Certified Schools Provide the Highest Quality Truck Driver Training for New Students

If you’ve always wanted to learn to drive trucks, the highest quality training will ensure you’re on the right road.

As used to be more common in years past, you could rely on the help of someone who’s already experienced in the industry to “show you the ropes” over the course of a weekend or two. But as tempting as this is, in the long run, it’s an irresponsible approach to take, as even the very best off-the-cuff training sessions fail to properly address everything that is needed to safely—and legally—operate a vehicle weighing up to 40 tons.

Another approach is to enter a truck driver training apprentice program with a specific trucking company. This is a better method for learning because you’re assured of getting thorough training by a certified instructor. And in the end, you’ll have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) that authorizes you to haul cargo across all 50 states.

In this case however, your choice of jobs will be limited to the specific trucking company where you received your training. That means you have to take the routes they want you to take, when they want you to take them. And if there’s a decrease in workload, your lack of experience and seniority may mean you’ll be one of the first people to “park it” until business picks back up again.

The Best Option: A Certified Truck Driving School

The best approach to truck driver training is, without a doubt, a certified truck driving school. These institutions maintain the highest quality of education, safety, and on-the-road training in order to remain competitive in the marketplace—and to comply with the latest state, federal and local laws. In addition, the best truck driving schools offer tuition assistance and guaranteed employment with a variety of trucking companies—something that gives you ultimate freedom in choosing your new career.

Certified truck driving schools often have the latest equipment produced by the best manufacturers in the industry. You’ll not only learn how to operate these vehicles in accordance with CDL requirements, but also how to operate them to help you maximize safety and efficiency—qualities that truck driving companies look for in new drivers.

A certified truck driving school is also current on any changes in laws or driver requirements affecting the industry. You’re sure to have the most up-to-date training and certifications that will allow you to start right away with no surprises down the road.

As mentioned above, the best schools also offer tuition assistance and a guaranteed placement with any number of the nation’s most reputable trucking carriers. You’ll have your choice of which companies work best for you.

But the greatest advantage of going through truck driver training at a certified school is the starting salary. Most graduates average $40,000 or more right after graduation! This is in part because of the continued high demand for truckers these days, but it can also be attributed to the respect that trucking companies have for the skill sets that new graduates of certified schools possess.

The bottom line is that if you’re looking to make the most of a career in trucking, a certified truck driving school offers the best opportunities allowing you to make the most of your career on the open road.

Mike Curts manages news and information for Driver Solutions, a CDL training and placement agency for inexperienced truck drivers. For information on applying for truck driving school, visit: www.otrdrivers.com.

About the Author:
Mike Curts manages news and information for http://www.otrdrivers.com, a CDL training and placement agency for inexperienced truck drivers. Follow this link for information on applying for truck driving school.
This article was posted on October 06, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

Headlight Restoration Increases Driving Safety

If you have cloudy or worn and yellow headlights you are taking a big and unnecessary risk when you drive at night. According to the AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety:

An average of 9 out of every 10 cars on the road today has dirty or yellowed headlights that greatly reduce vision and need to be replaced, repaired or restored.

Most people do not know that not only do worn or cloudy headlights look bad, but they also reduce light output by as much as 95 percent. That is a huge difference in whether you can effectively see or be seen when driving at night.

In a recent search on Google and Yahoo search engines, it was found that thousands of accidents were linked to ineffective light output due to worn and cloudy headlights. The majority of headlight lenses produced today are made of plastic and are very susceptible to road and weather conditions. Harsh UV rays in hot climates, chemicals from the engine and fumes, smog, etc. all take a toll on the plastic and cause it to breakdown from the outside in. The resulting cloudiness is like cancer and quickly gets worse. Soon reducing visibility and making your vehicle unsafe at night.

Accidents caused by reduced light output and bad or cloudy headlights tend to also be much more severe. According to the National Institute For Highway Safety:

Accidents at night due to a more limited visibility are usually of a more severe nature, but when equipped with ineffective headlights the chances for a more severe accident are far greater.

