DRIVE TEACHER

• Turn your headlights on anytime you need to turn your windshield wipers on--in rain, fog, sleet, freezing rain, or snow. It will help your visibility--and also help other drivers see you. (It's now the law in Maryland that you have to turn your lights on whenever you need to keep your windshield wipers on.)
• If driving a white car during snow fall or after the snow has fallen, your car may be camouflaged by the snow. So turn on your headlights and make it easier for other drivers to see you.
• In winter, keep an ice scraper with a brush in your car in case it snows or sleets. Also check that you have wiper fluid/de-icer in your car. If it gets messy while you are out, these will come in handy.
• Double or triple the space you normally leave between you and the next car in wet whether. You'll need even more space to stop (up to ten times as much space) on slick roads. For more exact recommendations on stopping distances, check the chart on drive and stay alive site
• Brake gently
• Make sure your exhaust tail pipe is clear if you've had to dig your car out of snow or ice or if you've backed into a snow bank. If your tail pipe is blocked you could get sick or die from carbon monoxide poisoning.
• When driving on slippery surfaces like ice or snow use gentle pressure on the accelerator pedal when starting. If your wheels start to spin, let up on the accelerator until traction returns.
• Check that windshield washer works-you may need it in snow and sleet.
• Watch out for severe weather warnings before you drive. If a strong storm come on while you're on the road and it's raining too hard to see, try to find a safe place to pull over until the worst of the rain is over. If you see a tornado coming your way, safey experts suggest you find shelter or if that's not possible, then get out of car and find a ditch to take cover in, protecting your head and neck. It's hard to outrun a tornado.
• Listen to radio traffic reports and adjust your travel plans accordingly. (from *Drive Right book)
• Keep windows and windshield clear. Make sure wipers are working. (*DR)
• Leave a window open a little bit to keep windshield from fogging up and to give you fresh air. (*DR)
• Watch for danger spots ahead. You've probably heard that bridges and overpasses may freeze before the roads do. (*DR)
• When starting out in bad weather, test your brakes to see how far it takes you to stop. This tip was sent in by someone who didn't do this and ended up wrecking her car. She also called her dad on his car phone to tell him about the accident--and he was so upset, he wrecked his car, too. So her second tip is not to tell your parents that you've wrecked the car while they are driving.
• If you are stuck in ice or snow, try putting your floor mats under the edge of the tires to give them traction.
• Don't use cruise control in wet or slippery conditions. The cruise control may apply more throttle if the drive wheels start to slip.

• Watch out for deer and other large and small animals. If you see a deer approaching, slow down and flash your lights repeatedly. Often, the deer will run away.
• Also, if you see one deer, watch out for others close by--they often travel in pairs or groups.
• Watch out for pigs, chickens, cows, and skunks, too. (Several visitors have left comments about recent run-ins with these animals.)
• When driving in the desert, watch out for animals like camels. One visitor from Saudi Arabia wrote in that a relative was severely injured in an impact with a camel.
• This advice comes from Mexico. If you get an insect like a fly or a bee in your car, don't try to kill it while you're driving! It could take your attention off the road and you could crash. Instead, pull over and park as soon as possible and get the bug out of the car--or ask a passenger to take care of it.
• Dusk and dawn are particulary bad times for running into deer--so be on the lookout for them.

• Avoid making left hand turns across busy intersections that don't have turn signals. It takes a while to learn how to gage the oncoming traffic. Better to go down a block or two until you come to a light, or plan a route that doesn't need this turn.
• Don't make assumptions about what other drivers are going to do. The only thing you can assume about another driver with a turn signal on is that he has a turn signal on. He might not be turning at all and forgot to turn it off the last time he used it or has changed his mind.
• When there's an obstruction in your lane, wait for oncoming traffic to clear before you pull around. Just because someone's blocking your lane doesn't mean you have the right of way in the next or oncoming lane.
• Watch out for aggressive drivers and try to stay out of their way. They are the cause of a lot of accidents--especially on the beltways.
• Watch out for anything that is connected to the U.S. Mail. (This tip submitted by someone who has had run-ins with a mailbox and a mail delivery station wagon, and a fender bender in front of the post office.)
• Don't do anything that will cause another car's driver to slam on the brakes such as pulling out in front of him or swerving into his lane.

• Get to school five to ten minutes early and leave five minutes late to avoid the mad dash into and out from the parking lots. Many accidents happen when kids are rushing around.
• If your school lot has perpendicular spaces (not angle parking), park in a space you can pull straight out of instead of having to back out. Backing out in crowed lots is tricky. Also, the Key Driving School has written me that pulling straight through a parking space is illegal in some states--so check your local traffic laws before using this tip.
• Watch for kids getting on and off school buses--and don't run into the school buses, either.
• Go slow
• Don't leave valuables like wallets, shoes, leather jackets or sports equipment in your cars where they can be seen because they invite break-ins.
• Always stop for school buses with flashing lights. The flashing lights mean that students are either getting on or off the bus--and may be crossing the street. Their safety depends on cars obeying this law.
• Don't park in fire lanes around the school. Not only will you probably get a ticket, but you could be blocking the area where a fire truck needs to park in case of an emergency.

The battery in your car is an essential component when it comes to the ignition system. In addition to this, the battery also provides electrical currents to other components that are necessary to the proper functioning of your vehicle. Periodically, it is necessary to check your car’s battery. Here, you will discover the steps on how to do this, as well as some important considerations that should be made when it comes to this part of your vehicle.

