9. November 2008 by admin.

firstchoiceautofinder says please read !!!Drive only when rested. Don’t take the wheel if you feel fatigued, no matter when or where you are driving. Have some sleep or exercise first, avoid or delay the trip, or let a rested person drive.

Keep your mind alert. Listen to talk shows or up-tempo music. Try to have company on long trips. Change position frequently, keeping your head up and shoulders back. Chew gum. Actively watch road signs and traffic.

Find a safe place to stop. On a long trip, every couple of hours or if you start to feel sleepy, pull off the road for a break, exercise and fresh air. When possible, spend the night at a hotel or stop in a safe place to take a nap. Don’t rely on coffee!

Be careful about what you eat and drink. Coffee, sugar or other stimulants may wake you up physically but they do not ensure mental alertness. Drink water, juice or soft drinks low in sugar and caffeine. Choose high-protein snacks over heavy or fatty foods such as fries. Avoid alcohol and medications (including cold remedies). If you require medication, consult with your doctor to minimize effects on driving.

Drive defensively. Be prepared to prevent collisions in spite of the actions of others-including drivers around you who may be drowsy.
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9. November 2008 by admin.

At FirstChoiceAutoFinder we no that speeding increases the likelihood and severity of a crash. firstchoiceautofinder says The faster a vehicle is moving, the less time the driver has to react to a hazard, and for other road users to react to that vehicle. A speeding vehicle requires more time and distance to stop, and is harder to control. Speed is a factor in 30 per cent of fatal crashes and 12 per cent of all crashes.

firstchoiceautofinder knows first hand that when the  speed increases over 100 km/h, the fatality rate of vehicle occupants goes up exponentially. For example, the chances of being killed in a vehicle traveling at 120 km/h are four times higher than at 100 km/h. When a car crashes near 200 km/h the chances of survival are minimal.

Speed of impact is critical for pedestrians, the most vulnerable road users. A 1995 European Transport Safety Council report found that only five per cent of pedestrians died when struck by a vehicle at 32 km/h; fatalities increased to 85 per cent at 64 km/h.

Speed Kills

There is an ongoing debate in Canada about speed limits on major highways. Advocates of higher limits need only look across the border for proof that raising speed limits is a bad idea.

A recent study examined the impact of higher travel speeds on US rural interstates after the repeal in November 1995 of the national speed limit. Researchers found states that had increased their speed limits to 75 mph (120 km/h) experienced a shocking 38 per cent increase in deaths per million vehicle miles than expected, compared to deaths in those states that did not change their speed limits. States that increased speed limits to 70 mph (112 km/h) showed a 35 per cent increase in fatalities.

The US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has tracked vehicle speeds on rural and urban interstates since 1987. Preliminary data for 2003 show the highest speeds the Institute has ever observed. In California, for example, the speed limit is 70 mph. However, the mean speed is 74. Well over two-thirds (69 per cent) of drivers go over 70 mph, and 19 per cent go faster than 80 mph.

As US speed limits have risen, statistics show an associated increase in lives lost. The www.firstchoiceautofinder.com  Council seriously questions why any jurisdiction in Canada would choose to follow this lead.

Speed Sells

High performance is the mantra of today’s automotive manufacturers. From 1980 to 2000 the average horsepower-to-weight ratio, a key measure of performance, increased by over 50 per cent. In the 2000 model year, six per cent of vehicles had turbocharged engines, the highest percentage ever.

The media shows vehicles racing and swerving on miraculously empty roads, chasing or being chased, and performing daredevil stunts. Routine disclaimers that once warned the unwary consumer to drive safely or obey speed limits have all but disappeared.

Such lifestyle advertising subliminally encourages drivers to break the law by speeding and driving recklessly. The impact of that message is powerful. In recent years, street racing has become a deadly fad in Canadian cities. However, young speedsters are only part of a much larger problem. Speeding has become widely accepted by Canadian drivers. ‘Everybody does it’ is a common excuse for breaking the speed limit.

Commercials that glamorize excessive speeding promote unacceptable driver attitudes and behaviors. They also violate the Canadian Code of Advertising, which states that advertisements must not ‘depict situations that might encourage unsafe or dangerous practices or acts.’ To file an official complaint, contact firstchoiceautofinder  . Please send a copy of your complaint to the To admin@firstchoiceautofinder.com

Enforcement Needed

There is a proven way to deter speeders. Enforce the speed limit. When drivers know they will be caught and penalized, they slow down. There’s no substitute for strong police visibility in problem areas, but the police can’t be everywhere. For obvious safety reasons they are reluctant to pursue speeding drivers on high-volume roads.

Photo-radar is a solution to the problem. Cameras, instead of police, identify vehicles that are breaking the speed limit. The owners of offending vehicles receive significant fines, but no points are assigned to anyone’s driving record.

A poll commissioned by the Canada Safety Council in August 2003 found two-thirds of the 2,000 respondents supported photo radar on the highway. When asked if there should be warning signs to advise of the possible presence of photo enforcement 68 per cent said yes.

A standard sign for photo enforcement should be installed along roads where cameras may be present. When speeders know they could be caught, many choose to slow down. The signs are essential, because the real purpose is not to catch drivers who break the law, but rather to stop them from offending in the first place.

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9. November 2008 by admin.

FirstChoiceAutoFinder says to the average driver during the winter season, the number one safety issue is the condition of the roadway. Authorities responsible for road maintenance are sensitive to this fact. Municipalities across Canada are taking pro-active approaches to road-clearing, trying new methods and technologies to keep roads safe for driving and costs under control.

• In Edmonton, road-clearing operations are computer-tracked, snow-clearing operations are based on average freeze-thaw cycles, and a formula combining of sand and salt is used. When necessary, the city takes snow and ice-clearing money from other budgets.
• Pavement sensors take regular surface temperature readings in the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. The technology, which costs $250,000 to install, has more than recouped its cost, does not compromise safety and is being considered for province-wide use.
• Some municipalities are experimenting with pre-wetting roads with a brine (sodium chloride) wash. The City of Toronto found this technique works well in certain situations and contributes to using less salt overall.

Salt, the principal de-icing chemical, is effective from 0 degrees Celsius to -12 degrees Celsius. A snow storm can cost $250,000 in salt in a four-hour period; alternatives are up to five times more expensive and half as effective. Salt prevents the bonding of ice and snow to pavement surfaces, permitting more efficient and faster removal of snow and ice. It is used as a de-icer because it lowers the freezing point of water. However, at -20 degrees Celsius, it becomes ineffective, and abrasives such as sand must be used.

No matter how clear the roads are, however, there is no substitute for a defensive driver. According to Canada Safety Council president Emile Therien, many drivers lack the skills to deal with poor road conditions and unsafe actions by others. “Extra caution is needed during winter weather, particularly when roads are slippery or have not yet been plowed,” he says.

The Canada Safety Council estimates that 85 per cent of all collisions and related injuries relate in some way to driver behavior, such as impaired driving, speeding, running red lights and non-use (or improper use) of seat belts or child restraints. Nonetheless, road conditions are also important - a fact not lost on those responsible for maintaining them during the winter months.

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