Teenage drivers are at higher risk than other drivers. That’s why they’re required to take driver’s education, including behind the wheel training and they must be monitored and tested. Safety experts believe in involving parents from the beginning by inviting them to ride along for the driving lessons. They can see for themselves what and how the teen is learning, and this helps with continuity and consistency when the parents monitor practice sessions.

A good driving teacher shows parents not only how to communicate with their teens, but specifically explains what it means to be proactive in preventing automobile crashes. He shows them how not to overwhelm students by putting them beyond their skill level when practicing. Read more

Most tires are designed to provide similar performance throughout their entire lives, but at some point they start to lose their traction and braking abilities. Understanding when a tire needs to be replaced is important to maintaining the overall performance and longevity of your car, but it’s also important to make sure replacement is the only option you have left. Before making a final decision, consider the following tips:

Look at the tread pattern. All tires sold in the United States have “tread wear bars,” which are small bridges that form between the treads. Look at the tread pattern and you’ll see the beginnings of these bars start to form. As the tires wear, Read more

Before you drop off your vehicle at a body repair shop or have it towed in for repairs, you should talk directly with the shop owner or service manager. The questions you ask and the responses you get will help you choose the best collision repair facility for your particular needs. You may want to write down the shop representative’s answers and take note of any strengths, weaknesses and impressions that could influence your decision.

Questions to ask auto body shop owners on the phone:

• Does your shop work on my make and model (Ford, GM, Toyota, Honda, Lexus, BMW, etc.)?
• Do you specialize in the type of body repair work my vehicle needs (fender repair,

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Here’s something a lot of California consumers don’t know about. The State Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) has an auto body inspection program that isn’t widely advertised due to budget constraints. Bureau Chief Sherry Mehl told me that she initiated this service to help consumers find out if they were getting the auto bodywork they paid for. The way it works is that you contact the BAR (1-866-799-3811) after a job is completed to set up an appointment. You must have your invoice. A field investigator will come to your home or office to check the invoice against the actual repairs performed. They want to know if things like the bonding and painting were done properly. Read more

It’s an auto body shop’s responsibility to perform a thorough and complete repair job on your car, but you play a big part in how successful your automobile’s body repairs are, too. Here are a few simple steps you can take to be a good customer when you take your car, minivan, truck or van into a local auto body shop.

• Be clear and upfront with the auto body shop representative. Let them know what car problems you’re having, what outcome you expect from the vehicle collision repairs and specific ways they can satisfy those expectations.
• Before you drop off your car, truck or van, restate your expectations and goals,

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Kris Cesena, owner of Auto Medics, a Diamond Certified auto repair shop, first has a tip is about spare tires. She says, “Most cars have a space-saver spare tire, or what we affectionately call the donut-spare. This tire is only intended to take you from where you got a flat tire to the auto shop. Don’t drive around on your donut spare for days, and don’t drive over 55mph with this spare on.”

The second tip is a warning about having too many things dangling from your key ring. According to Ms. Cesena, “A heavy key ring can cause your ignition switch to wear out as the weight bounces and swings while you drive. Read more

The biggest thing I learned from watching this is that you have to lean as far as you can in both directions to adjust the side view mirrors.

The idea is to eliminate those dangerous blind spots. Read more