Education

The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) rates vehicles to determine crash worthiness and rollover safety. The safety ratings are gathered during controlled crash and rollover tests conducted at NHTSA’s research facilities.

As the end of summer nears, students are getting ready to head back to school. Whether it’s driving to college or carpooling with other neighborhood families, a properly maintained car is the safest, most dependable way to go.

“When your passengers are your children and their classmates, making sure your car gets more than a passing grade is extra important,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “A preventive maintenance check-up and having any repairs performed will give parents peace of mind as their children travel to and from school.”

When it’s hot outside, one of the last places you want to be is sitting in traffic without a properly functioning air conditioning (A/C) system. To help avoid this uncomfortable situation, the Car Care Council recommends having your A/C system checked annually to make sure it is functioning at its peak performance level when the temperatures are soaring.

There are two types of Fathers...those who work on their own vehicles and those who don't. Whether your dad is a do-it-yourselfer (DIY) or a Do-It-For-Me type (DIFM), consider an automotive gift for Dad this Father's Day.

69% of male drivers work on their car, truck, mini van or SUV, according to the Car Care Council. Whether it's light maintenance, like changing the oil and replacing the wiper blades, or heavier projects, such as replacing brakes, most Dads enjoy taking care of their own vehicles. Automotive accessories, tools, parts, and products make ideal Father's Day gifts.

Though air pollution continues to be a threat to public health, it appears to be even more so to the health of our children.

According to the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report for 2012, “Children’s lungs are still developing until they reach maturity” and, therefore, are potentially more susceptible to the ill effects of pollution than that of adults (http://www.stateoftheair.org/2012/key-findings/2008-2010/people-at-risk.html). 

It's time to be seriously thinking about Mother's Day. A great place to look for useful ideas is her driver's seat, especially if Mom spends a lot of time behind the wheel.

By changing a few habits, you can do their part in helping the environment, say the experts at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). ASE recommends regular vehicle maintenance and better driving habits as two easy-to-implement strategies. What’s more, improved automotive habits will help your vehicle last longer and command a better resale price.

The following tips from ASE can put you on the road to environmentally conscious car care:            

Most car owners know that they need to change their vehicle’s oil and filter periodically, even though they may not always follow the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) recommended schedule.  The type of oil their car needs is usually easy to figure out. It is specified in the owner’s manual, which will indicate both the quality and viscosity (thickness) of the recommended engine oil.

Four small pieces of lead may not seem like a big deal. Each wheel on your car likely has a little bar of lead on its rim, in the form of a wheel weight. But picture the magnitude of vehicles on U.S. roads and you see quickly how all that lead adds up to a significant problem.

For decades, wheel weights have largely consisted of chunks of lead clamped to the wheel rim. Why lead? Because it is cheap and heavy, allowing the use of relatively small weights to balance wheels. However, the toxic metal can cause brain damage and other nervous-system disorders in people.