CAUTION! Safety first. Be extremely careful when looking into or putting your hands or any other body part into your engine compartment. Use safety glasses. Keep all body parts away from open carburetor or air intake -- assume it will backfire. Backfires can produce blindness and/or third degree burns. Keep long hair VERY securely pinned up, remove all jewelry, do not wear loose clothing while working on a car. Heed these warnings even when the car is not running. Remember, modern cars have electric fans that can turn on at any time.

Be careful not to short the battery -- battery explosions can throw potentially burning/blinding acid. Don't open the radiator cap of an overheated car. When it's cool enough to open, use a rag to block any spray, and open very slowly. Wear hard shoes capable of shielding impact from a dropped part.

Take proper precautions when jacking up a car so the jack doesn't "kick out". A "kicked out" jack can be every bit as destructive as a kick from a large horse. Block the wheels, put on the brakes, seat the jack properly. Never crawl under a jacked up car unless it has been properly blocked up and completely secured. Even then, remember that earthquakes, sudden wind and drunk driver impacts happen. A professional lift is always best.

The preceding warnings are by no meansan exhaustive list of the risks encountered when working on a car. Always use common sense. You assume full and complete responsibility for the use of the information on this page.

Proper vehicle safety requires specific attention to tires - to inflation pressure, tread depth, and general tire condition. Over inflated tires run the risk of explosive decompression (they can pop). Under inflated tires have a higher rolling resistance and suffer from rapid tread wear on the edges of the tread. Excessive tire wear will reduce steering and braking response. Tires worn down past their safety margins and into the casing run the very real risk of rupturing. Tire inflation pressure and tread depth should be checked regularly in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. Certain combinations of cross ply and radial tires on different wheels of the same vehicle can lead to vehicle instability.

Tires should be repaired only at experienced tire repair shops, and in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

US tires have 'wear bars', or "Tread Wear Indicators" (TWI) molded into the grooves of the tire. When these become flush with the tops of the remaining tread, the tire is at the legal limit of normal safety and must be replaced.

Research and tests show that as tires age, they begin to dry out and become potentially dangerous, even if unused. Aged tires may appear to have similar properties to newly manufactured tires; however once the vehicle is traveling at high speeds the tread could peel off, leading to severe loss of control and perhaps a rollover.

Many automakers recommend a six year limit on tires and several tire manufacturers have called for tires to be removed from service 10 years after the date of manufacture.

You don't have to live in a wintry climate to encounter icy roads and hazardous roadways. In temperatures at or just above 32-degrees, a thin layer of water can turn to or cover ice, causing extremely dangerous, slippery driving conditions.

Not all cars respond the same to icy, slippery roads. For that reason,knowing how to handle your vehicle and how it responds in various weather conditions is important. AAA recommends that motorists practice slow-speed maneuvers on an empty snow or ice covered parking lot. You should also page through your owner's manual, familiarizing yourself with your vehicle's braking system and tire traction.

The most important thing to remember when driving on slick roads is that you must travel, steer and brake more slowly than usual. The distance needed to stop on ice is twice as long as that you would need to brake under normal driving circumstances. This means you should keep at least a three car distance from the vehicle directly in front of you.

Black ice is defined as ice that remains on roadways that are not subjected to direct sunlight. Black ice commonly forms on roads that wind around lakes and rivers, in tunnels, on overpasses and in highly shaded, rural areas. Black ice is almost invisible to the naked eye. Be especially leery when driving your car into shaded areas, and slow your vehicle down during your approach.

Certain areas of roadways, because of location or lack of direct sunlight, are almost always more hazardous than others. Use extra caution when driving on bridges, overpasses and tunnels.

Front wheel drive vehicles handle better than rear wheel drive on slippery roads because the weight of the engine is on the drive wheels, which helps to improve your traction.

Because there is virtually no weight on the rear wheels of your car, vehicles that operate by using rear wheel drive tend to slide from side to side during turns on icy roads. Cars and light duty truck owners can place bags of sand or kitty litter in the bed of the truck or trunk to help balance the weight, and distribute it equally.

