Car Care Booklet
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THE STATE OF DELAWARe’s IN CASE OF EMERGENCY Guide to iN CASe Of AC MalfUNCTION, tHiS BOOKlet CAN Be USeD S A F E LY aS a FAN. NAVIGATING 1. HOlD booklet iN HaND. 2. MOve tO aND frO. THE ROAD 3. faSt. AHEAD This booklet made courtesy of the Delaware 1st Edition Office of Highway Safety— to help guide you through the many twists and turns FOR USE ON ALL HIGHWAYS, on the road. BYWAYS, ROADS & STREETS. Delaware Office Of HigHway Safety Ru le S O f t H e rO a D THIS MANUAL is filled with tip Safety TIPS, TRICKS, SUGGESTIONS AND S SOME HELPFUL HINTS to help you stay safe tH and make the most of e S your driving experience ce N on Delaware’s highways, ic r OU byways, side streets, te cul-de-sacs and occasional roundabouts. c ar Mai N te N a N De ce RuleS Of tHe rOaD Safety tipS tHe SceNic rOUte car MaiNteNaNce S LE OAD of the R RU THE LAW DUI LAWS AGGRESSIVE DRIVING You probably already know, but drinking and Aggressive driving happens every day, and almost driving is not only socially unacceptable, but everyone has driven aggresively. You might not also illegal and very dangerous. You could realize you are considered an aggressive driver, seriously injure—or kill—someone. Remember, but if you have ever done any of the following Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. while driving, law enforcement might consider you an aggressive driver. Delaware’s blood alcohol content (BAC) legal limit is .08. Even if you think you are below .08 and okay to drive, here is what could happen to Speeding Tailgating you if you are arrested for driving impaired: Running stop signs Running red lights tip Safety You’ll have an $6,300 Not using turn signals You’ll pay an average of S $6,300 in fines, court Unsafe lane changes (cutting off other drivers) criminalinstant record. costs and attorney fees. Passing on the right or over double yellow $900 You’ll lose your lines or in a no passing zone driver’s license. You’ll do mandatory Failing to yield to other drivers tH alcohol and drug counseling (at a cost of about $900). e S Ignoring other traffic signs and signals ce N ic r You could possibly do $480 You could get an Ignition If an officer witnesses you committing, in continuous OU jail time. Interlock device (at a conduct, three or more of those moving violations, te cost to you of $480). he or she can cite you for aggressive driving. That ticket comes with fines up to $1,000, six points You’ll pay significantly on your driver’s license and a mandatory driver $7,000 higher auto insurance behavior course. premiums. Your second DUI will cost c ar Mai you around $7,000. N te WOULDN’t yOU AGREE: $10,000 N a A CAB RIDE IS MUCH, N Your third DUI will cost ce you about $10,000. MUCH CHEAPER. THE LAW DISTRACTED DRIVING, DISTRACTED DRIVING WITH CARELESS/INATTENTIVE DRIVING, HANDHELD ELECTRONIC AGGRESSIVE/RECKLESS DRIVING COMMUNICATION DEVICES There are all kinds of driving. However, some of Delaware’s cell phone law bans drivers from them come with fines and penalties, all of which using any handheld electronic communication are outlined in Delaware Code Title 21 Chapter 41— device while driving. You may talk with a Rules of the Road. Anyone who fails to give his/her hands-free device only. No texting! full attention and maintain a proper lookout while Fines and fees are $106 for the first offense, driving can be found guilty of inattentive driving. and up to $300 for subsequent offenses. So if you are doing any of the following while tip Safety driving, please remember that driving comes first— Since the law went into effect on January 2, 2011, the rest can wait. Delaware law enforcement officers have issued more than 20,000 cell phone tickets statewide. S f Eating, drinking or smoking FOR MORE information gO to: www.ohs.delaware.gov/cellphone Changing the radio, Retrieving unsecured CD or MP3 cargo or objects tH e S VULNERABLE USERS LAW ce Shaving, putting on makeup N or grooming yourself in any way The Vulnerable Users Law increases the ic r penalties for distracted drivers who cause OU Engaging in arguments with passengers serious physical injury to cyclists, pedestrians, te motorcyclists, mopeds or other vulnerable road users. The law’s sentencing guidelines include: Deciphering a road map, reading a novel or taking notes 1 Completion of a traffic