There’s no denying that this rain was much needed in the Dallas Ft Worth metroplex, but man oh man. When it rains in Texas, it pours. Driving in the rain can be stressful enough, but driving to work after it’s been raining non stop since the night before is just plain miserable. Especially when you’re carefully driving along in your new or used Chevy and the vehicle next to you happens to fly by, hitting a huge patch of water that engulfs your entire vehicle causing you to lose visibility for a few seconds. Anyone out there know what I’m talking about?
It’s been said that flash floods are the number one weather-related killer in the U.S. because people think they can drive through deep water or don’t pay enough attention. As I mentioned above, hitting a huge patch of water at any speed over 15mph will not only throw water onto the vehicle next to you, it’ll also jerk your Chevrolet and splash water onto your windshield skewing your visibility. If that’s ever happened to you, you know it’s beyond stomach-dropping. Especially if it happens on one our crowded DFW highways.
Since the weather man tells me that we are aren’t expecting any clear skies until at least tomorrow, I thought it might be a good idea to share some tips on how to drive in these conditions. Hopefully, this will make your drive home this evening and tomorrow morning a little less nerve-racking.
First and foremost, if you see a barricade, DO NOT drive through it. This may seem like a no-brainier, but watch the news tonight and see how many people thought they could make it through. Second, avoid driving through standing water on the road and in parking lots if at all possible. According to Progressive.com, the average automobile can be swept off the road in 12 inches of moving water, and roads covered by water are prone to collapse. Not to mention that driving through deep water can potentially stall your engine and even cause irreparable damage.
Last year, a friend and I were driving to Lubbock, Texas, during a horrible storm. The brunt of the storm hit in a small town name Seymour which only has one road out. Thinking that it would be better to get out before the flooding got worse, we decided to drive through. Horrible, horrible mistake. Before we knew it, water was up over her headlights and her engine began acting funny. After we finally pulled through, she had a difficult time accelerating. Three months later, she needed a new transmission. Moral of the story? Don’t guess at the depth of a flooded road or parking lot. Take another route if you can. Replacing the transmission on a Chevrolet or any other vehicle is not cheap.
In the event that an alternate route does not exist and you have no other reasonable alternative but to drive through standing water, Progressive.com suggests the following:
Do your best to estimate the depth of the water (if other cars are driving through, take note of how deep the water is).
Drive slowly and steadily through the water.
Avoid driving in water that downed electrical or power lines have fallen in — electric current passes through water easily.
Watch for items traveling downstream — they can trap or crush you if you’re in their path.
If you have driven through water up to the wheel rims or higher, test your brakes on a clear patch of road at low speed. If they are wet and not stopping the vehicle as they should, dry them by pressing gently on the brake pedal with your left foot while maintaining speed with your right foot.
Stay off the telephone unless you must report severe injuries.
If your vehicle stalls in the deep water, you may need to restart the engine to make it to safety. Keep in mind that restarting may cause irreparable damage to the engine.
If you can’t restart your vehicle and you become trapped in rising water, immediately abandon it for higher ground. Try to open the door or roll down the window to get out of the vehicle. If you are unable to get out safely, call 911 or get the attention of a passerby or someone standing on higher ground so that they may call for help.
Don’t become a victim of these dangerous flash floods, Dallas Ft Worth Chevroletowners. Following these precautions and save your beloved Chevrolet and your life from injury.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Association decided to spice things up last year and revised its New Car Assessment Program. The Overall Vehicle Score is the combination of frontal and side crash tests and rollover resistance testing. With the 2012 Sonic earning itself a five-star rating, Chevroletnow has a total of ten 2012 models that have earned the highest ratings possible.
The Sonic was tested under NHTSA’s revised New Car Assessment Program implemented starting with the 2011 model year the number of General Motors 2012 models with 5-star overall vehicle scores for safety. Pretty impressive, given that these new rigorous test procedures are by no means easy. For example, the NHTSA has added a new side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.
“We developed Sonic to exceed customer expectations of subcompacts in terms of segment-leading safety features,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of vehicle safety. “From the largest vehicles in our lineup to the smallest, we are putting overall crash-worthiness and state-of-the-art safety technologies at the top of the list of must-haves.”
