ParentalPointersHow to handle your newest

teendriver.SavingSavvyEasy ways tosave on AutoInsurance.

Motorcycle Safety

April 2011

a special supplement to

Columbus Telegram

BeginswiththeRightGear

The Columbus Telegram/Columbus Area ChoiceTuesday, April 19, 20112

WHAT’SINSIDE:

ON THECOVER:

How to handle your newest

teendriver.

9

saving savvyEasy ways to save onAuto Insurance.

8

clean. save. safety.maintenance. travel.

car washing dosand don’ts.

rare car wax...hard to get.

new, easy solution restorespaint to“like-new” condition.

supplies for car enthusiasts.

manageable means to reducethe cost of auto insurance.

don’t be blind to the problemof sun glare while driving

tips for parents ofteen drivers.

steps to avoid engineoverheating.

how often to change motoroil?

pre-owned can be a smartfinancial bet.

motorcycle safety.

automotive myths revealed

on the road again.

king of the ‘green’ road

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Today’s drivers face more distractions than everbefore. Technological gadgets from smart phonesto MP3 players give drivers new reasons to look

away from the road.

Distracted driving may include talking on a cellphone, eating food in the car, thumbing throughthe maps on a GPS device, or even changing theradio station. But the type of distracted drivingthat has become an epidemic, particularly amongyounger drivers, is texting while driving.

The National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration says that 20 percent of injurycrashes in 2009 involved reports of distracteddriving. The age group with the greatestproportion of distracted drivers was the under-20age group. As texting has become the preferredmethod of communication, a large percentage ofautomobile accidents might be due to texting.

When driving, the safest bet is to refrain from anyactivity that takes one’s eyes, hands or mind awayfrom the road. If answering a cell phone orworking with another device is necessary, driversshould pull over to the side of the road and takecare of what they need to do. SC113538

distracted drivingA Big Danger

Driving while textinghas become a major

problem on theroadways.

Distracted driving is anyactivity a person engagesin that can distract himor her from the primarytask of driving. Thereare three main types ofdistraction:

Visual: Taking eyesoff the road.Cognitive: Not thinkingabout what you’re doing.Manual: Taking handsoff the wheel.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationsays that 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009involved reports of distracted driving.

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The Columbus Telegram/Columbus Area ChoiceTuesday, April 19, 20114

RARECARWAX…HARDTO GET

There’s a paste car wax that appears to be indemand by afficionados and collectors of rareand expensive automobiles. Hand madeinfrequently in very small batches, eight ouncesof the highly concentrated Malm’s carnaubapaste is a pricey $145.00. Supposedly, just a tinyamount is enough for a full size car. Don’texpect any of those car fanatics to tell you aboutthis wax. They keep it a tightly guarded secretso their cars can outshine yours and competitorsat car shows.

Here’s the catch. If you have not previously usedthe company’s liquid* carnauba wax (a 1⁄2 pintis $25 + $8 sh/hdl) and been fully satisfied withit, they won’t sell you the paste. Even when youcan order it, expect to wait as long as 10 weeksfor the paste.

Find it online at www.malms.com orwrite Malm Chem. Corp, Dept.ME-411, PO BOX 300, POUNDRIDGE, NY 10576-0300.* Note: It has been reported that the gloss of theirliquid carnauba is just as good as their paste,however their paste lasts somewhat longer. SC113564

Car WashingDOsAND

DON’TsCar enthusiasts will tell you that one of the best waysto maintain that new car look is to keep up with afrequent washing schedule. Removing road grimeand other plagues of automotive paint on a routinebasis keeps a car looking its best.

There are some rules of the road when maintainingthe exterior of a vehicle to ensure the finish remainsin pristine condition. Keep in mind these dos anddon’ts.

DO use products specifically designed forautomobiles. Household cleansers may be good at removing dirt, but they may also strip offthe protective wax on the car.

DON’T wash the car while it is hot, after it’s been sitting out in the sun a while or directlyafter it’s been driven. The warmth can cause the water and soap to dry faster, leaving unsightlydeposits.

DO wash off dead insects, road salt, mud, etc., as soon as possible. Otherwise thesesubstances may stick to the paint and cause erosion.

DON’T assume the rain will clean the car. In areas with acid rain, it’s actually essential torinse a vehicle off after it rains to prevent damage.

DO move the sponge lengthwise along the vehicle. Swirling the sponge may cause tinyscratches. SC113576

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5The Columbus Telegram/Columbus Area ChoiceTuesday, April 19, 2011

new, easy solution restores

vehicle paintto “like-new”

conditionYou’ve kept your current car for

the last several years, but it isnow starting to show its age.

Over time, paint becomesoxidized, fades and gets

scratched. But how can yourestore that tired paint and

repair those scratches withoutan expensive trip to the body

shop?

A new solution from 3M Car Care(www.3MCarCare.com) offers car ownersan easy and affordable way to make thoserepairs — in their garage in just oneafternoon with basic tools.