How do we repair or restore the headlights on our cars? According to the New York Police Traffic Division's Traffic Safety Team:

Clean the headlights or have them professionally restored and repaired (our department uses the MDWholesale headlight restoration kit on all our police cruisers and department vehicles for maximum light output and safety. Dirty headlights can and will decrease visibility by as much as 90%.

Up until now the only solutions were to either replace the cloudy lenses with expensive OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts at your local dealer (headlights can easily cost over $300 each) or to just take the risk and drive with the bad headlights. Now there is an alternative, headlight restoration. You can restore these cloudy headlights to like new condition and be safe again. Restored headlights look new and have the same light output and safety of new headlights for a fraction of the cost. There is a patented headlight restoration system manufactured by MDWholesale which has been determined very effective in increasing night time safety by numerous government agencies and police departments throughout the nation. Please see below link for more information on this headlight restoration system.

So it is a proven fact that worn and cloudy headlights will have a great effect on night time driving and safety. Therefore, headlight restoration is a economic and very effective alternative to headlight replacement.

About the Author:
David Maillie specializes in automotive research and safety products. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight restoration kit. For more great tips on safety and money saving products please visit: MDWholesale Headlight Restoration
Submitted: 2006-08-29
Article Source: GoArticles

Ten Easy to Implement Eco-Friendly Driving Tips

There are many ways to conserve energy and save money when driving. We are primarily concerned with getting a better fuel consumption from each tankful of gas. By implementing a series of simple but very effective techniques we gain several less obvious but equally important benefits. Longer life for our engine...and less emissions into the atmosphere, to name but two.

(1) Let's start with my favourite subject...Tyres. Under inflated Tyres enjoy a greater friction with the road leading to greater gas usage for each kilometre travelled. As well as this they wear out much more rapidly, give a rougher ride, particularly on Irish rural roads. Over inflated tyres also wear out rapidly and unevenly leading to more frequent replacement. Good for the tyre shop but not for you! Oh yes a soft tyre will pick up foreign bodies much more easily, leading to further replacement and expense.

(2) An untrained Right Foot is a leading cause of excessive expenditure during all driving activity. Accelerating too hard, braking too hard, and driving too fast in general all contribute to excessive fuel usage and the corresponding increase in noxious emissions. Of course heavy braking has another disadvantage ...that of making it so much easier for the Driver who is much too close behind to rear-end you!

(3) The speed for optimum fuel consumption has been recognised over the years to be 55mph or approximately 90kph. As you increase your speed above this level your fuel consumption increases dramatically. The difference in journey times when you reduce your overall top speed by just a few kilometres an hour is minimal but the savings can be impressive.

(4) A poorly tuned engine will also use an excessive amount of fuel so the money spent on proper professional servicing will repay you in the end although at the time it may seem expensive.

(5) Learning to read and understand your Rev Counter will enable you to spot an out of tune engine very easily and do something about it without delay. A tick over engine speed of just 100 rpm more than it should be will increase your fuel consumption on an ongoing basis.

(6) Open windows and sun roofs contribute to drag and an increase in fuel consumption but clearly you can't drive safely if you are about to expire from heat exhaustion. Thankfully not something we experience too often here in Ireland. However a car that has been parked in the full glare of the sun for a few hours will be rather uncomfortable unless you get some cooler air flowing.

(7) Carrying piles of rubbish in either the cab or the boot of your car will increase your fuel consumption steadily over time so give your boot a make over every so often and clear it out of all but the essentials.

(8) One more point about tyres. If you are carrying extra passengers and luggage, even for a short journey you should increase the tyre pressures. This will give a smoother, safer ride for all concerned and avoid excessive tyre wear. This latter point is particularly relevant if you are planning on rural driving since you will have to deal with an especially Irish phenomenon, that of potholes. Sometimes these are as big as a garden pond and will damage your underside easily, not to mention the ecological impact of disturbing the resident fish, frogs and other amphibians.