Your owner's manual will provide information about your braking system. Not all braking systems are the same. Find out which type of brakes your vehicle uses and then, follow the safety steps below. ABS Anti-lock braking systems(ABS) offer significant advantages on slick roads, if used correctly. To operate ABS effectively, motorists should apply steady pressure to the brake pedal during the entire stop. ABS will automatically pump the brakes, if necessary, to keep the wheels from locking. Never manually pump ABS brakes yourself. Apply only steady pressure continuously until you come to a complete stop. NON-ABS If you don't have ABS, you should gently apply pumping pressure to your brakes during slippery conditions. Do not apply steady pressure to your brakes. Standing on your brakes will only cause wheel lock, and may result in your cars pinning out of control.

The biggest problem facing most winter drivers is skidding on slick, icy or snow covered roads. It is possible to steer out of a skid! Once you feel your car begin to skid, slowly remove your foot from the accelerator, until you feel your wheels regain traction control. (Do not attempt to brake!) As your vehicle's tires grab the road, slowly turn the steering wheel in the direction you want your front wheels to go.

When you begin to spin, remove your foot from the gas pedal. Slowly steer in the direction you want the car to go. If you are still skidding out of control, counter-steer until your vehicle is pointing in the right direction. Never apply steady pressure to the brakes.

You can improve your VISIBILITY by clearing all snow and ice from your vehicle. Be sure to remove ice and snow from hood, roof, trunk, turn signal lights, tail and headlights, windows, mirrors and fenders. Use your LOW BEAMS when driving in an ice or snow storm. You'll have better visibility. Allow for greater STOPPING DISTANCE during snow and ice storms. In order to bring your car to a safe stop, you must allow 8-10 seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. Remember that POSTED SPEED LIMITS are only to be followed during ideal weather conditions. Slow down while driving on snow or ice. When driving UPHILL on ice, pick a path that will allow the most traction. Monitor vehicles in front of you and steer clear of areas where they spin wheels or slide backward. Unpacked snow will give most vehicles sufficient uphill traction. To maintain control on CURVES and TURNS, reduce speed just before the turn. Any sudden acceleration or deceleration during a turn will send you into a skid. NEVER brake while driving on ice. If you are approaching a patch of ice, brake during your approach. Applying pressure to your brakes while on ice will only throw you into a skid. Maintain your TIRES. Tires that are in proper working condition and are adequately inflated provide better traction. Travel GENTLY. Everything you do on icy roads will affect how your vehicle handles the situation. Move slowly. Turn slowly. Brake slowly. Sudden changes can cause your car to spin out of control.

Having a well stocked emergency kit in your car can help to save your life and make you more comfortable during breakdowns, accidents and long waits. Your kit should include: Battery, Jumper Cables, First Aid Kit, Shovel, Basic Tools (Pliers, Wrench, Screwdriver and Knife), Blankets, Extra Clothing (Hats, Socks, Boots, Mittens), Flashlight, Bag of Sand, Cellular Phone or CB.

Driving defensively just doesn seem to cut it anymore. There are some measures you can take to ensure your safety. There's a lot to avoid out there, but you can steer clear of trouble by just relaxing and taking things easy. This is meant mostly for freeway gridlock, the most challenging and frustrating form of traffic. What you'll find is that the majority of other drivers out there are "brakers", people who speed up to slowing traffic and have to hit their brakes. A good way to ease traffic, both for yourself and other drivers, is to put a large gap in between your car and the one in front of you. It's a pretty basic rule of driving, but it's often forgotten among all of our high performance vehicles, cell phones, SUVs and hectic lifestyle. However, it's the one thing that can prevent an accident as effectively as anything else. The recommended space might be one car length per 10miles-an-hour. It's better to have at least double that, especially if you're traveling at 60 mph or faster. Just imagine the car in front of you stopping instantly, as if it hit a brick wall. Would you collide into it, or would you be able to stop in time? The biggest problem that arises from leaving a good-sized gap is other drivers riding too close behind you. Don't worry about them. Try to be courteous and get out of the fast lane if you're not keeping up. If you are and you simply have a long gap in front of you, let the other driver stress out and try to get around. It's just another person wanting to hurry up and wait. This brings up another point of good driving. If ever there is a conflict developing with another driver, let it go. Don't gesture back. Don't race or swerve or suddenly hit your brakes. It's not worth risking lives over a little road rage. You'll find if you relax, leave a big gap in front of your car and plan your maneuvers, you'll enjoy the smooth ride. You can often find "cushion zones" in the herds of cars flying down the freeway. If you keep your speed right -- not too slow and not too fast --you can ride in these zones and have all three, four or six lanes to yourself. This is especially true for long road trips on the interstate. When traffic is stop and go, try to get a large gap in front again and go slowly. By pacing yourself, you can roll through the stop-an-go pattern by just going slow. It can be much less aggravating. It also helps ease traffic as the cars behind you are not seeing brake lights or hitting their brakes as much. It's also easier onyour car and the environment. Just remember that there are real people in the other cars, even though they might just seem like obstacles. By relaxing and respecting the rules of the road and not rushing yourself, the ride is much more enjoyable, no matter where you're going.

