A Deer in the Headlights

It's that time of year again where collisions are all too common between vehicles and deer. Between the deer population seeking out more living space due to humans encroaching on them and the increase of male deer activity between October through December with mating season - the chance of your car being in an accident with a deer is highly possible.

So what can you do to potentially avoid such collisions? Here are some suggestions from various professionals:
1. Watch Forested Areas - Deer live in forests, there is no way around it. If you are driving through their territory you need to be extra cautious. Deer cross roads for a wide variety of reasons and at different times of the year. Often they are moving around their habitat. Even if you are familiar with a roadway and haven't seen deer crossing it, know that deer can change their migration patterns. When driving through forested areas, watch both sides of the roads for any signs of wildlife, signs of movement, flashes of eyes or body shapes.

2. Drive at a safe speed - Keeping your speed down while driving through places you know there will be deer will help you come to a quicker stop and possibly brake as well as possibly avoid hitting the deer in the first place. Wildlife experts have recommended 55 mph as a suitable speed for wildlife zones in good weather conditions, as it provides you with some reaction time to stop. Of course, in blizzards, heavy rain and other difficult weather, you should adjust your speed to the distance you are able to see and to take into account the amount of ice on the road.

3. Drive defensively - Being on the lookout for deer as well as being prepared to take evasive action such as quickly slowing down or braking is important. Make sure your seat belt is on and check that all passengers are wearing theirs as well. A sudden lurch could have people catapulting from the car.

4. Drive More Cautiously At Sunset, Sunrise and At Night - Deer and moose seem to move most in the hours around sunset to midnight and again around dawn. These are also the hardest times for our eyes to adjust to the light (it's neither completely dark nor properly light), so we find it more difficult to see well. At night, use your high beams when possible as it will help illuminate more of the area that you are traveling through.

While avoiding an accident with a deer could be impossible, there are some things you can do if you encounter one. First, try not to instinctively swerve or leave your lane if a deer jumps out in front of you. If you suddenly have a deer before your car, brake firmly. Swerving can result in colliding with another drive in the opposite lane. Try to skim rather than fully impact the animal. When braking, angle your car/truck and take your foot off the brake as you impact. The release of the brake will cause slight lift of the vehicle and this may be enough to stop the animal from rising into your windshield if your vehicle is tall enough.

If you see one deer cross in front of you, know there are probably more to come. Deer travel in herds. Be cautious also around waterways that intersect with the road such as creeks, swamps, and wetlands. The road is an easy pathway out of these waterways for an animal, so there is a higher possibility that they may be around them.
It may be that time of year for the deer to show up in abundance but with a little caution, you can help yourself avoid an accident.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Are Your Tires Safe For All Seasons

Tire safety is something many don't take into consideration, until their tires fail them. Most forget that their tires are the only contact between their vehicle and the road and therefore how critical they are.
Maintaining proper tire pressure, observing tire and vehicle load limits (not carrying more weight in your vehicle than your tires or vehicle can safely handle), avoiding road hazards, and inspecting tires for cuts, slashes, and other irregularities are the most important things you can do to avoid tire failure. Regular maintenance of your tires will also help with:
• Improving vehicle handling
• Protecting you and others from avoidable breakdowns and accident
• Improving fuel economy
• Increasing the life of your tires.
Properly maintained tires also improve the steering, stopping, traction, and load-carrying capability of your vehicle. When your tires are under inflated and overloaded, this is when you can face serious tire failure. To avoid flat tires and other types of tire failure, here are a few things you should do:
1. Check Tire Pressure - Keeping tires properly inflated can boost fuel efficiency by one mile per gallon. Before any long trip and once a month, check the pressure of each. The carmaker's recommended tire pressure is on the tire placard and can be found near the driver's doorjamb, on the glove compartment door or in the owner's manual. Tire information placards and vehicle certification labels contain information on tires and load limits. These labels indicate the vehicle manufacturer's information including: Recommended tire size, recommended tire inflation pressure, Vehicle capacity weight (VCW–the maximum occupant and cargo weight a vehicle is designed to carry), Front and rear gross axle weight ratings (GAWR– the maximum weight the axle systems are designed to carry).