One of the most common problems when it comes to car batteries is the accumulation of corrosion around the terminals. This is evident by a substance that looks almost like powder. If you identify this on your car’s battery, you should clean it off immediately. One of the easiest and most effective measures for doing so is by pouring a little Coca-Cola on the terminals and scrubbing them with a wire brush. It is best to do this when the battery terminals are disconnected from the battery posts.

The next thing that you will want to look for when it comes to checking your battery is whether or not this component is maintenance free. If it is not maintenance free, you will need to check the water levels in the battery. Normally, there will be approximately two lids on top of the battery that can be lifted by using a flat tip screwdriver. Once these lids are removed, you will see little tubes that hold water, as well as a fill line. It is important that you take some water and fill all of these tubes in the battery.

You will want to check to ensure that all the wires running to and from the battery are properly covered and protected. If a bare wire hits the wrong thing under the hood, it can turn into many different types of electrical complications.

f you find that your battery tends to gather a lot of corrosion, simply place a small amount of petroleum jelly on the battery terminals.

If you experience corrosion, you can clean away this substance with baking soda and a wire brush, instead of using Coca-Cola

If, for any reason, you need to disconnect the battery terminals, it is absolutely necessary to remove the negative first. When replacing the terminals, attach the positive terminal prior to the negative terminal.

There are a couple of emergency vehicles for which motorists should always be on the alert. A police car and an ambulance are the most commonly known; however, there are wreckers and rescue vehicles that also aid in emergencies such as the person whose car broke down in the road and have you stuck in traffic. These heroes need to be able to maneuver their way through traffic so the problem can be eliminated and you can be on your way. For those new drivers who skipped this section in the drivers handbook, here is how you should clear the road for an emergency vehicle to pass.

• Allow at least half an hour and drive on all kinds of road.
• Make sure you can get in and out of the car easily.
• Be sure you can adjust the seat and steering wheel/column so you're comfortable.
• Check you can see the instruments clearly and reach the controls easily.
• See if there's good all–round vision without blind spots. Try reversing into a parking space to check you have good visibility to the rear.
• Take your children with you to see if they're comfortable in the back of the car.
• Try your child seats to check they fit.
• Make sure there's enough space for shopping bags, luggage, etc, and check you can fold the rear seats easily.
• Check the boot's sill is low enough for you to lift heavy items in and out. Will you be able to unload shopping and luggage easily from the back?
• Find out if it's easy to take out and re–fit removable seats – ask the owner's permission before you do this.

Whether you're buying privately or from a dealer, make it a priority to take a test drive, long before you start talking money.

A test drive is vital – it's your way of making sure you're comfortable, that you'll enjoy driving the car and that it's right for your needs.

Franchised dealers may even be prepared to let you test drive a new car for an extended time. Don't be shy to ask. After all, you're about to spend thousands of pounds.

If you're buying a second–hand car, the test drive is even more important. It's your main opportunity to make sure everything's in good working order – unless you've arranged for an engineer to look over the car for you.

Car Insurance

Make sure you are insured to carry out the test drive. Dealers will have cover specifically for this purpose but there is a high risk that you might not be covered if you test drive a car being sold by a private vendor.

Check your own car insurance – you are looking for the words on the policy that says you can 'drive another car with the owner's permission'. This is known as DOC or Driving Other Cars cover. Not all insurers include this so it really is important to check. Also, you should be aware that such cover is usually third party only. You can also check with the vendor to see whether they have extended their cover temporarily to 'any driver' so that they are covered while you test drive their car.

Talk to your insurer if you are unsure. Also, for a small additional premium they may offer you comprehensive cover over a short period of time so that you can test drive cars you are thinking of buying.

Engine & Suspension

Make sure the engine's cold before you start – feel the bonnet. If the car's warm, the seller could be trying to hide a starting problem. Check for signs of excessive smoke when you start the car and when you're driving. The engine should be quiet and pull smoothly. Make sure there are no unusual rattles or clonks from the suspension.

Steering & Brakes

The steering should be responsive. You should feel no vibration or 'free play'. The brakes should give you confidence and should stop the car in a straight line.

Clutch & gears

Check you can get the car into all gears smoothly without crunching. If the clutch doesn't start biting until the pedal has nearly reached the top, the clutch could be worn and may need to be changed.

For more information on what to look for during and after the test drive, see our DIY inspection.

Take your time

It's vital to take your time on a test drive. Take at least half an hour, even if you feel the seller breathing down your neck. Remember: you're about to lay out a lot of cash on a car you'll spend a lot of time driving.

You should aim to test drive two or three cars to get a feel for what you like and what you don't.

Family

Take your children with you if they're going to travel with you regularly. It's better to hear their objections before you buy a car, rather than every time you take them out.

Seating

If a car has removable seats, ask if you can take them out to see how easy it is. Seats can be heavy and awkward to carry. If it takes two people to do it, you might not want to go ahead with the purchase.

If you use child seats take them with you and make sure they'll fit as not all seats will fit properly in all cars.

Make sure you can adjust the seat and/or the steering so you've got a comfortable driving position. If you suffer from back pain, this is particularly important – think about hiring the same model for an extended test drive to be sure.

A study released in February 1997 by the New England Journal of Medicine might make you put some distance between yourself and drivers busy talking on their cell phones. University of Toronto researchers discovered:

Cell phone users were four to five times more likely to have crashes than non-users.

Cell phone units that allow the hands to be free offer no safety advantage over hand-held units.

The main factor in most motor vehicle collisions is driver inattentiveness.