“Many car owners have extended theownership of their cars due to theeconomy,” said Todd Mathes, automotiveexpert for 3M Car Care. “While a car stillruns well, it can show its age with fadingpaint and scratches. Hand applied waxescan only do so much. We applied our expertise inautomotive paint restoration and developed athree-step process that allows consumers to restoretheir car’s finish inexpensively and deliverincredible results.”

The Paint Restoration System from 3M containseverything needed to bring a vehicle’s paint backto “like-new” condition. Each system includes 3M

Scratch Remover Plus, 3M Shine Restorer and 3MSynthetic Wax Protectant. It also includes apatented scratch eraser pad and three levels offoam pads needed to deliver a great finish. Theonly tool a consumer needs for the job is a 6-inchpolisher, available at automotive and homeimprovement stores.

The system is designed in simple 1-2-3 steps thattake the guess work out of the project, even if the

car owner has never done automotive repairpreviously. Detailed directions are provided, andan instructional video is also available onwww.3MCarCare.com.

“If you’ve ever restored the surface of a piece offurniture or patched and painted a wall, you havethe skills needed to do this project,” said Mathes.“The products and pads are all color-coded so thesteps are easy to follow.”

Suppliesfor car enthusiastsMaintaining a fresh-from-the-showroom look on a prized vehicletakes a little work and the rightsupplies. Car enthusiasts will wantto outfit their garage or workshopwith these essential items:

• Heavy-duty bucket• Ultra-premium car wash• Grit guard

(to ensure dirt stays at the bottom of the bucket while washing)

• High-quality wax• Wheel and rim cleaner and protector• Interior detailer• Wash mitt• Chamois or static-free buffing cloths• Premium, high-absorbency towels• Scratch remover and touch-up• Far-reaching hose and multi-spray nozzleSC113550

Revive Your Paintin Simple StepsTo get started, clean the surface of your vehicle to removedirt and road debris. Identify the areas you want to tackle byreviewing in bright sunlight. Then, you’re ready to get towork.

Step 1: Use the yellow buffing pad and ScratchRemover Plus from 3M to remove oxidationand swirl marks then refine light scratches.

Optional scratch removal step: Use the scratcheraser to take out light scratches by hand.

Step 2: Switch to the blue buffing pad and usethe Shine Restorer from 3M to bring back ahigh-gloss shine.

Step 3: Finish with the white buffing pad andthe Synthetic Wax Protectant from 3M toprotect the paint and finish to a deep gloss.

The Paint Restoration System is available at many AdvanceAuto Parts and Auto Zone stores for a suggested retail priceof $59.99, as well as online at www.Shop3M.com.

To complete the restoration of your vehicle’s appearance,consider using the Lens Renewal Kit from 3M to restorehazed headlight lenses and Tire Restorer from 3M to restoreblack plastic bumpers and door handles to showroom style.

SC113569

The Columbus Telegram/Columbus Area ChoiceTuesday, April 19, 20116

(ARA) - Clear vision is essential to safe driving, es-pecially in the wintertime. Neglect your wiper blades,and you may find yourself in hazardous weather situa-tions with limited vision.

The most important aspect of driving is being awareof your surroundings. When the weather takes a turnfor the worse, a driver’s best friend is a set of wiperblades that leave your windshield with a consistent,clean, clear wipe.

Not only is a clean windshield a necessity duringrain, snow and sleet, but how many times have you ex-perienced a windshield that is smeared with insects,bird droppings, road tar or other messy deposits? Re-moving such dirt with worn wiper blades is nearly im-possible. Usually, you wind up smearing the mess andobscuring your vision even more. If you change yourblades regularly, you can avoid these problems andkeep your eyes clearly on the road.

Knowing when to change your bladesSo when should you change your wiper blades?

When a blade is past its physical prime, it will showwear signs like cracking or discoloration. Another in-dicator that it’s time for new wiper blades is by thequality of the wipe. Streaking or unwiped areas are a

dead giveaway. If the blades make noise or chatteringsounds, then they need to be replaced. On some newerblades, such as PEAK Valeo SmartBlade, there is abuilt-in wear indicator which recognizes diminishedblade performance. By taking one glance at the indica-tor, you will know when they need replacing.

How often should you replace your blades?If your blades don’t have a special indicator, the Na-

tional Highway Transportation Board recommendsthat drivers change their wiper blades, at minimum,every year. However, the average vehicle owner re-places his/her wiper blades only once every 2.5 years.

“Most people wait until they are in a downpour andnearly drive off the road before they are convinced it’stime to change blades,” says Jenifer Maddox, productmanager for PEAK Automotive Products. Some blades,such as the SmartBlade, even come with simple con-nector systems that make installing the blades on anyvehicle a snap, so there is no excuse for not replacingworn out blades.