Driving in hot weather: Inspect the auto radiator for leaks and check the fluid. Check all hoses for possible cracks or sponginess. Make sure all connections are tight and leak-free. Test the thermostat for proper operation. If it does not operate at the proper temperature, overheating could occur. Inspect the fan belt for cracks and proper tension. Belt slippage is a common cause of boilovers. It also drains electrical power. If loss of coolant has been a problem check for water seepage on the water pump around the engine block. Don't turn off the engine when the temperature warning light goes on. If stuck in traffic, shift to neutral, and race the engine moderately for 30 seconds at two-minute intervals. Shut off the air conditioner to avoid further overtaxing of the cooling system. Turn on the heater for a few minutes, it may help. If the radiator continues to overheat, drive the car off the road, turn off the engine and raise the hood. Wait at least half an hour before removing the radiator cap, then do it very slowly and carefully, with the help of a towel or thick rag. Keep your face turned from the radiator. If your car has the see-through overflow catch tank, replace any loss of coolant. Don't touch the radiator. If the fluid level is low, restart the engine while adding cool or warm water as the engine idles.

You never know when you will be driving and your car will decide that it's time to break down. If this happens, especially while driving on a lonely road, it can be frustrating and dangerous. The following is a list of items that you should always have in your car. It would be a good idea to keep a box in your trunk just for these items. If you find yourself in this kind of situation, you will have everything that you need in one place. Check the items at least every two months in case that you need to replace batteries or anything else. Blanket (in case it gets too cold), Spare tire in good condition and a jack, Extra gas in proper gas container, Booster cable, Set of small tools (sockets, pliers, lugwrench) Charged cellular telephone Paper towels Aspirin Raincoat or umbrellaWater for drinking and/or for engine, Working flashlight, Antifreeze, Non-perishable foods like chips and pretzels, Motor oil, transmission oil, and break fluid - If you develop a slight leak, you can add enough to get you to asafe area or the nearest station. (If you don't know where or how to properly refill, have someone teach you the proper place and/or way to do this.) Flares -For alerting other drivers of your stalled car, this can prevent many accidents from happening. Windshield wiper fluid - During the winter months your car will get splashed with salted water from the streets, this can cause your windshield to become blurry to the point of not having any visibility. This coating of saltwater cannot be removed without windshield wiper fluid. Should you find yourself in this situation, the first thing to do is to call for help, i.e. police, towtruck, or emergency road service club if you belong to one. You should also call a family member to let them know of your situation. Next, if the problem is something that you can take care of like changing a tire, (which you should knowhow to do, if you don't know make it a point to have someone teach you how to do it), adding antifreeze if your engine is too hot, or adding gas if you ran out, do it and you can be on your way. If this is the case remember to call the persons that you spoke to and let them know that everything is okay. Even if it's a minor problem always call for help, you have to alert someone of where you are, you never know what can happen while you are checking the car. It is always better to be safe than sorry, therefore, someone needs to know of your location. If, on the other hand, the problem is not something that you can take care of yourself, take a look at your surroundings to see what type of area you have been stranded on. If there is a public restaurant, a coffee shop, or a store nearby that you can go in to wait until help arrives, then that would be your best bet. Lock your car, raise the hood, and make sure that you take your cellular phone with you at all times. If there are no visible safe public places around and depending on how you have assessed the location, you can wait inside the car, get anything you need from your emergency box, lock the doors and wait inside the car. If this ever happens to you, you will be thankful that you decided to be prepared. The kit that you put together will be a great help in keeping you comfortable from the cold, the rain if you must be outside the caror have to walk somewhere, from hunger, and especially from being in an areawith no public telephones. Most people are not prepared for this and the experience can be very frustrating. You may not be able to avoid car breakdowns but you can make the situation a lot less stressful if you have the basic emergency needs. Also, if you have children and travel with them often you may want to add a few things to make their wait less uncomfortable. Having chips and/or pretzels for children to munch on will help to keep them at ease. Adding a couple of toys or a favorite book will keep them distracted while waiting for help to arrive. Don't get caught unprepared.