(9) Since we seem to be constantly exposed throughout the country to major road works, which is an admirable activity from a safety perspective, you should always switch off your engine if there is going to be more than a minor delay. Sitting for several minutes with the engine running wastes a lot of fuel and puts more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere than need be.

(10) Here is a very useful technique in relation to down shifting. It is not necessary to go through all the gears when preparing for a lower speed turn or manoeuvre. It is quite acceptable to go from fourth gear straight to second gear even from fifth to second prior to a turn. It takes a little practise to get the timing absolutely right but is well worth the effort. You will not need to use the brakes so much providing you plan your gear change well, after allowing the car to slow by coming off the gas pedal. Remember every second that the right foot is pressing the gas pedal is burning fuel.

In the U.K from next year (2007) Eco- friendly Driving Techniques will be assessed and monitored on the Driving Test. It is interesting that excellent, safe and economic driving Techniques which will be taught by experienced Instructors to all their Pupils invariably end up being incorporated into Driving Test assessments eventually!

About the Author:
Robin Piggott is a Driving Instructor in Ireland who brings four decades of experience to his Astral Driving School based in Limerick. His newly refurbed web site due to be launched in a few days can be found at http://www.astraldrivingschool.com Here you can find a treasure trove of everything for the Learner Driver and also pages for the visitor who is contemplating Touring Ireland by Car. In the meantime why not visit the existing site at http://www.astralmotoring.ie and pick up your free seven part mini-course on "Passing the Driving Test First Time"
Article Submitted On: June 25, 2006
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Driving Around Schools And Campuses

There are always rules when it comes to driving. After all, cars and vehicles are considered to be machines that could break and take people's lives. That is why it is very necessary for the government to make rules and for motorists to follow them.

If you would notice, though, there are rules in driving that remain general. However, there are also rules that are specific. There are some rules when it comes to driving around streets. There are also different rules when it comes to driving in open roads, as well as in parking lots. These are not because the law would like drivers to have a hard time. These are made so as to adapt to the locations.

When driving around schools, universities, and campuses, there also are some rules to follow. If you are a student or you need something in these areas, it is important that you get there early, around five to ten minutes early. That way, you would not have to avoid the dash of people going in and out of the parking lot. When leaving the grounds, it also works the same way. Try to leave a couple of minutes late. Statistics have it that most accidents happen during this time when people are scrambling about just when classes are about to start or when classes are just over.

In areas where the parking lots are perpendicular spaces and not made for angle parking, it is advisable that you try to look for a space where you can pull straight out instead of backing out. You see, backing out in a crowded lot could get very tricky especially with many students in and about the parking lot.

If there are tips on how to drive safely inside a campus, there also are tips in doing maintenance. One of these is to purchase the right kind of parts for your vehicle. One trusted store when it comes to parts is Ford Parts Online. Its online collection of quality parts includes Ford Explorer parts among many others.

About the Author:
Jay Stevens works as a consultant for an established auto parts store in the country. He has expertise in automotive technology and has extensive knowledge on the auto parts industry.
Submitted: 2006-05-09
Article Source: GoArticles

Elderly Drivers Wanted Off The Road

A poll was conducted in Great Britain. It asked respondents if they thought that the streets and roads in the country were getting congested. And according to the survey, many Britons thought that this was true.

The poll was created and conducted by one of the Britain’s online insurance brokers and they did the survey through their website. The survey also asked if these who thought that the streets were congested had any solutions or answers to such a problem. Almost half of the respondents answered by saying that elderly drivers should be taken off the roads during the peak hours of driving. Some 49% of the whole lot gave such a solution to the congestion problem. It did not even make a difference if you used quality Pontiac performance parts for your well maintained vehicle. If you are old, then you should also be off the streets.

