A long holiday weekend is among the most dangerous times on nation’s roads

November 25, 2014

Thanksgiving weekend, best known for family gatherings over turkey, along with football and shopping, is reputed among police and traffic safety officials as one of the most dangerous driving times of the year.

Holiday Driving Safety

The holiday is a convergence of several factors that make our roads and highways especially hazardous. It is a high-volume traffic time, as people drive to family gatherings and students return home. It’s also a time when alcohol is often consumed – beer while watching a game and wine with the big meal. And the third big factor is drowsiness, caused by consuming a lot of food and, especially, turkey.

“Impaired and drowsy driving are serious risks on Thanksgiving,” said Randy Wright, President of Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care, nationwide transmission and auto repair brand that services almost any make or model vehicle, foreign or domestic.

“People tend to get sleepy after a big meal, especially one that includes roasted turkey, which has enzymes that may cause drowsiness. Studies also show that even only one or two alcoholic drinks with the meal can seriously impair driving ability.”

Traveling On Thanksgiving

Cottman offers some simple Thanksgiving travel tips to help keep Thanksgiving from being marred by tragedy on the road:

1. Always be sure the driver and all passengers are wearing seat belts.
2. If you plan to drive, don’t drink or take drugs. If you plan to drink, designate a non-drinking driver before holiday celebrating begins.
3. Avoid driving long distances after a heavy holiday meal. If you must, have someone who can share driving tasks, and allow extra time for frequent rest stops.
4. If you feel yourself nodding off, get to a safe place to pull over, have coffee or a caffeinated product and close your eyes for a 20-minute nap. You can’t force yourself to stay awake, and opening the windows or blasting the radio will not help.

“At Cottman, we all work hard to keep you and your car safe and reliable,” Wright said. “We urge you to take precautions on this festive holiday, so both you and your car stay safe.”

School bells are ringing throughout the country, as an estimated 55 million children begin another school year. About 13 percent, or 7-1/2 million children, will walk or ride bicycles to and from school every day.

Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care, a nationwide chain of total auto care centers, cautions motorists to be extra careful, especially during afternoon hours. Statistics from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that nearly half — 42 percent — of fatalities among pedestrians ages 15 and under occur between 4 and 8 p.m. The number of pedestrian deaths from traffic crashes has increased over the past six years, the government agency says.

“It’s up to all of us, drivers and parents, to help keep our children safe as they travel to and from school,” said Cottman President Randy Wright. “We know, from what we do every day, that cars can usually be fixed. But it can be a very different story — a tragic one — for a child who gets hit by a car.”

School Zone Driving Safety

Cottman offers some simple tips for drivers and for parents to help keep school children safe and avoid tragedy when going back to school:

1. Follow the speed limit and slow down in and around school zones.  If driving during school travel times, allow extra time to avoid rushing.
2. Use extra caution near school buses, and always stop when a school bus has its lights flashing or its stop sign raised.  Never pass a stopped school bus if its lights are flashing.  Even once the lights stop flashing and the bus begins to move, be extra careful to watch for children crossing.
3. Come to a complete stop at stop signs and watch for children on sidewalks or near crosswalks.  If in doubt about a child’s intent to cross the street, wait, make eye or verbal contact and, if safe, let him or her cross.
4. Eliminate distractions when you drive, especially as you drive near schools and through residential neighborhoods.  We all now realize the danger of calling or texting while driving, but other activities like eating, tuning the radio or looking at the GPS system can also take your eyes and your mind off the road, with potentially disastrous results.

Pedestrian Safety

Safety experts encourage parents to remind their children of pedestrian safety tips, including:

1. Use crosswalks or traffic signals to cross, and always look both ways before entering the street.
2. Don’t cross from between parked cars, shrubs or other things that might block you from a driver’s view.
3. If in an area with no sidewalks, walk along the curb facing traffic, which makes you more visible to oncoming drivers.  Always keep an eye on oncoming traffic and don’t use a cell phone or handheld game while walking.
4. If riding in the street, ride in the same direction as traffic.  Wear a properly-fitted safety helmet.
5. Wear light colors that can be easily seen by motorists.  If walking at night or in bad weather, wear reflective material or use a flashlight or blinker so you can be more easily seen by drivers.

About Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care:

With locations across the U.S., Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care is a transmission and auto repair company for almost any make or model vehicle, foreign or domestic. Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care continues to take claim of the growing $250 billion aftermarket auto industry and specializes in complete transmission service, brakes, suspension, air conditioning service and much more. Cottman is based in Horsham, Pa. For more information, please visit www.cottman.com.

During the summer season, most of us spend more time in our cars, vacationing or taking weekend or day trips. Travel experts expect summer driving to increase even more this year, despite climbing gas prices, as a response to the unusually harsh winter that gripped much of the nation.

Summer Driving Advice

Paul Dintino, an ASE Master Technician and director of national accounts at Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care, a chain of full-service car care centers with locations nationwide, says a following a few simple summer car care steps at the start of the summer can keep your car running smoothly, safely and efficiently.

1. Check the tire pressure.

Dintino recommends checking the air pressure in all the tires. The ideal air pressure varies by make and model, so it’s important to refer to the owner’s manual to see what the manufacturer says is the best tire pressure. Dintino cautions not to exceed the recommended pressure, especially in the summer when air temperatures and road surfaces are hotter since air expands with heat.

Maintaining the proper tire pressure not only helps provide a safe and smooth ride, but it also improves fuel efficiency. Tires with a lower than recommended air pressure have more tire surface coming in contact with the road, which adds to friction that works against the engine.

2. Be sure the air filter is clean.

It’s important to check the air filter to be sure it’s clean. Dintino says a dirty filter prevents the proper amount of air to get into the system, and an improper mixture of fuel and air retards the efficiency of combustion in the engine. “A dirty air filter means you get less gas mileage,” he notes. “With today’s high gasoline prices, anything that lowers your car’s miles-per-gallon performance can cost you a bundle at the pump.”

3. Check wheel alignment.

Wheels should be checked regularly for proper alignment; at least once a year. “It’s especially important to check wheel alignment after the rough winter many of us had,” says Dintino, “since travel over rough icy roads and potholes can knock the alignment off.”

Improper wheel alignment can be costly, since it causes tires to wear unevenly and more quickly, and it also creates more drag which lowers gas mileage.

4. Check the coolant.

Coolant helps prevent the water in the radiator from boiling and evaporating, which can leave you stranded and cause major engine damage. It’s especially important in the warm weather of summer when air temperatures are higher and the car’s air conditioning is often in use.

Many of the new cars have “closed systems” that cannot be opened without proper equipment, so it’s best to have a service center check the coolant level for the recommended amount of coolant. If you have an older model that enables you to open the radiator, only do so when the car is cold. Never open the radiator cap after the car’s been running or serious injury could occur.

5. Check your brakes.

Don’t wait until you hear your brakes squeak, Dintino says. Brakes should be checked once a year, and the start of the summer driving season is a good time to have it done.

“A few simple steps can help keep your car running smoothly and safely,” says Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care’s Dintino.

About Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care:

With locations across the U.S. and in Canada, Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care is an auto repair and transmission company for almost any make or model vehicle, foreign or domestic. Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care continues to take claim of the growing $200 billion aftermarket auto industry and specializes in complete transmission service, brakes, suspension, air conditioning service and much more. Cottman is based in Horsham, Pa. For more information, please visit www.cottman.com.