safety course c 1 Up to 100 hours of community service ar Mai Focusing attention on children or pets 1 Fines up to $550 N te N Texting on your cell phone 1 License suspension A a N ce THE LAW CLICK IT OR TICKET HOW TO WEAR YOURnot SEAT BELT Besides the fact that wearing a seat belt decreases your risk of being seriously injured Seat belts work best (that is, keep you or killed in a crash by around 50%, it’s the law. from injury or worse) only when you wear And a pretty good one at that. them properly: Delaware Seat Belt lawS 1 Everyone in the vehicle, including backseat passengers and children, must wear their seat belts properly. NEVER tip Safety 1 Lap and shoulder belts must be worn. BEHIND Shoulder belts cannot be placed behind THE BACK the back or under the arm. S 1 If pulled over, the driver will receive an $83.50 ticket if anyone in the car is found not properly secured by a seat belt. So make sure everybody buckles up—including kids. tH e www.ohs.delaware.gov/seatbelt NEVER S ce BEHIND N ic r THE ARM OU HELMETS te Delaware law requires all motorcycle riders to have a DOT-approved helmet on their bike. So if there are two riders, there must be two c helmets on the bike. However, if you’re under NEVER ar Mai 19 you have to actually be wearing the helmet. LAYING (And eye protection, as well.) But, even if you N are over 19, we would prefer that you too wear BACK IN te N a helmet. a THE SEAT N ce Safety tipS tHe SceNic rOUte car MaiNteNaNce AFETY tips S CAR SEAT SAFETY WHICH CAR SEAT USE SHELF LINER IS RIGHT FOR YOU? Many parents try to protect their seats by Well, more specifically, which car seat is right putting a towel under the car seat. This can for your child? be dangerous. Not as dangerous as putting vipers or firecrackers beneath the car seat, UP to THE Children must always ride facing but a towel creates too much space between AgE OF the rear. No exceptions! No matter the car seat and the vehicle seat, and makes it TWO how cute! easier for the car seat to slide out of position. Instead, try using a sheet of rubber shelf Children should continue to ride Ages liner from the dollar store. These sheets are 2–3 facing the rear until they reach extremely thin, and provide a good gripping the height and weight limit for rear- surface, especially on leather seats. facing use on that seat. This means some kids may ride facing the rear If you have any questions or concerns about until they’re age 2 or older. the snugness or fit of your car seat, please consult a Fitting Station tech. Keep children in a forward- Ages facing seat with a harness to the 4–7 maximum height and weight limit OHS FITTING STATIONS allowed by the seat. Then transition tH Frustrated with the instructions that came them to a booster seat. e with your car seat? Well, then just take it S ce to one our OHS Car Seat Fitting Stations. N Keep children in a booster seat No charge. We’re just happy to help. ic r Ages 8–12 until they meet the criteria for OU fitting appropriately in a seat belt: wilMiNgtON DMv | 2230 Hessler Blvd. te Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1 The shoulder belt should lie Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. across the shoulder and chest, 302.434.3234 not across the neck or face. DOver DMv | 303 Transportation Circle c 1 The lap belt must lie across the ar Mai Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. upper thighs, not the stomach. 302.744.2749 N te DSp trOOp 7—leweS | 18006 Coastal Hwy. N a One Saturday each month N ce 302.387.2324 Please call the Fitting Station nearest you for an appointment. DRIVE SAFE ASSORTED WEATHER DRIVING TIPS SNOw raiN Accelerate s-l-o-w-l-y. It’s slippery out there. A lot of the same advice for driving in the snow Applying the gas too quickly will only make applies to driving in the rain: Drive slower, use your tires spin. And spin. And spin. And spin. a light touch on the brakes, don’t floor it, etc. Use a light touch on the brakes to prevent The biggest danger when driving in the rain skidding into the middle of an intersection. is hydroplaning. Approach curves and turns cautiously. going Hydroplaning happens when the tread on a too fast can send you into a spin or a ditch or— tire encounters more water than it can handle. worse—another car. The resulting water pressure forces water under the tire, causing it to lift off of the road.