Of course, this has been quite a surprise for everybody. Even Paul Cosh, who is the managing director of the organization which conducted the research, could not help but comment about such an outcome of their survey. He says, “The impact of congestion on the UK economy in terms of lost time, fuel costs and general stress runs to billions, yet we continue to drive our cars more and drive further than the rest of Europe. However, I do not think that picking on this nation’s most careful and experienced drivers is really the answer. To be honest, the views shown by this poll are quite shocking and simply do not stand up against the facts.”

Analysis of the survey conducted that aside more than half of the drivers who answered the survey said that these elderly drivers should be banned because they believe that the elderly drivers are quite slow when it comes to coping with the new conditions of traffic and of the roads.

About the Author:
Joe Thompson is the owner of a successful auto body shop in Ferndale, California. This 38 year old is also a prolific writer, contributing automotive related articles to various publications.
Article Source: ArticleToGo.com

Parents of Teen Drivers

So, what does a parent think while sitting in the passenger seat and their teen is driving with a permit license? A “bump” in the parking lot with another car? Traffic tickets for moving violations? Insurance rates sky-rocketing?

If you visit search engines you can find several resources to assist you on this subject. Try searching on the phrase “parents with teen drivers”. Alternatively we have tried to make this easy for you if you visit our news page on this very topic.

A few resources on the web for parents are:

Parent-Teen Contract

You might also consider using a driving safety contract between you and your teen. This is an agreement that your child signs, in which he agrees to be a safe driver by following all restrictions you have imposed or risk losing his driving privileges. An example of this can be found at:
http://www.ipromiseprogram.com/

Talk It Out

Work with your teen driver to talk through their thought process while driving. Let’s not over-do this to the point that they cannot concentrate on driving. More specifics can be found in the book for parents at:
http://www.safeyoungdrivers.com/

Helpful thoughts for parents in brief are:

• Drive by example
• Watch your emotional response while your teen is driving
• Work with your teen on various driving conditions, not just dry sunny days.
• Large open fields or empty parking lots are good sources for practicing

Of course while you’re working with your teen driver and their permit license, we have to keep the drivers around us in mind too. Auto Safety Magnets has a focus strictly on car safety for teen drivers, their parents and driving schools. Our magnets will increase road awareness and traffic safety. Help keep the roads safe for you and other drivers. We invite you to sign-up for our free newsletter covering Driving Schools, Car Safety and Teen Drivers at our website.

More information about the above can be found at:
www.essortment.com
www.keepkidshealthy.com

About the Author:
Melih Oztalay, CEO
Auto Safety Magnets
www.autosafetymagnets.com
melih@autosafetymagnets.com
This article was posted on March 08, 2005
Article Source: articlecity

RV Driving Safety—A Few Suggestions

RV driving safety should be at the forefront of your mind whether you have hundreds of thousands of miles of RV driving under your belt or you are a new RV driver. Both drivers of towable and motorized rigs should be aware of RV driving safety practices and precautions to keep them and other drivers safe on the road. It is a responsibility that every driver needs to take seriously. Although some of these RV driving safety tips are not new, they are always good to take a look at again.

Keep Your Eyes on the Road-the Number One RV Driving Safety Tip!

Although you may wonder how it is possible for someone not to see you and your very large, very visible RV driving down the road, it is essential to RV driving safety that you are always aware of other drivers and that the are aware of you. If you have a clear view of the road, it is best to be aware of traffic 12 to 15 seconds ahead of where you are. This will be less distance if you are driving slower. If you are lucky enough to have rear view cameras as an RV driving safety accessory on your RV, then use them to keep an eye on traffic even if you are not parking or backing up.

RV Driving Safety and Communication

You have many RV driving safety tools available to you to help you to let other drivers know what you are planning to do. When you are checking your RV prior to departure, make sure that all of the lights and signals are in good working order. Once you are on the road, give other drivers and extra few seconds of warning when you are turning or changing lanes.