All of us have a responsibility to be safe drivers. But even the most careful drivers can take easy preventative steps to help make them even safer drivers. If you become one of these drivers, and commit to do the following things, you may save your own life or the lives of others. Keep Your Visibility High. Many accidents each year are caused by two elements of nature: sun and rain. All of us have driven on roads that putting the rising or setting sun right in our windshields or rear view mirrors. But in sunny weather, most of us do not think about the hazards of low visibility. Yet sun can be more blinding than the worst sun or rain. That is why everyone should have a pair of sun glasses in their cars or on their person at all times. As for rain, making sure your windshield wipers are in good working order is the most important step. Another problem comes when the rain stops but mud or water spots are caked on your car's windshield. Always carry a rag or towel in your car to clean up these hazards to visibility. Let Others See You. As important as watching out for other drivers is, it is also important to help other drivers to look out for you. One greatway to do this is to leave your headlights on, even during the day. Studies have shone that day running headlights increase visibility and reduce accidents. Many new cars have this feature automatically, but for older cars, drivers should take it upon themselves to turn those headlights on, especially on windy two lane roads. Calm Down. Most of us would never drive drunk. But did you know that driving while extremely upset is just as bad. If you are extremely angry, sad, nervous, or sick, you cannot pay proper attention to your driving. And even when you can pay attention you drive with less skill. If you experience any of these conditions, postpone your trip. If you are already on the road, pull over to a safe place and get your bearings. Lost time will be MINIMIZED by avoiding potentially deadly accidents. Back Off. One of the biggest causes of accidents is following too close. Yet following the car ahead of you too close is senseless: it can result in being ticketed, it is dangerous, and it doesn't get you anyplace any faster. Always leave more distance than you think you should have to between you and the car in front of you. And in the rain, double that distance. Keep Away Distractions. Cell Phones, Automated Direction Systems, Newspapers, Razors, all of these things are an accident waiting to happen in the car. Driving requires one's full attention. So communicating, eating, reading, or doing anything else in the car that isn't driving is a big hazard. Even if you think you drive perfectly fine while doing these things, you are still less able to compensate for the mistakes of other drivers when your full attention isn't directed at defensive driving. Use these tips to help make a safer road for all of us out there. And always remember, whatever else you do when you drive, always buckle up.

Carjacking - stealing a car by force - has captured headlines across the country. Statistically your chances of being a carjacking victim are very slim and prevention actions can reduce the risk even more.

No one knows for certain, but some explanations include:

Most local and state criminal codes don't define "carjacking". It's reported as either auto theft or armed robbery. This means that no solid statistics exist on time, place, and victims.

It works like this. A car, usually with a driver and at least one passenger, rear-ends or "bumps" you in traffic. You quickly get out to check the damage and exchange information. Either the driver or one of the passengers jumps in your car and drives off.

If you're bumped by another car, look around before you get out. Make sure there are other cars around, check out the car that's rear-ended you and who's in it. If the situation makes you uneasy, memorize or jot down the car's tag number and description; signal the other car to follow you. Drive to the nearest police station or to a busy, well-lighted area.

If you do get out of the car, take your keys (and purse or wallet if you have one) with you and stay alert.

- Stopping an object's momentum requires force acting over a period of time. When a car crashes, the force required to stop an object is very great because the car's momentum has changed instantly while the passengers' has not. The goal of any supplemental restraint system is to help stop the passenger with as little damage to the passenger as possible.