So why exactly did the Sonic ace the test? I’m willing to bet that the exceptionally strong body structure through the incorporation of a single welded side ring unit and the vehicle safety being made of more than 60 percent high-strength steel had a little something to do with it.
The 2012 Chevy Sonic was designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting occupants in a crash. In addition to the tougher-than-nails structure, other standard safety features include:
Driver and front passenger dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted side pelvic/thorax air bags, knee air bags and head curtain side air bags with rollover protection that cover front and outboard rear seating rows. The Sonic also has side impact air bags in the outboard rear seating positions for a total of ten standard air bags.
Rollover sensors, which can activate the head-curtain side air bags if sensors determine an imminent rollover. In a rollover, the air bags stay inflated longer to provide increased occupant protection.
StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or adjusting the throttle or a combination of both.
Power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes with ABS, full-function traction control and panic brake assist that activates when an emergency braking maneuver is detected. The system automatically develops additional brake pressure to more quickly engage ABS
Front safety belt pretensioners to reduce forward occupant movement and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision
OnStar, which features the Automatic Crash Response System that uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event that a crash is detected.
What more could we ask from the Chevy Sonic? In case you’ve missed the daredevilish stunts the Sonic’s been performing, you can check them out here. Crazy to think that this daring little car is one of the safest out there.
When I was younger, my grandfather would pick me up from Grapevine and drive me back to Dallas to stay with him and grandma for the weekend. Every time he picked me up, he would ask if I wanted to go the “pothole way” or the “skunk way”. Now that I’m older and driving myself, I realized that the “pothole” way was actually highway 183. I also realize how much he probably hated when I chose that route because potholes can actually damage your Chevy‘s tires, chassis, suspension and wheels/rims.
When it comes to advice on potholes, the first thing I’ll tell you is to flat out avoid them at all costs. That doesn’t mean you should violently swerve to try and miss them though. What I mean is that if you see one far enough away and have enough time to change lanes. But let’s face it, that’s not always the case. You could either be traveling at too high of speeds to get out of the way in time or be stuck in between other vehicles.
A friend of mine once told me that he always sped up when he saw a pothole because he thought that high speeds would make your Chevrolet “fly” over the gap in the concrete. This is a very common misconception, though. The higher your speeds, the greater the damage you could cause. So if you’re going to hit a pothole, try and slow down as much as possible. But don’t forget to look in your rear view mirror. You don’t want to break hard enough to cause the car behind you to panic or worse, rear-end you.
When you’re about to hit a pothole, get a tight grip on your Chevrolet‘s steering wheel. If you don’t, you may find yourself losing control and swerving left or right. Weather.com says that a pothole can send enough of a shock through your steering system to send your car into the next lane, potentially causing an accident… even if you don’t lose control.
Something else to keep in mind… DON’T BRAKE INTO A POTHOLE. I know I said you should slow down above, but I did not mean that you should hit the brakes the second before you hit the pothole. In fact, this is one of the worst things you can do to your Chevy. So slow down as much as possible, but be sure to let off the brakes in enough time for your car to come out of the “nosedive” position it’s in from hard braking.
We’re going to be seeing a LOT of rain this week in Dallas Ft Worth, Chevy owners. And guess what? Rain hides potholes! So be extra cautious. As I mentioned before, potholes can seriously mess up your Chevrolet in Dallas and Ft Worth. So if you’ve hit a lot recently, or even a really large one, you should probably bring your car in to the Classic Chevrolet service department and have your alignment checked. Moral of the story? Do your best to avoid hitting potholes in your new or used Chevrolet, DFW.
It’s that time of year again, DFW. Time to make those New Year’s resolutions. Instead of telling ourselves we will work out every day or eat better, why not make a resolution that we’ll actually keep longer than a few weeks. That’s right, I’m talking about some resolutions for our driving habits and our Chevrolets! Here are my top five resolutions to make you a safer driver.
I will drive the speed limit. Ok, ok… maybe not the exact speed limit. But let’s try to stop the excessive speeding and make the roads a safer place for all of us.
I will always wear my seat belt. This resolution are for those of you who don’t have a Chevrolet that beeps at you until you put your seat belt on. Did you know that seat belts save more than 12,000 lives a year by protecting passengers from hitting hard vehicle surfaces or being ejected from the vehicle in a crash? Buckle up, Dallas Ft Worth!
