ConsumerReports.org says that every year children are injured and killed because drivers (in 70% of cases, parents and relatives) don’t see them while backing up. We’ve all heard those heart-breaking stories of parents who have accidentally backed over their children. I’ll bet you’d be surprised to know that at least 50 children are . . . → Read More: Consumer Reports Measures the Blind Zones of Various Vehicles]]>

Photo Courtesy of ConsumerReports.org

ConsumerReports.org says that every year children are injured and killed because drivers (in 70% of cases, parents and relatives) don’t see them while backing up. We’ve all heard those heart-breaking stories of parents who have accidentally backed over their children. I’ll bet you’d be surprised to know that at least 50 children are backed over every week in the U.S. Forty-eight are treated in hospital emergency rooms and at least 2 children die according to Kids and Cars, a nonprofit group that works to improve child safety around cars.

I’m sure you’re all familiar with blind zones/spots. However, most people only think of blind spots on the sides of their cars, but the real danger lies behind our new car, SUV or truck. One of the reasons we’ve seen an increase in the amount of back-up injuries is that larger vehicles (which have become increasingly popular through the last ten years) have much larger blind spots than your average passenger car.  A contributing factor is that larger vehicles (SUVs, pickups, and minivans), which have become increasingly popular, have larger blind zones than passenger cars. For a 5’8″ man, the average blind zone is 12 feet in a small, four-door sedan while the average blind zone for a pickup truck is 24 feet.

In an attempt to help consumers understand how large some blind zones are, ConsumerReports.org measured the blind zones of a number of popular models. To measure the blind zones, a 28-inch traffic cone was positioned behind the vehicle at the point where the driver could just see its top. Their results showed that longer and taller vehicles tend to have significantly larger blind zones. On the bright side, three Chevrolet models were listed as having the smallest blind zones.

In the Small, Four-Door Sedans category, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze took first place with a blind zone of nine feet. The average for this category was 12 feet. The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox LT ranked number one with a blind zone of only seven feet in the Small SUV category where the average came out to 13. Lastly, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro tied for first place in the Two-Door Coupes and Sports Cars category with a blind zone of nine feet compared to an average of 13. Way to go, Chevrolet!

Just because Chevy has some smaller blind zones doesn’t mean we safe from a backover accident. Back-up cameras play a huge part in lowering the number of injuries. So the next time your in the market for a new or used car or truck, head down to Classic Chevrolet and drive one of our vehicles equipped with a backup camera. I’m telling you… once you have one, you’ll never go back.

[Source: ConsumerReports.org]

Thanks to Cassidy Schafer for contributing.

Since 1997, General Motors and the GM Foundation have served as Safe Kids Buckle Up’s exclusive funding source and helped build the program into a multifaceted national initiative, bringing motor vehicle safety messages to children and families through community and dealer partnerships. To date, more than 22 million people have been exposed to Safe . . . → Read More: The GM Foundation and Safe Kids Launch 2012 Heat Stroke Prevention Campaign]]>

Since 1997, General Motors and the GM Foundation have served as Safe Kids Buckle Up’s exclusive funding source and helped build the program into a multifaceted national initiative, bringing motor vehicle safety messages to children and families through community and dealer partnerships. To date, more than 22 million people have been exposed to Safe Kids Buckle Up events and community outreach efforts. Certified child passenger safety technicians working through Safe Kids coalitions have examined over 1.4 million child safety seats at over 75,000 events and the program has donated over 520,000 seats to families in need.

This year, GM has teamed up with Safe Kids Worldwide again by launching a campaign to help prevent heat strokes due to being left in an unattended vehicle. According to a recent press release from Safe Kids Worldwide, dozens of children die of hyperthermia (or heat stroke) every year from being left in unattended vehicles.   Safe Kids Worldwide and its state-based coalitions are mobilizing their network of partners – police and fire departments, hospitals and doctors’ offices, government agencies, childcare centers, businesses and others – to alert citizens to the grave dangers that hot vehicles pose to children and encourage people to Never Leave Your Child Alone In a Car.

