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Consumer Watchdog: Families can save with tips like these

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Cool and windy today with some rain in the Wyoming Valley; sunshine Sunday

WILKES-BARRE &#8212; With more than 1.5 million AAA roadside assistance calls recorded this year in AAA Mid-Atlantic&#8217;s foot print, motorists are reminded that cars need periodic checkups to maintain safety and maximize efficiency.<ins>&#8220;AAA recommends motorists use a simple checklist to determine their vehicle&#8217;s fall and winter maintenance needs,&#8221; says Jana L. Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs or AAA Mid-Atlantic. &#8220;Many of the items on the list can be inspected by a car owner in less than an hour, but others should be performed by a certified technician.&#8221;</ins>Motorists can identify reliable, high-quality repair shops with certified technicians by looking for the AAA Approved Auto Repair sign or by visiting a AAA Car Care Insurance &amp; Travel Center. These facilities must meet and maintain high professional standards for customer service, technician training, tools, equipment, warranties and cleanliness. Nearby shops can be located at AAA.com/repair.Harsh winter conditions make your vehicle work harder, particularly the charging and starting system, headlights, tires and windshield wipers. AAA recommends that motorists:&#8226; Clean any corrosion from battery posts and cable connections and wash all surfaces with battery terminal cleaner or a solution of baking soda and water.&#8226; Have the battery checked by a professional to ensure it is strong enough to face cold weather. AAA members can request a visit from a AAA Mobile Battery Service technician who will test their battery and replace it on-site, if necessary. AAA Approved Auto Repair shops can also test and replace weak batteries.&#8226; Have any engine drivability problems corrected at a good repair shop. Symptoms like hard starts, rough idling, stalling or diminished power could signal a problem that would be exacerbated by cold weather.&#8226; Replace worn windshield-wiper blades. If your climate is harsh, purchase one-piece beam-type or rubber-clad &#8220;winter&#8221; blades to fight snow and ice build-up. Use cold-weather windshield washer solvent and carry an ice-scraper.&#8226; Inspect all lights and bulbs and replace burned out bulbs. Clean road grime or clouding from all lenses.&#8226; Have your mechanic check the exhaust system for leaks and look for any holes in the trunk and floorboards.&#8226; Examine tires for tread depth, uneven wearing and cupping. Check tire pressures once a month when tires are cold, before driving for any distance. In extreme climates, a set of winter snow tires may be a wise investment.&#8226; Carry an emergency kit equipped for winter weather. The kit should include:&#8226; Mobile phone pre-programmed with rescue apps and important phone numbers, including family and emergency services and car charger.&#8226; Drinking water&#8226; First-aid kit&#8226; Non-perishable snacks for both human and pet passengers&#8226; Bag of abrasive material (sand, salt, cat litter) or traction mats&#8226; Snow shovel&#8226; Blankets&#8226; Extra warm clothing (gloves, hats, scarves)&#8226; Flashlight with extra batteries&#8226; Window washer solvent&#8226; Ice scraper with brush&#8226; Cloth or roll of paper towels&#8226; Jumper cables&#8226; Warning devices (flares or triangles)&#8226; Basic toolkit (screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrench)Android and iPhone users can download AAA Mobile, AAA&#8217;s mobile smartphone app that provides AAA services for all motorists, such as mapping and gas price comparison, as well as member-exclusive benefits, including roadside assistance and discounts. AAA membership is not required to download and use AAA apps, but is necessary to take advantage of unique member benefits such as roadside assistance.For more information on AAA Mobile, visit http://midatlantic.aaa.com/Mobile%20Services/SmartPhoneApps.New AAA survey identifies mistakesmade by teen drivers and their parentsDuring National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 16-22), AAA reminded parents they may play an important role in preventing deadly mistakes when their teen gets behind the wheel.AAA recommends parents stay actively involved in coaching teens through the learning-to-drive process.Startling statistics on teen driver safety&#8226; Over the past five years, teen drivers were involved in nearly 14,000 fatal crashes.&#8226; In 2014, an estimated 970,000 young drivers aged 16-19 were involved in police-reported crashes resulting in 3,227 deaths and 399,500 injuries.&#8226; Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States.&#8226; Teenage drivers have higher rates of crashes per mile and per driver than drivers of any other age group.<ins>&#8220;Involved parents really can help save lives, so it&#8217;s important for them to coach their teens to slow down, as well as to avoid other common mistakes,&#8221; said Jana Tidwell, manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.</ins>In the survey, Skills of Novice Teen Drivers, 142 driving instructors revealed the top three mistakes teens make when learning to drive:&#8226; Speeding: Traveling over posted speed limits or too fast for road conditions.&#8226; Distraction: Interacting with a cell phone, talking with passengers or looking at other objects in the vehicle.&#8226; Poor visual scanning: Driving with tunnel vision and not properly scanning the road for risks or hazards.In PennsylvaniaPennDOT reports in 2015, there were 17,023 drivers under the age of 20 involved in crashes in Pennsylvania.Young drivers (age 16 to 21) had 10,931 single vehicle crashes and 17,388 multiple vehicle crashes.Also in 2015, 13,853 males (age 16-20) and 9,973 females (age 16-20) were involved in a crash, representing 11.5 percent of all males and 12 percent of all females involved in crashes in Pennsylvania.A recent survey from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety supports the driving instructors&#8217; observations about parents setting dangerous examples.&#8226; 77 percent of drivers aged 35-55 reported talking on a cell phone while driving, compared to 68 percent of teen drivers.&#8226; A similar proportion of teens and drivers aged 35-55 reported driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway (45 percent and 46 percent, respectively).<ins>&#8220;Parents play a major role in keeping our roads safe,&#8221; continued Tidwell. &#8220;Most teens are learning important driving skills from watching their parents and they are picking up bad behaviors along with the good ones. So it&#8217;s up to today&#8217;s parents to set a good example. It may end up saving their children&#8217;s lives.&#8221;</ins>Past research shows teens with parents who impose stricter driving limits reported fewer crashes and traffic violations. AAA recommends parents stay actively involved in coaching their teens through the learning-to-drive process by:&#8226; Having conversations early and regularly about the dangers of speeding and distraction.&#8226; Taking the time to practice driving with their teens in varying conditions.&#8226; Adopting and enforcing a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for the road.&#8226; Leading by example and minimizing distractions and speeding when they are driving.Resources to help parents choose a class and coach their teen through the learning-to drive process can be found on AAA&#8217;s award-winning website TeenDriving.AAA.com.<style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Bill O&#8217;Boyleboboyle@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</shirttailMeta></div>

Capitol Roundup: As temperatures cool, AAA urges motorists to prepare for new season of driving