Do not forget to bring along a safety and emergency kit with traffic cones, warning markers and/ or flares in case you need to make a roadside stop in an emergency. Turn on your flashers and pull as far over to the side of the road as you possibly can.

Driving Tips:

Use your high-beam lights when you are on an unlit road unless there is an approaching car within 500 feet.

Don’t speed. Your RV is much heavier than most cars and will take longer to stop.

When the weather is windy, rainy or snowy, slow down. You will get where you are going eventually and you will be alive. If you start to slide, then turn into the direction of the skid.

Don’t tailgate. You may rear-end someone and it is rude.

About the Author:
Margarette Tustle writes articles about Recreational Vehicles of all kinds as well as RV financing. For more information about safer RV Driving visit quickrvinsurancequotes.com
Article Submitted On: August 31, 2006
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Her 13-year-old daughter’s tragic death in a drunk driving accident in 1980 prompted Candy Lightner to form Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, a non-profit organization in the United States and other countries.

The organization began to grow rapidly in 1983 when a film on Lightner was aired on television, making MADD a household name. It tasted its most cherished success with the imposition of a 1984 federal law that asked states to raise the minimum legal purchase and possession (but not the drinking age) to 21 or lose federal highway funding. Once the United States Supreme Court upheld the law in 1987, every state fell in line.

In 1990, MADD launched its ""20 by 2000"" plan to reduce by 20% the proportion of traffic fatalities that are alcohol-related by 2000. In fact, this came three years early in 1997. In 1991, MADD released its first Rating the States report in which it graded the states in their progress again drunk driving. Since then, Rating the States has been released four times. MADD’s National Board of Directors in 1999 unanimously voted to change the organization’s mission statement and include the prevention of underage drinking, whether or not the drinking was associated with driving.

Since the establishment of the organization, it has played a key role in getting thousands of anti-drunk driving laws passed. It also helped popularize the use of ""designated drivers.""

In recent times, MADD lobbied hard to reduce the legal limit for blood alcohol from BAC .10 to BAC .08. Eventually in 2000, this standard was passed by Congress, and by 2005, every state had an illegal .08 BAC limit.

MADD has successfully advocated, and still advocates, laws for more stringent punishment of offenders of laws against driving under the influence, as well as laws against drinking and driving.

About the Author:
Josh Riverside
Drunk Driving provides detailed information on Drunk Driving, Drunk Driving Lawyers, Drunk Driving Accidents, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and more. Drunk Driving is affiliated with Cancer Treatment Centers.
Article Submitted On: August 21, 2006
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Save Money On Young Driver Car Insurance

A study recently released has revealed that the average driver in Britain will be involved in a car accident every six and a half years.

When balanced out, that equates to every individual being the victim of nine accidents during their life. It seems a truly staggering statistic, and one that most people are unlikely to walk away from without suffering an injury at some point.

Even if you manage to avoid damaging yourself in all nine accidents, the likelihood is that your car will come off slightly less healthily. And that’s why there’s such a need for proper car insurance cover.

The Government have announced that they want to cut the number of car accidents by 40% by 2010, a big target but one that they feel is achievable. With driving tests becoming stricter, it is the young drivers of Britain who are being tasked with realising the objective; after all, they are the ones who are involved in the most amount of accidents.

But it is not just to satisfy Government targets that young drivers should improve their driving habits, it is for the sake of their own wallets too.

A result of the terrible reputation that they have means that young driver car insurance is horrendously expensive when compared to a motorist of more mature years. Some of the balance can be re-addressed by buying a motor insurance policy from a firm that deals specifically with young driver car insurance, and so is able to offer a significant discount, but the fact remains that young drivers will have to pay a large amount in order to insure their car.

If the Government’s 40% reduction in accidents is achieved, then in the future young driver car insurance will be more in line with that of older drivers. But until that time, there are several ways that young motorists can reduce their premium, and Hoot Car Insurance Services, specialists in providing young driver car insurance, have revealed a few tips that are guaranteed to save a couple of quid.