- What an air bag wants to do is to slow the passenger's speed to zero with little or no damage. The constraints that it has to work within are huge. The air bag has the space between the passenger and the steering wheel or dash board and a fraction of a second to work with. Even that tiny amount of space and time is valuable, however, if the system can slow the passenger evenly rather than forcing an abrupt halt to the motion.

- To accomplish its magic, there are three parts to an air bag

- The inflation system is not unlike a solid rocket booster. The air bag system ignites a solid propellant and it burns extremely rapidly to create a large volume of gas to inflate the bag. The bag then literally bursts from its storage site at up to 200 MPH -- faster than the blink of an eye! A second later, the gas quickly dissipates through tiny holes in the bag, thus deflating the bag so you can move.

- Even though the whole process happens in only 1/25th of a second, the additional time is enough to help prevent serious injury! The powdery substance released from the air bag, by the way, is regular cornstarch or talcum powder, which is used by the air bag manufacturers to keep the bags pliable and lubricated while they're in storage.

- It didn't take long to learn that the force of an airbag can hurt those who are too close to it. Researchers have determined that the risk zone for driver air bags is the first two to three inches of inflation. So, placing yourself 10 inches from your driver air bag gives you a clear margin of safety. Measure this distance from the center of the steering wheel to your breastbone.

• Move your seat to the rear as far as possible while still reaching the pedals comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of your seat. Although car designs vary, most drivers can achieve the 10-inch distance even with the driver seat all the way forward by slightly reclining the back of the seat. If reclining the seat makes it hard to see the road, you can raise yourself up by using your car's seat-raising system (not all cars have this!) or a firm, non-slippery cushion to achieve the same effect.
• Point the air bag toward your chest, instead of your head and neck, by tilting your steering wheel down (this only works if your steering wheel is adjustable).

• Children 12 and under should ride buckled up in a properly installed, age-appropriate rear car seat.
• Babies in rear-facing child seats should never ride in the front seat of a car with a passenger side air bag.
• If a child over a year old must ride in the front seat with a passenger side air bag, put the child in a front-facing child safety seat, a booster seat, or a correct fitting lap/shoulder belt and move the seat as far back as possible.

• When you get in your vehicle and turn the key, look at the dash to find your Airbag or SRS light.
• It should come on for 7-10 seconds and then go out. This tells you all is well with the Airbag System.
• If the light does not come on, HAVE IT CHECKED. After all, it could just be a burnt out light bulb.
• If the light does not go off after this period (usually 7-10 seconds) there is a problem
• If the light comes on while you are driving, it also needs attention.

- Crash Sensors are the devices that work with the control module to discriminate between crash and non-crash events. These sensors measure the severity of the impact. They are setup so that sudden "negative acceleration" will cause the contacts to close, sending a signal to the control module which checks for a signal from the rear sensor which must arrive

• to activate the Airbag(s). It is important to note that at least
• of these sensors must signal a crash before airbag deployment.

• Individuals with medical conditions where the risks of a deploying airbag exceed the risk of impacting the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield in the absence of an air bag.

• Individuals who cannot position themselves to properly operate the vehicle with the center of their breastbone at least 10 inches back from the center of the driver air bag cover.

• Individuals with the need to transport an infant in a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat because the vehicle has no rear seat, the rear seat is too small to accommodate a rear- facing child restraint, or because it is necessary to constantly monitor the child's medical condition.
• Individuals with the need to carry children between I and 12-years-old in the front seat because the vehicle has no rear seat, the consumer must carry more children than can be accommodated in the rear seat, or because it is necessary to constantly monitor a child's medical condition.

On the passenger side, all children up through age 12 belong in the backseat. But, if you must place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an airbag, get an on-off switch and turn the air bag off. Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an activated air bag.

If children 12 years and younger must sit in the front seat, first ensure that they use seat belts and/or child restraints appropriate for their size or weight. Then, move their vehicle seat all the way back. If these steps are taken, the risk of injury from the air bag will be substantially reduced. However, since children sometimes lean far forward or slip out of their shoulder belt, placing themselves in danger, you may wish to consider getting a switch and turning off the air bag. Since air bag performance varies from vehicle model to model, you may wish to contact your vehicle manufacturer for advice.

should follow the advice above for drivers with such conditions.

