Holiday time most |

critical driving

December 1-7 is Safe Driving
Week and with good reason.
December is the month when

.. Spirits rise - and - precautions
~ drop, Long distance driving ta
yisil, friends and relatives, late
night celebrations, fatigue
caused by running here and
there preparing for Christmas -
‘ail under winler driving con-
dilions - have made December
prime time for automobile
accidents, :
In 1972, there were a total of
59,766 accidents in the month of-
December, as compared to an
average 42,637 during the other
months; Over the past several
years .actual fatalities and in-
juries due to zecidents dectined
in December in relation to other
months,- but December still
teads the pack by a wide margin
in total. property damage ac-
cidents,
* “Phree factors affect a driver’s
chances of ending up in a
hospital ward with a broken leg
or concussion aver the holiday
season: « the candition of the
vehicle and the driver and, of
particular Importance in
winter-weather conditions. Two
of these fall within the direct
realm of. driver responsibility.
You can help reduce the impact
. of the third by preparing your
— ear for rough winter driving.
‘Before you purchase your
winter supply of antifreeze, be
sure to check the Jabel. It must
be elhylene glycol based. Stay
away from a low-priced, blue-

-: eolored engine antifreeze made

by ‘super products limited of
Laval, Quebec, This antifreeze
‘is a saturated solution of
Calcium: Chloride, a strong
corrosive agent that can cause
exfensive. damage to your
engine. For’. Consumers’ -
Association of -Canada- test
results on windshield washer
antifreeze see the February
issue of Canadian Consumer on
sale at’your local newsstand in
early January. ,
Although snow tires are
required by law in some areas,
their’ effectiveness is limited,
_ US: National Safety Council
"tests have shown that on loosely

-. packed, new fallen snow, they

improve traction by 51 percent
and brakage by 13 percent. On
‘glare ice al 25 degrees, or in
. packed snow, hawever, braking

is slightly more hazardous than .

with regular tires. If snow tires
are a few season old have tread
depth measured to ensure they
‘slill provide adequate traction.
The best bet for winter driving
is ta carry a set of tire chains in
the-trunk, On glare ice at 25
degrees, chains will increase
Iraction by 630 percent and
brakage by 50 percent. On
loosely packed snow, {traction {5
improved by 313 percent,
brakage by 37 percent, -
For oplimum protection,
“especially in prepartion for long
distance Iravelling, rims of
headlighis should be painted
with reflective material so thal .
adriver encountering acar with
a burnt: oul light can judge
accordingly. Keep rear lights
clear af snow accumulation al
all times; Al nighl, stop and
clean headlights at regular
intervals, .

-” Rear window defoggers cah
. be-a major plus under winler

driving conditions,
Lat presenl, ‘there are two
-differént types of rear

- ‘defrogters available, The older
style is, basically a fan located

 belaw ‘the rear window, The

“temperature of the air it blows
“ia the same as thal which is in
the ear; therefore, it is now very

’ effective. for melting ice and

“snow. It does keep the rear
-, window, free of mist from

¥

condensation and will, after the
car’s interior has begun to
warm up, melt any new snow
that falls, The newer design for
rear defrosters is'a grid of
heated wires on the glass, The
result is quicker defrosting, as
well as the ability to melt snow
and ice that may collect on rear
windshield, : ‘

": A frost shield is a relatively

‘inexpensive and effective

alternative for used car buyers.
Rustproofing will retard the

eorresion which is part and

parcel of our Canadian winter *

driving conditions. However,
the value of rustproofing
depends largely upon the
competency ‘of the specialist:
doing the job. A major pilfail is
lhe warranty situation.

Warranties range from five

years (oa lifelime in length, so -

read the guarantee carefully.
The automobile protection
associalion of Montreal can
provide consumers with
delailed informalion on rust-
proofing services.

And don't forget the winter
dictates that your car carry
seasonal equipment including a
brush lo remove snow, a wind-
shield seraper for ice, a batlery
booster cable, sand or ashes,-8
shovel and a flashlight. ,

CAC has selected’ the
automobile as its theme for "75-
25. . For Information on
pittamabia= “ot! er con-
aylomauies 2n8 issues look
for Canadian Consumer on sale
at your local newsstand, Or
send $5 for your CAC Mem-
bership ~ to Consumers‘,
Association of Canada, 301 - 251
Laurier Avenue West, Ollawa,
Ontaria, K1P 527.

a

xl0
‘ayt

: _ Phone 635-6659

Can you pass
this driving test?? "10 STEPS 10.SAFEDRIVING”

“1, Compared to ice at zera

. degrees, ice near the melting

point is (a) less slippery (b) just
as slippery (c) twice as Slip-

pery.

