Articles & Features

If you are not mechanically inclined, there may not be much you can do to check the brakes. You can check your fluid reservoir (if you don't know where it is, have someone who does show you). Brake fluid levels don't usually change much so a sudden change in fluid level is a red flag. You should have your brakes checked regularly since preventive work can save you money in large quantities. Let your brake pads wear down ...

Most driving instructors will tell you not to tailgate other vehicles for several reasons. Following too closely is a factor in about 40% of collisions (in my state of Arizona), and they are not always minor in terms of injuries and fatalities. Following too closely often restricts your vision, making it likely your reaction time will be slower if something happens ...

Talk about helmets always incites vehement disagreement between folks that believe in their value and those that don't. My opinion? I haven't heard any arguments from the no-helmet crowd that make any sense, and my personal experience tells me ...

One of the most frequent factors behind collisions is the "jackrabbit" driver. He's the guy who's constantly changing speeds, changing lanes, tailgating, and otherwise not fitting into traffic. Other often interrelated causes of traffic collisions are "disparate" vehicle speeds (when one driver is driving much faster than others), impatience, and frequent lane changes ...

Hydroplaning is what happens when the tread on your tires cannot channel all the rain-water out from under your tires - or, from under each patch of tire that is supposed to be resting on the road and providing you with traction. When hydroplaning, those tire patches are riding on a layer of water ...

What's the best way not to get into a skid? Avoid it in the first place! One of the best ways to avoid trouble on the road (not just skids) is to drive smoothly. True professionals drive so seamlessly that you do not feel anything when they shift, turn, or brake. Plan ahead, watch carefully, and slow down, especially if you are unfamiliar with the road. Skids almost always happen because the vehicle was running too fast for conditions ...

A head-on collision is the worst crash most of us can think of. Thankfully, they are relatively rare. Still, you should be prepared for one. A young mother was on an Arizona highway, with her sister and her child. She had great visibility. In front of her was smooth, dry pavement, wide shoulders and straight road. A snake slithered out. Rather than hit the snake, she went left of center, right into the grill of a semi. All three were killed instantly in a collision that equaled running into a solid wall at over 120 miles per hour ...

I was driving from Phoenix to Kingman, one evening, on one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in Arizona. I was passed -- across double yellow lines -- by a delivery truck (similar to a large U-Haul or Ryder rental truck). I was doing the speed limit, or close to it. He passed in the face of oncoming traffic ...

When many people think about what the most "dangerous" collision is, they don't always come up with the correct answer on first guess. Many think it is the "T-Bone" (a 90 degree impact at an intersection), or a head-on. These are serious collisions, and along with rear-end collisions, account for many traffic deaths each year. But time and again, the statistics show ...