I will maintain my Chevrolet better. I know I hammer on the importance of proper auto maintenance like tire pressure, so what better time to take my advice and make it a resolution?
I will not drink and drive or drive drowsy.During the National Sleep Foundation’s Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, we talked about the dangers of drowsy driving and I gave you some staggering statistics. And we all know the dangers of drinking and driving, but just to refresh your memory… more than 10,000 people die in drunk driving car crashes each. So why not resolve to calling a cab or always having a designated driver for 2012?
I will not text and drive. The last, and best resolution in my opinion? Stop using our cell phones behind the wheel. In 2012, more than 3,000 people died in crashes related to using a cell phone or texting while driving. Come on DFW, let’s work on putting the phone down or pulling over to use it this year.
So there you have it. Five resolutions that you might actually be able to keep. Let’s make 2012 a safer driving year for Chevrolet car and truck drivers alike. Happy New Year!
I love almost everything about the holidays – the gift giving, the baking, the family reunion, etc. What do I hate about the holidays? The crowded Dallas Ft Worth highways and roads. Everyday on my drive home from work, I sit in traffic. I’ve tried to time it out to see if leaving earlier or later helps, but the red lights are always inevitable. Traffic is irritating enough to Chevrolet owners in DFW, but when you throw in the terrible drivers and holiday clutter, it’s just plain miserable.
I’ve narrowed it down my top three types of drivers who drive me the most crazy and also slow traffic down. The next time you find yourself stuck in traffic, remember the following and don’t be that guy.
The Traffic Weaver - This is the category I see the most. People weaving in and out of the various lanes trying to get ahead. Sure they gain one or two car lengths in the process, but they’ve now also cut off six people and given another four anxiety that that car is eventually going to cause a wreck. I love when the guy behind me thinks he could get ahead of me and gets stuck behind a car going twice as slow. Though it’s not very “high-roadish”, I tend to make sure that I don’t leave that guy any room at all to cut in, forcing him to lose two more car lengths. If I’m in the fast lane, I’m there because I want to go fast, and if I could, I would be going faster. But obviously you thought otherwise and decided to try and squeeze ahead of me. As far as I’m concerned, that guy can pass go and not collect $200.
The Pointless Passer – In addition to the previous little rant about the guy who weaves through traffic, is the guy who pointlessly passes. If you are going to take the time to pass me, then you better not cause me to slow down.. Especially if you are in the fast lane. That’s all I have to say about that one. you If you’re going to pass me then you better not start driving slower than I am. What’s the point of that?
The Rubbernecker – If you’ve ever listened to a traffic report on the radio, I’m sure you’ve heard something along the lines of, “Stalled vehicle has 75 N backed up, as well as on-lookers backing up 75 South. These “on-lookers” are what I like to call Rubberneckers. I know that we all do this, some subconsciously, and I’m not saying it’s a terrible idea to slow down a little bit. But anything over five miles per hour is going to seriously cause traffic. There’s almost nothing I can’t stand more than sitting in traffic for fifteen minutes only to find out the traffic was due to rubbernecking.
The next time you are sitting in traffic, remember to not be that guy. After all, it’s the holiday, folks. So let’s also try and keep the road rage to a minimum. Happy driving, Dallas Ft Worth Chevrolet owners!
Well, DFW is finally getting the rain we so desperately needed. But with the rain, comes the potential of hydroplaning in our new or pre-owned Chevys. I’m willing to bet that some of you have probably experienced this and know how much of a stomach-dropper it can be. It’s especially nerve racking to hydroplane when your visibility is already decreased thanks to the misty rain and the wet roads and highways that are kicking up dirt and water.
So what exactly is hydroplaning? To put it plainly, hydroplaning is the skidding or sliding of your car’s tires when they come across a wet surface and the tire encounters more water than it can scatter. Water pressure in the front of the wheel pushes water under the tire, and the tire is then separated from the road surface by a thin film of water losing traction and causing the driver to experience a loss of steering, braking and power control.
According to SafeMotorist.com, hydroplaning can occur on any wet road surface, and the first 10 minutes of a light rain is usually the most dangerous time. Slippery conditions arise when light rain mixes with oil residue on the road surface. As I mentioned before, the roads have been wet for a few days now, so there’s definitely a lot of this oil and rain residue mix out there.