If you’ve been procrastinating about changing yourwindshield wiper blades, take a few minutes today tochange them. You’ll be glad you did when your win-dows are clear and dry.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to change your wiper blades

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7The Columbus Telegram/Columbus Area ChoiceTuesday, April 19, 2011

Drive safely. Nothing is moreeffective at lowering autoinsurance costs than being a safedriver. A driver’s first at-faultaccident could increase his or herrate by as much as 40 percent, amonumental increase for manymotorists but one that can beavoided by simply being a betterdriver. Even if the rates don’tincrease by 40 percent, they’regoing to increase significantlyshould a driver be found at faultin an accident, so the best thingto do is to drive safely anddefensively at all times. Shouldan accident occur and it’s thedriver’s first accident, consult aninsurance agent to see if thecompany has a forgiveness policythat forgives a driver’s firstaccident. Otherwise one may haveto pay the standard post-accidentrate increase.

manageable means toreduce the costof autoinsurance

Maintain good credit. Insuranceproviders will almost certainly pullan applicant’s credit report beforeproviding a policy quote. Manyconsumers might question how thisis relevant, but insurance providersare fully aware that a host ofstudies have shown there is a directcorrelation between a person’s creditscore and the likelihood that he orshe will file a claim. The higher anapplicant’s credit rating, the lessrisky that applicant appears, whichcould translate to a lower rate.

Another reason insurers willexamine an applicant’s credithistory is to know whether or notthe applicant will pay on time. Likeany business, an insurancecompany wants to get its money ontime, and is likely to offer a lowerrate to applicants who have ahistory of paying bills on time.

Carefully consider your choiceof vehicle. Insurancecompanies rate vehicles basedon make and model. Thisrating system is comprised ofa host of factors, includingvehicle cost, safety ratings andhistory of theft. The InsuranceServices Office devised thesystem, and the higher avehicle’s score is, the higherdrivers will pay to insure thatcar. While the results of therating system are not publicknowledge, drivers canresearch which cars are mostoften stolen and which aretypically among the mostcostly to insure. If autoinsurance savings are a bigenough priority, avoid anyvehicles that turn up duringthat research.

Avoid installment plans. Installment plansmight be necessary, but if they’re not it’salways best to pay premiums in full. Amonthly installment plan often comes withinstallment fees, which might not seemsignificant each month but can add up overthe course of a year. If installments areunavoidable, try paying in as fewinstallments as possible. Most insurancecompanies allow for six-month, quarterlyor monthly installments. The morefrequent the installments, the more feesdrivers can expect to pay. If paying in fullisn’t a possibility, at least try to pay in asfew installments as possible to reduce theamount being spent on installment fees.

Auto insurance costs are rarely negotiable.But motorists can take several steps inadvance of beginning a policy that cangreatly reduce what they pay for theirinsurance each year. SC113520

Among the numerous costs that come with owning or leasing a vehicle, auto insuranceis one that motorists almost universally feel is too expensive. Such consumer concernis one reason for the bevy of auto insurance advertisements on television, with eachinsurance company seemingly offering lower and lower rates than the competitorwhose ad ran two advertisements before.

While it certainly helps to comparison shop when looking for auto insurance, there areseveral other steps motorists can take that might reduce the cost of auto insurance.

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The Columbus Telegram/Columbus Area ChoiceTuesday, April 19, 20118

Snowy weather and icy roadsmay create their share ofautomobile accidents, but sunglare can be a hazard that fewpeople anticipate.There are certain driving hazards thatpeople often expect when getting behindthe wheel, including slippery roads, ananimal darting out or reduced visibility dueto driving rains. But sun glare may not besomething drivers expect to contribute tohazardous conditions.

Sun glare can be a nuisance and make fordangerous driving, particularly in the earlymorning or late afternoon when the sun islow on the horizon. The angle of the raysmay render sun visors useless. Accidentsdue to sun glare do occur and morefrequently than drivers may know. InOctober 2007, sun glare was responsiblefor at least two accidents in Colorado. Inthe first few months of 2010, data compiledby the Abu Dhabi Traffic Departmentshowed the sun’s glare was blamed for 22minor crashes. Sun glare is a problem allaround the world.

To prevent sun glare from becoming ahazard when you’re driving, consider thesesafety tips.

Delay driving times to occurbefore or after sunrise orsunset.

Use polarized sunglasses thatcan help prevent glare.

Do not use high-glossproducts on the dashboard,which can contribute to extraglare.

If glare is a problem, leaveextra space between your carand others in the event ofsudden stopping or otherroad hazards.

Drive slowly and be mindfulof obstructions.

Try taking another routethat goes in a differentdirection than the one fromwhich the sun is shining.

Keep the inside and outsideof the windshield clean.

Make use of sun visors.

Leave extra time so that youdon’t feel rushed getting toyour destination.

Eye exams or surgery canmake eyes more sensitive tothe sunlight. Avoid drivingafter these appointments.

SC113516

Don’t Be Blind to theProblem of SunGlare While Driving