One of the best ways to get a cheap car insurance premium is to enrol on an advanced driving course such as PassPluss. The idea might seem like a massive hassle after all the driving lessons that you’ve already done, but it really will be worth it to save the money. And on top of that, the courses do teach some important skills that standard driving lessons just don’t offer.

Instead of having your own motor insurance, it might be tempting to become a named driver on a parent’s policy. Bad idea. It might save a little bit of cash now, but in the long-term you’re only going to lose out- and lose out big style. A no claims discount is one of the most important things that a driver can have to get cheap car insurance, and by becoming a named driver you won’t get one. As a result, a few years down the line when you do finally get your own motor insurance, instead of having a nice cheap premium because of your years of no-claims, you’ll have to start from scratch and pay out for an expensive policy. It’s just not worth it.

Ensuring the security of your vehicle is something that car insurance companies like to hear, and so will give you a discount if you can show that your car is not a thief’s paradise. Keep it in a garage, but if that’s not possible then a driveway will do- anything to keep it off the street. Invest in a steering lock, an immobiliser and an alarm, and if you really want to get a cheap car insurance policy, get hold of a tracker too.

On top of these few industry secrets, the one thing that you can do to keep your young driver car insurance premium at a low is simple. Drive sensibly.

Speeding points in your first few years of driving really rack up the price of motor insurance, as does any accident that you’re unlucky enough to be involved in. Drive carefully, follow the few tips above and be sure to buy your policy from a firm that specialises in young driver car insurance, and you’re guaranteed to save a lot of money. Money that can be better spent on far more interesting things than boring old car insurance.

About the Author:
Katy Lassetter, Hoot Car Insurance Services
Hoot Car Insurance Services are specialists in providing fantastically cheap young driver car insurance. For a free quote in matter seconds just call 0808 144 9954 or go to http://www.hootcarinsurance.co.uk
This article was posted on February 23, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

Safe Driving Tips - Hold Life in Your Grips

Present generation cars and vehicles are so well teamed up with advanced safety gadgets that accidents should not even be remote possibilities. Yet, we hear of road-accidents every now and then. In fact, fatalities of accidents far outnumber deaths due to other causes and in most cases, you will come to know that the accident could have been avoided had the one behind the wheel abided by safe driving tips. Remember, safe driving tips translate into safety and well being for you as well as others sharing the tarmac with you.

Speed, in all probability, is the most vital of all the safe driving tips. Reckless driving and exceeding speed limit will amount to committing suicide. Maintaining the legal speed limit promises you all the advantages and gives you a superior control while you drive a vehicle.

Wearing safety belts while driving is mandatory in many countries. These days, even passengers are required to use safety belts. Maintaining a safe distance between two vehicles is crucial to avoiding accidents.

Apart from these generic "drive safely" rules, there are some specific safe driving tips, which you need to adhere to in order to steer your vehicle in the right course. Accordingly, a safety tip for bad weather conditions will be to slow down. Driving becomes a big challenge when it rains and snows. The tires lose traction and your vehicle tends to skid. Going slow gives you the opportunity to take defensive action.

Similarly, slow down at intersections and watch-out for the light-signals. The other safety tip you need to abide by at intersections is to make a slow start even when the red light turns green. Always check both the sides - right and left - before driving through an intersection.

Overtaking a vehicle safely necessitates taking certain cautionary measures. You should carefully look into all the mirrors to watch-out for any approaching vehicle and then signal your move into the passing zone. Once in the passing zone, you need to accelerate to go past the other vehicle.

Routine checking of vehicle is essentially a maintenance tip, however, it plays an equally important role in safe driving.

The "last but not the least" tip will be in the same cautious tone - "Never attempt driving unless you are hundred percent attentive and fresh". Even the whole lot of safe driving tips will pledge you no safety if you go about tugging you car even when you are fatigued, tired to the hilt or drive in an intoxicated state. Alcohol and many non-prescription, over-the-counter drugs are known to affect the brain and the central nervous system. This numbs your sensations - blurring your vision, impairing your decision making capability and allowing you lesser time to react - thereby, affecting your driving acumen and proficiency.