So what’s the best way to avoid hydroplaning in your Chevrolet? Proper tire maintenance. I’ve said this time and time again that it’s extremely important to take care of your tires. Keep them properly inflated, rotate them at the recommended times and replace them when your tread starts to become worn. Tire manufacturers specifically aim at creating tread patterns, or grooves, on our tires to channel water from beneath the tire creating higher friction with the road surface. So as the tread gradually becomes worn, your tires cannot properly disperse the water and the odds of you hydroplaning increase.
It’s also really important to slow down in rainy conditions. The faster you drive, the harder it is for your tires to scatter water. Avoid puddles, standing water and driving in the outer lanes because water tends to accumulate there. If you’ve ever hit standing water in one of those outer lanes, you know how scary it can be. If you can see the tire tracks left by other vehicles in front of you, try to drive in them. Most likely, they have already pushed a large portion of the water out of the way. Finally, never use cruise control, avoid hard braking and avoid making sharp or quick turns.
The weather man says we are in for a few more days of rain, so when you’re driving through Dallas and Ft Worth in your Chevrolet, remember these tips and avoid hydroplaning as much as possible. If you find yourself hydroplaning more frequently, it may be time to get a new set of tires. So head down to Classic Chevrolet and let them take a look. Stay safe out there, DFW!
Hey DFW, have you winterized your Chevy car or Chevy truck yet? Earlier this week we talked about how to drive on winter roads and mentioned having your Chevy winterized. According to a survey conducted by The Car Council, more than 70 percent of motorists admit that they do not have their cars winterized in preparation for inclement weather. If I had to guess, I’d assume people think it’s either a waste of time, waste of money or a combination of both.
So why do we need winterize our vehicles, anyway? For starters, your tires are going to lose pressure in cold weather. For every 10-degree drop in temperature, your tire pressure decreases about one psi even if the tire is in perfect condition and isn’t leaking. So it’s definitely important to have the pressure checked and inspect the tires for damage or excess wear.
It’s also a good idea to have your belts and hoses checked. Normally, they both have a long life, but cold temperatures can accelerate their demise. While your at it, might as well have the wiper blades looked at. Back in September, we talked about the different ways your blades can deteriorate. In the winter, you’re definitely going to want to have blades in good, working condition.
Other important winter maintenance includes checking all of your fluid levels, rotating your tires, checking exhaust and braking system and more. Feeling a little overwhelmed by this list? No need to worry, the kind people over at Classic Chevrolet are offering to do all of this for you for only $39.95 now through December 31st! It doesn’t get much better than that folks. So click here or visit www.classicchevytexas.com to print your coupon, and give your Chevy a little Christmas present while ensuring the safety of you and your family at the same time.
Brrrr! It’s cold out in the DFW metroplex! This week is the first week most of us have seen temperatures below freezing this winter, and you know what that means… freeze warning. Luckily, North Texas isn’t expecting much precipitation this week while the temperatures are in the 20′s, but I’m sure we eventually will if this winter is anything like the last.
These Oak Cliff drivers definitely had some issues on the icy roads...
Unfortunately, icy road conditions don’t close down businesses like they do schools. So when we do get ice for this first time, most of us will be taking ourChevys on those Dallas Ft Worth roads and highways. So let’s talk about the best driving practices for icy conditions.
If you haven’t already, you need to winterize your Chevrolet car or truck. Go ahead and schedule a maintenance visit to check on the tires and their pressure (tire pressure lowers in the winter), the battery, the belts and hoses, the radiator, oil, lights and the brake system. You also need to be sure your windshield wipers are in good condition. If you’re not sure if you need a new set of blades, click here. Your defroster also need to be effective, so check to make sure it’s working properly, too.
Now that you Chevrolet is in tip-top condition for the winter, the rest is up to your driving skills. Safe winter driving consists of three things: staying alert, slowing down and keeping in control.
In the event of snow or ice (and it’s usually the latter in DFW), you need to take extra caution while driving. Get a feel for the road conditions by starting out slowly and testing your steering control and brakes. Often times, you’ll see people’s tires spinning at a stop light. Avoid this by gently accelerating until the car beings to roll.