President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide,  Kate Carr, said they are “urging everyone to ACT: Avoid hyperthermia-related deaths by never leaving your child alone in a car and always locking doors and trunks; Create reminders and habits for you and your child’s caregivers to serve as a safety net to ensure you don’t forget your child; and Take action if you see a child unattended in a vehicle by immediately calling 911.”

Odds are, the Dallas Ft Worth metroplex is in for an even hotter summer than last year. So Classic Chevrolet encourages everyone to remember to ACT.

AVOID stroke-related injury and death by:

• Never leaving your child alone in the car, even for a minute.
• Consistently locking unattended vehicle doors and trunks.

CREATE reminders and habits that give you and your child’s caregiver a safety net:

• Establish a peace-of-mind plan. When you drop off your child, make a habit of calling or texting all other caregivers, so all of you know where your child is at all times.
• Place a purse, briefcase, gym bag, cell phone or an item that is needed at your next stop in a back seat.
• Set the alarm on your cell phone or computer calendar as a reminder to drop your child off at childcare.

TAKE ACTION if you see an unattended child in a vehicle:

• Dial 911 immediately and follow the instructions that emergency personnel provide – they are trained to determine if a child is in danger.

Let’s all join in the campaign and help prevent future tragedies. Remind your friends and family to Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car and to ACT.

[Source: Media.GM.com]

Thanks to Cassidy Schafer for contributing.

Since we’ve had such a short winter in the DFW, Spring has come on fast. As with any changing season, it’s important to give your new or used Chevrolet a thorough inspection. We’ve already discussed the tires on your car or truck, so now let’s talk about a few other things we’ll need to inspect starting . . . → Read More: Spring Car Tips for Your New or Used Chevrolet: Maintenance Checks]]>

Since we’ve had such a short winter in the DFW, Spring has come on fast. As with any changing season, it’s important to give your new or used Chevrolet a thorough inspection. We’ve already discussed the tires on your car or truck, so now let’s talk about a few other things we’ll need to inspect starting with the windshield wipers.

While we didn’t experience much snow this winter, we are definitely getting our fill of rain this Spring. That being said, it’s extremely important to have windshield wipers in good, working condition. If they’re leaving streaks or missing parts of the windshield, it’s probably time for new blades. According to ConsmerReports.org, most blades are ready for replacement after just six months, so  be sure to check on them before the next batch of rain hits us.

While we’re looking at the wiper blades, lets go ahead and pop that hood. Is it looking a little dirty? Whether you answer was yes or no, a quick and easy clean can only do your engine good. ConsmerReports.org suggests cleaning engine parts with plain soap and water or with a commercial degreasing product like Gunk. Remember though, there are several things you need to avoid getting wet. Click here to check out our post on the proper way to clean your Chevrolet.

You should also take this time to check on the battery terminals. Look for corrosion on the battery and on the terminals. Just like the rest of the engine, it’s a good idea to clean the terminals even if you don’t see corrosion. If you need help with this, check out our post on Corroded Battery Terminals.

As always, you can give Classic Chevrolet dealership a call if you need help with any of this maintenance checks.

Thanks to Cassidy Schafer for contributing.  

Well, it’s safe to say that we had a short winter here in the Dallas Ft Worth Metroplex. Now, while we’re in the midst of Spring, is a perfect time to do some maintenance on your new or used Chevrolet. Let’s start with the tires. Even though I know you all have been checking your tire . . . → Read More: Spring Car Tips for Your New or Used Chevrolet: Tires]]>

Well, it’s safe to say that we had a short winter here in the Dallas Ft Worth Metroplex. Now, while we’re in the midst of Spring, is a perfect time to do some maintenance on your new or used Chevrolet. Let’s start with the tires. Even though I know you all have been checking your tire pressure on a regular basis, it’s still important to inspect your tires and wheels after any season.

For starters, go ahead and check that tire pressure. Under-inflated tires can cause heat build-up and with the dreaded, steamy summer on the way, you’ll want to keep your tires properly inflated to be able to handle the inevitable heat.

If you haven’t already inspected your tires for wear and tear, reach in your pocket and perform the penny or quarter test. As you know, we’ve already had a lot of rain this season and I’m sure there’s more to come. With rain, comes hydroplaning. So make sure your tires have the tread to take on those flooded Dallas Ft Worth roads and highways.