2. Rotate Tires Regularly. Regular rotation helps extend the life of your tires, saving time and money in the long run. Rotation ensures your tire's wear is even and therefore helps your tires last longer. If no period is specified in your vehicle's owner's manual, tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. 

3. Keep Proper Vehicle Alignment. Alignment generally refers to the adjustment of a vehicle's front and rear suspension parts. Proper alignment helps ensure that your vehicle handles correctly and will help increase the life and performance of your tires.

4. Keep Tires Balanced. To get optimal performance from your tires, they should be balanced. When tire and wheel assemblies are unbalanced, vibration from the wheel assembly shakes from side to side or the tire and wheel assemblies hop up and down. It is important that these assemblies are in both static and dynamic balance.

5. Check Tire Tread Depth and Replace Worn Tires. In most states, the minimum legal tread depth is 2/32 of an inch. If you place a penny with the top of the head facing down into your tires' shallowest groove and you can see the top of Abraham Lincoln's head, it's time to replace your tires.

By practicing these few simple steps and becoming in the habit of them, you will save yourself money and more importantly keep yourself and those who ride with you safe.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

The Incredible Value of GPS Units

Traveling, finding your way around the city, all can be taxing if you are trying to drive and read a map at the same time. And then new roads are built, detours are here and there, traffic jams occur - so what does one do? Thanks to Global Positioning Systems or GPS, one can easily take the stress out of driving. Plug in your destination within your system and allow it to give you directions along the way. No more glancing down at the map while driving and trying to figure out alternative routes.

GPS has become one of the most rapidly purchased system used both commercially and non-commercially. The main systems are managed by the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Executive Committee, supported by the PNT Executive Secretariat The basic GPS is defined as the constellation of satellites, the navigation payloads which produce the GPS signals, ground stations, data links, and associated command and control facilities which are operated and maintained by the Department of Defense. GPS permits land, sea, and airborne users to determine their three dimensional position, velocity, and time, 24 hours a day in all weather, anywhere in the world.

Having a GPS unit in your vehicle not only increases the value of your car but also can help you save gas and prevent many a headache. For instance, with a GPS unit, you can ask it to help you navigate to your destination via the shortest route, which means it will figure out how to get from Point A to Point B with fewer miles. If you aren't interested in cutting miles off your trip but time, there is also the Fastest Route. Now, for instance, if the road you are traveling on is under construction or is blocked due to an accident, your GPS unit will automatically reconfigure an alternative route for you - meaning, no more driving around aimlessly looking for a way around the roadblock. This saves time, gas and money.

Many GPS units come with traffic information, others require you to purchase it in addition to your unit. Having traffic details will help you automatically determine where there is congestion or traffic build up, before you approach it and give you alternative routes. This is a godsend for those who have to work in the city and must get to their jobs on time.

Traveling to a new area that you have never been to and want to know where the rest stops are, gas stations, coffee shops or hotels are? Amazingly enough, GPS units can provide you with these as well. This is great when driving long distances and trying to make the best of your time. Knowing exactly where the next gas station is, how far, how long it will take to get to it, is amazing. If it is dark outside, no worries, your lit GPS unit will inform you of everything you will need on your route.

GPS units also are a safety feature as drivers are no longer gazing down at maps but reliably listening to their navigation guide on their GPS unit.

While GPS devices are common among luxury cars, no worries. There are many portable devices on the market that can be purchased and temporarily attached to your windshield or dash. These units can be installed and removed in seconds.

Some GPS units are directly hooked into a 911 emergency response system. The unit will automatically call in to 911 when you are in an accident. The unit itself serves as a marker for where you are located, which is helpful should you be unconscious from the accident.

Yes, GPS units are becoming almost a necessary standard feature needed for most vehicles. When purchasing your next vehicle, ask if it comes with a GPS unit. If not, look into purchasing a portable unit - it will well be worth its investment.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.