About the Author:
David Maillie holds numerous patents including his recently awarded patent for headlight repair, cleaner and restorer. For more information on automotive safety please visit: MDwholesale.com
Submitted: 2006-05-02
Article Source: GoArticles

Kids and Cars - Driving Is More Hazardous When School Is In Session

The new school year has started. That means a lot more traffic on the roads, and a lot more kids crossing streets, parking lots and driveways. Parents drop off their children at school in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon.

And little does anyone realize the dangers.
With today's prevalence of SUV's, Minivans, and sedans with high back ends, visibility behind these vehicles is seriously compromised. When mom or dad puts the car into reverse, they are taking it on faith that whatever is behind the car will get out of the way.
Automobile manufacturers are dealing with this safety problem by offering (on select high-end models) a device designed to help a driver when in reverse. These little electronic marvels, often called Reversing Aids or Backup Sensors, can literally be lifesavers.

Ask Dr. Greg Gulbransen.
On October 19, 2002 Dr. Gulbransen was backing his SUV into his driveway when he ran over his 2 year old son Cameron.
If Dr. Gulbransen would have been aware that something was behind him -- whether it was something as precious as his son, or as trivial as a mailbox -- he could have stopped the car before a tragedy occurred.
If you've never seen or used a reversing aid, you might be surprised at how technically advanced they actually can be.
Reversing aids use a variety of technologies to sense an object behind the car. Some units use Doppler radar, and others use infrared sensors, but by far the most accurate method of detection is the one the U.S. Navy uses on its submarines: sonar.
Sonar can operate in any weather, including direct sunlight or rain. And it doesn't require that the car be moving in order to sense an obstruction.

And that's when the device has to warn the driver.
Some of the least expensive models use a tone which beeps more rapidly as you get closer to an obstacle. Although you have no real indication of how far you are from an object, you can at least hear the relative distance just by listening to the beeps. Compare that to other devices which actually have LED displays on your dashboard. These are cumbersome -- almost useless -- because when you drive in reverse, you naturally look behind you, and you'll never see the little red lights.

That's why an audible sensor is best. But even better than a beeping indicator is one that tells you in a spoken voice exactly how far away you are. Not only do you not have to look forward at your dashboard, you'll know without guessing how much further you can safely back up.

When buying a new car, ask your dealer if a backup sensor is available for your model. If a new car is not in your plans, then search Google or your favorite search engine for Backup Sensors or Reversing Aids that you can add to your car.

Another valuable resource is the Technology page at http://www.KidsAndCars.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to children's safety in and around automobiles. Janette Fennel, who runs the organization, has compiled a list of different reversing aids.
She's a big fan of these devices.

Ms. Fennell is also a champion of children's safety, and is responsible for proposing much new legislation in this area, including the recently proposed legislation H.R. 2230, the Cameron Gulbransen Kids And Cars Safety Act of 2005, which has also been supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The bill would require that the Department of Transportation establish regulations and deadlines by which light vehicles "would be equipped with a variety of safety measures, including a rear-ward visibility standard and driver notification systems", says Ms. Fennell.

This type of legislation is a necessary stepping stone in order to strengthen car safety codes throughout the country.
Whether or not you have children, think carefully before backing up. When you buy a new car, ask the dealer if a reversing aid is available for your model. If not, consider adding one to your current car.
Even if you don't have kids, or if school is not in session, it's worth the peace of mind.
Just ask Dr. Gulbransen.

About the author:
Jerry Appleby is Manager of Public Safety and Information at American Dealer Services, exclusive distributor of Bak-Talk, reversing aid with voice indicator and sonar technology.
Visit http://www.Bak-Talk.com for more information on the safety benefits and other applications for backup sensors.
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