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Five frugal ways to arrive alive
By Kevin
McDonald • Bankrate.com
Anti-lock brakes and airbags are often credited with
preventing accidents and saving lives, yet they're not the be-all
and end-all of driving safety.
Investing your time and money in training, maintenance
and special equipment can also improve your safety on the road.
Some things to consider are:
Driver
materials
For under $20, you can purchase the American Automobile Association
Foundation for Traffic Safety's interactive training CD-ROM that
simulates full-motion driving. From facing a child chasing a ball
into a street to handling a two-lane passing car, there are 80 lifelike
scenarios to test your driving skills.
Although junior may think he's already an A-1 driver,
this is one game it wouldn't hurt him to play. According to the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, teenagers have the highest
vehicular crash and death rates of any age group.
Tire pressure
Auto safety also means checking the tire pressure
periodically before hitting the highway. Constantly driving on under-inflated
tires can cause excessive wear, and too much wear can cause a blow
out, according to the Tire Industry Safety Council in Washington,
D.C.
Tire pressure should be checked at least once a month,
says Mike Burett, spokesman for Tire Kingdom, a retail chain based
in Riviera Beach, Fla. If you don't want to check it at a gas station,
which can cost as much as 50 cents, buy a tire pressure gauge, which
will cost about $2 and is easy to use. Your owner's manual lists
the proper tire pressure.
Oh man, that brake fluid
No matter how good your tires are, they mean
diddly if your brake fluid is old and gunky, a condition that can
lead to internal corrosion of the braking system -- and brake failure.
You can avoid faulty brakes by having the brake fluid
checked every time you change your oil, says Roger Crain, of Carport
Auto Parts in Tuscaloosa, Ala. If it's bad, you might want to replace
it yourself rather than pay a $100 fee at some service shop. A pint
of brake fluid costs between 99 cents and $1.50 at most auto part
and discount stores.
Hands-free kits for cell
phones
You won't pay just $1.50 for a hands-free cell
phone kit, but you don't have to spend a fortune to find one that
fits your needs. Some cost as little as $30.
The kits allow you to talk while both hands are on
the steering wheel. In other words, you don't have to fumble with
a phone in one hand while negotiating the car with the other.
Although there is added safety with hands-free kits,
you still need to be careful, says Cindy Sharpe, spokeswoman for
AAA Auto Club South in Tampa, Fla. She adds that common sense should
prevail: "If you're in a very involved conversation, it's best to
pull over on the side of the road."
Car seats
Every state may not require cell phone users
to have a hands-free cell phone kit, but they all have laws requiring
drivers to place their infants and toddlers in car seats. Which
seat is right depends on your child's size and weight.
There are six
categories of car seats, according to the American Academy of
Pediatrics headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Ill.: infant-only,
convertible, forward-facing, belt-positioning booster, built-in
and vest seats.
Safety in your ride does not have to cost a bundle
and arriving alive is the ultimate goal, right? So happy shopping
-- and happy trails!
-- Updated: April 29, 2004
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