People not in any of the above groups will be worse off if they turn off their air bag. This includes the vast majority of teenagers and adults. By turning off their air bags, they will increase their chance of death or serious injury in moderate or high speed crashes.

Should I disconnect my air bag? No, not unless you are a member of a risk group. Pregnant women should follow the same advice as other adults: buckle up and stay back from the air bag. The lap belt should be positioned low on the abdomen, below the fetus, with the shoulder belt worn normally. Pull any slack out of the belt. Just as for everyone else, the greatest danger to a pregnant woman comes from slamming her head, neck or chest on the steering wheel in a crash. When crashes occur, the fetus can be injured by striking the lower rim of the steering wheel or from crash forces concentrated in the area where a seat belt crosses the mother's abdomen. By helping to restrain the upper chest, the seat belt will keep a pregnant woman as far as possible from the steering wheel. The air bag will spread out the crash forces that would otherwise be concentrated by the seat belt.

If you are interested in having an on-off switch installed in a vehicle you own or lease, you first need to get a copy of NHTSA's information brochure, Air Bags and On-Off Switches: Information for an Informed Decision, and the accompanying form, Request for Air Bag On-Off Switch. The brochure and request form are available at many sources, including NHTSA's web site (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov), many new car dealers, state motor vehicle departments, all AAA clubs, and many other organizations. You also can obtain them by calling NHTSA's toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 1-800-424-9393. Read the brochure carefully before filling out the form; you may decide that an on-off switch is not appropriate for you. If you decide to request an on-off switch, you must fill out and submit the request form to NHTSA. The mailing address is provided on the form. You will need to certify on the request form that you have read the brochure and that you (or other occupants of your vehicle) fall into one or more of the risk groups for the air bag(s) for which you request a switch. If the form is properly and completely filled out, NHTSA will then send you an authorization letter that you can take to your dealer or repair shop.

You should check with your auto dealer or repair shop to see whether an on-off switch is available for your vehicle. Also, you should be aware that dealers and repair shops will not be installing on-off switches before January 19, 1998. Even after this date, it may take a while for switches to become available for all vehicles. You should also ask how much the switch will cost. If a switch is available and the dealer or repair shop is willing to install it, give the authorization letter directly to the dealer or repair business. After the dealer or repair shop installs the on-off switch, it will return a form (which will be included with the authorization letter) to NHTSA indicating to the agency it has done the work for you.

We decided to require this step to emphasize the importance of taking seriously the safety consequences of installing an air bag on-off switch. In addition, prior review of requests will enable the agency to monitor directly, from the very beginning, the implementation of the regulation and the effectiveness of educational efforts to promote informed decision making about air bag on-off switches.

Manufacturers are just beginning the process of tooling up to produce on-off switches in volume. They need time to make switches, get them to their dealers, and for the dealers to get ready. In addition, NHTSA and other safety groups will be conducting educational efforts to provide consumers with information on on-off switches, and who should (or should not) consider them.

If the manufacturer of your vehicle does not make an on-off switch for your model, you can check with a dealer or repair shop to see whether an "aftermarket" company (a parts manufacturer other than the vehicle manufacturer) makes a switch. If there is an aftermarket switch for your model, a dealer or repair shop can install it for you. Note that there are Federal requirements governing on-off switches; for example, they must be operated by a key and be equipped with warning lights to indicate when an air bag has been switched off.

Generally, NO. If a retrofit on-off switch is available from the vehicle manufacturer for a particular vehicle, eligible consumers desiring to disable their air bags must have a retrofit on-off switch installed; a dealer or repair shop cannot simply deactivate (or disconnect) the air bags. If a retrofit on-off switch is not yet available from the vehicle manufacturer for a particular vehicle, NHTSA will authorize air bag deactivation on a case-by-case basis under certain circumstances. If a retrofit on-off switch is available only from an aftermarket company, NHTSA still will authorize air bag deactivation for eligible people.

If the vehicle manufacturer does not make an on-off switch available for a particular vehicle, NHTSA will authorize deactivation for the following reasons:

These circumstances apply to me. How do