You’ll also need to start braking at least three times sooner than you would under normal conditions, so it’s best to keep a safe interval between you and the car ahead of you. This can often frustrate other drivers who think they can still drive their vehicles the same as normal in these conditions. But I’d much rather have someone annoyed with me for driving slow and maintaining a distance than deal with someone who’s rear-ended me. In fact, if you see someone driving recklessly on the ice, stay as far away from them as possible.
When coming to a stop, avoid sudden movements of the steering wheel and gently pump the brakes. If you lock your brakes on ice, it will cause a loss of steering and control. Always watch for danger or slippery spots ahead. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the term “black ice”. This is the most dangerous of all because you cannot see it. Typically, ice remains on bridges longer than anywhere else, so even if the roads look all clear, take extra precaution on and under bridges.
Remember Dallas Ft Worth Chevy drivers, better to be safe than sorry when it comes to winter driving. If there’s a possibility that the roads may be bad, leave the house twice as early as you normally would. If you haven’t already winterizing your Chevrolet, be sure to bring it in the Classic Chevy. They’ll gladly take care of you, and you can even schedule an appointment online! Stay safe, DFW!
Hey Chevy owners, have you ever come up to a four-way stop sign and see other vehicles going out of turn? Not only is this frustrating, it’s also dangerous and illegal. One of the most basic concepts we learn in driver’s ed is the “right of way”. Simply defined, when you yield the right of way to another vehicle, you are letting them go before you in the traffic situation. This rule is something most people have forgotten or wrongfully assume they have in different situations. Though it might be hard to believe, the law actually gives the right of way to no one. Instead, the law states who must give up (yield) the right of way in various situations.
In this situation, Car A has the right of way because he is on the right side of car B.
So what happens when we fail to yield the right of way in our Chevys? Crashes. This is true in all states. Failure to yield the right of way leads to crashes in all states. Here’s a list of instances when you must yield the right of way:
At a yield sign;
To pedestrians in a crosswalk;
To persons using a seeing eye guide dog;
To persons using a white cane with or without a red tip;
At uncontrolled intersections where vehicles are already in the intersection;
At “T” intersections where you must yield to vehicles on the through road;
When turning left in which case you must yield to oncoming pedestrians, cars, etc.;
When driving on an unpaved road that intersections with a paved road; and
When returning to the roadway after the car is parked.
One of the most misunderstood driving rules is the “Yield to the Driver on the Right” rule. This rule controls most intersections when drivers arrive at an intersection simultaneously. SafeMotorist.com describes this situation perfectly:
Imagine you come upon a stop sign at the same time as another driver in a cross street, and he is on your right. You yield (give up) the right of way to that driver by letting him go first. If you reach an uncontrolled intersection at close to the same time, the vehicle who actually reached the intersection last is the driver who must yield the right of way. If you reach the intersection at the same time, the driver on the left should yield the right of way.
Sounds simple enough, right Texas Chevrolet drivers? As I mentioned before, this is the most misunderstood concept of all. Now that I’ve given you a refresher course, hopefully it will stick in your memory the next time you find yourself in one of these situations. On a final note, never assume that other drivers will give you the right of way… even if it belongs to you. Always try to anticipate other drivers’ actions in addition to yielding whenever needed or required by law.
It’s not too often that we associate sports cars, like the Chevrolet Camaro, with safety. As of last week, this is no longer the case. The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe became the first car to score the highest possible five-star rating in every individual test of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program since the introduction of the new standards in 2011.
Last year, the NHTSA introduced new, more rigorous federal testing procedures including a new side barrier test and a new side pole test. The side pole test simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.
Camaro Chief Engineer, Al Oppenheiser, said that the Camaro has always been about performance including safety performance. He continued to say, “We always strive for five-star ratings, and the fact that we achieved them under more rigorous requirements is a great accomplishment.”
After watching the videos of the 2012 Camaro Coupe’s NHTSA testing, I’m inclined to agree with Oppenheiser. The 2012 Camaro’s safety specification includes six airbags, the StabiliTrak electronic stability control system and seat belt pretensioners as standard. Now one of the most popular, best-looking sports car out there is also one of the safest. Hats off to General Motors.
If you’ve been holding off on getting a Camaro for awhile due to safety issues, you no longer have an excuse. Head down to Classic Chevrolet and hop into one. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. In the meantime, check out the official NHTSA videos below and see just how safe this beast is for yourself.
Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at hagen@classicchevytexas.com
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