Vehicle Habits

Five dos and four donts

by Toni Wilcox

            The most important safety feature in any vehicle, however, is you. Your driving and maintenance habits can go a long way toward protecting your family. Here are five things even drivers who don’t know a gas cap from a spark plug can do to keep their vehicles in good running order and stay safe on the road:

Five Do’s:

• Read your owner’s manual. It will tell you when routine maintenance should be done.
• Change the oil regularly. Manufacturers typically recommend oil changes every 3,000 to 10,000 miles, depending on the type of driving you do.
• Check your tire pressure often. Many drivers do it on every trip to the gas station so that they don’t forget. Be sure to use the owner’s manual as a guide—not the pressure noted on the side of the tire.
• Wash your vehicle regularly, and make a point of cleaning the insides of the windows with a high-quality glass cleaner. Washing the outside will help prevent rust by removing the corrosive road dust and chemicals that accumulate, particularly in city driving.
• Make a point of driving without the radio on once in a while. You should listen for what sounds normal so that you’ll know when a squeak, squeal, rattle or other unusual noise starts.

Four Don’ts:

• Don’t let distractions interfere with your driving. Teach your children to wait until you get home to show you their latest masterpieces from art class.
• Don’t let minor repairs intimidate you. A burned-out headlight usually can be replaced with no tools at all, and some electrical problems are easily remedied with a new fuse.
• Don’t fall for gimmicks that claim to increase gas mileage. The single most effective thing you can do is drive the speed limit. Driving 65 mph instead of 75 mph will save an average of 12 percent.
• Don’t drive with your hands in the familiar ten o’clock and two o’clock positions. With today’s steering-wheel-mounted airbags, it’s better to use anywhere between nine and seven o’clock, and three and five o’clock.