2. Motorists should let the air
oul of their tires to improve
lraction during:winter driving.
True or False? | :

3. Most skids are caused by
(a) defective steering (b) over-

inflated tires (c) speed too high
for the conditions.

4. In a rear-end skid, the
defensive driver (a) steers in
the direction of the. skid (b)
sleers in the direction he was
going (c). steers in the opposite
direction to the skid.

5. The maximum distance
you can. see’ al night when
driving with lights onhigh beam
is 380 feet. What’ is the
maximum speed you can travel
and slill stop within this
distance?
mph (c) 55 mph.

6. Compared lo the

recognition distance provided .

by white lights, amber lights
are (a) just as effective (b)
iwice as effective (c) one-half
as effective. .

7. Ita car's brakes failona —

sleep dawn-grade, the defensive
driver does everything possible

to slow down the vehicle, even.

colliding with a parked car,
True or False? .

8. Defensive drivers protect
themselves fram headlight

. A621 ‘Lazelle “Ave.

\. Ferrace

4

(a). 70 mph (b) 90

glare by (a) wearing coloured
glasses (b) switching their-
headlights on to high beam (c)
looking to the right of their lane. _

9. Instead of their driving
lights, drivers should use
parking lights only in conditions ©

. of dusk, haze or fog. True or, _

> soft shoulder,

Wd (¢)

False? a

10, When a blow out occurs in
the left rear tire, the motorist
should lel up on the accelerator
and (a) sleer straight ahead (b)
sleer to the right (c) steer to the
eft.

Li, When the car’s right-hand =~

wheels run off the road dnto a °
the defensive
driver-(a} applies the brakes

and steers hard to the left (bh. ¢

maintains speed and turns back
when it is safe to do 50 {c) slows -
down by taking his foat off the
accelerator and turns back
when it is safe to do so.

“12 Theroad is more slippery
during the first few minutes
after it starts to rain. than

‘ during the-middle of a rain-—

storm: True or False?

.
13. Compared lo stepping on a
dry surface, the distance”
required to come lo a hall on
glare ice is (a) the same (b)
about five times greater (c) ten

times grealer.
‘Answers for 2 -
1. (e); 2, False; 3. (e)s 4. (a); 5,

te}; 6, (e}; 7. True; 8 (ce); 9.
False; 10, (0); 11. (ce); 12. True;

'
;

drink or beer (12 ounces) consumed,
before driving.

“6, Never pass on, hills or curves, On
straightaways pass only when positive,
. “ the way IS, clear oe ay
1, Keep both hands firmly on the wheel — | Don't ’,drive after heavy: drinking. If .
at 10 and two o'clock — and both eyes you have been drinking ‘moderately,
on the road, ; og ‘allow one hour -for each one-ounce
2 Never tailgate — allow at Idast one’. 8. Keep the car in ‘good operating condl-
vehicle length for every ten miles per -tlon, especially ‘brakes, tires, Steering
hour, of speed. — : . and front end suspension, front and
3. On wet snowy “or jey roads, reduce rea ahs, mirrars, tum signals, wipers,
speed well below pasted speed limits, Muffjer and exhaust pipe. -
depending an the severity of conditions. 9. Always fasten safety belts and lock car

-4. Always signal intentions — turns, lane- ~ 10,

‘changes, passing. -

5. ‘Curves require special attention — slow
down before entering, thén apply power
to wheels. Be alert for oncoming cars;
they often cross the center line.

ale de (i

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‘ 7

TERRACE TOTEM
a FORD SALES
LTD.

685-4984

stg yt tae he A ee Ps Ba

see

: ,
. ‘

doors. |

Drive defensively : “Recognize the -haz-
ard; understand the defence; act in.
time.” © : a

CANADA SAFETY COUNCIL.

‘os

,
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fi

PDD Pe atten te tt i eon a fe en ot

poorly maintained vehicles.

How to double your chances
’ of avoiding accidents

heer Condition and mounting.
HORN Sorisfoctory operation.
wInDsHt Condition of blades.
wipeae ELD Operation of moter,
Windshiald washer,
Gtass Condition ond, where appticoble,
' opetation of oll glass.
All front fights fer operation.
LIGHTS All rece lights for operation,
. Alignment of headlights, —
Check operation of directional slgnats,
TRS _ Tread wear, cracks, oly pressures,
: _Olignment, combre,
. Steering geor play.
STEERING Stearing linkage for wear,
se oe Tie rods.
. Sptings and shack absorbers for candition,
Master cylinder Fluld teva}, .
; , Brake hydraulic “system for externa! leaks.
BRAKES Foct and hond drake — reserve
Gnd stopping abillty.-
Brake finings.”
,
EXHAUST Exkoust monifold pipes and muffler:
SYSTEM a

for tightners and leaks,

- Terrace ;
Chrysler |
ae _s t d. - | ;

4916 W Hwy 16

635-5959