According to ConsumerReports.org, if your tires have less than 4/32-inch of tread left, then it’s time to go shopping. You can easily check tread depth by inserting a quarter into a tire’s deepest grooves, head pointing down. If you can see the top of George Washington’s head, that means you have 1/8 of tread or less, and it’s time to start shopping for new rubber. If you’re not sure, or need any help at all, you can always head down to the Classic Chevrolet service department. They’ll be more than happy to help.

Have you ever been driving around in your new or used car or truck and all of the sudden you feel your car accelerating even though your foot isn’t anywhere near the gas pedal? Hopefully this hasn’t happened to many of you, because it is definitely scary and can potentially be fatal.

Luckily, you can watch for . . . → Read More: Sudden, Unintended Accelaration: What To Do If It Happens To You]]>

Have you ever been driving around in your new or used car or truck and all of the sudden you feel your car accelerating even though your foot isn’t anywhere near the gas pedal? Hopefully this hasn’t happened to many of you, because it is definitely scary and can potentially be fatal.

Luckily, you can watch for a few warning signs. If you’ve noticed that the accelerator pedal has been harder to depress, slower to return to it’s normal position or just not operating as normal, you could be on the verge of unintended acceleration. Of course, this can also happen out of the blue without any warning signs at all. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of several things you can do in the instance it does happen to you. ConsumerReports.org has studied this very situation and given us five steps that can help you bring your runaway vehicle safely to a halt.

1. Brake firmly. Do not pump the brakes. Do not turn off the engine yet—because doing so would disable the power assist for your steering and brakes.
2. Shift the transmission into Neutral. Don’t worry if the engine revs up alarmingly; most cars have rev-limiters to protect against damage.
3. Steer to a safe location and come to a full stop.
4. Shut off the engine with the transmission still in Neutral.
5. Finally, shift the transmission into Park or, with a manual transmission, set the emergency brake. Then breathe deep and call for help. Do not drive the car.

Memorize these steps, DFW! Classic Chevrolet also recommends you take your new or used car out to a vacant parking lot and practice these steps. If you have any questions, you can always give us a call.

[Source: ConsumerReports.org]

Thanks to Cassidy Schafer for contributing.

Speeding. We all do it… to some extent, at least. I, myself am guilty of this. I came across an interesting article with some findings from a study that I had to share with you, though, and the facts are clear. In a new study from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), it states that speeding-related . . . → Read More: Avoid the Temptation to Speed in Your New or Used Chevrolet]]>

Speeding. We all do it… to some extent, at least. I, myself am guilty of this. I came across an interesting article with some findings from a study that I had to share with you, though, and the facts are clear. In a new study from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), it states that speeding-related traffic fatalities have not been reduced in almost three decades. While it may be tempting to fly down the Dallas Ft Worth highways in our new 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, we have to resist. In 2010 alone, more than 10,000 people lost their lives in speeding-related accidents and it continues to be a factor in almost one-third of traffic deaths each year.

ConsumerReports.org stated that the GHSA report surveyed all 50 states and found that little has been done to improve state laws on speeding since 2005. In fact, the study shows that some are regressing; Seven states have increased speed limits during that time with some reaching up to 85 mph, with only two states having higher fines for speeders and three states having an excessive speed classification. I’m sure you know that the great state of Texas is one of the states mentioned above that has increased speed limits. But to the Lone Star State’s defense, the speed limit was only increased in rural areas where it was really needed. Regardless of whether or not I agree, there are studies that have long shown that higher traffic deaths are attributed to higher speed limits.

As if saving lives wasn’t enough of a reason for you to lighten the load on your Chevrolet’s pedal, you’ll also be saving yourself some precious green on gasoline. That’s right, ConsumerReports.org’s tests have shown that with a family sedan, an increase of 10 mph at highway speeds can drop fuel economy by five mpg.

So Dallas Ft Worth and Grapevine Chevrolet drivers, slow your roll. You’ll potentially save lives and definitely save on gasoline.

[Source: ConsumerReports.org]

Thanks to Cassidy Schafer for contributing.