transportation safety authorities are concerned about the 45.000 annual fatalities each year on the highways of America-however, they do nothing to mandate a sufficient number of hours of technical education and training before an applicant can apply for their driver's licence. These increased hours of "an automotive technical education and behind-the wheel" training are being done in other countries and long over due for the United States. It should be so obvious that the first step in reducing traffic fatalities is to put an educated well-trained driver on the road at the beginning of their driving career.