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With more reports of distracted driving accidents each year, doing your part to reduce these incidents is easier than you might think.

Make all the adjustments inside your vehicle before pulling away from the house. Pick the radio station, set the GPS coordinates, and adjust the mirrors, long before you are speeding down the road. Keep your eyes on the road because in a second you could roll up on a distracted driver you may have missed if you were distracted too.

Take care of all your grooming needs at home before you start the vehicle...

 

Avoiding an accident on the road today is all about avoiding distractions and keeping your eyes on the road. These are a few distracted driving tips to help you stay safer on the road.

Secure everything in your vehicle that could roll around and cause you to take your eyes off the road while driving at high speeds. Take things off the dashboard, out of the cup holders, and off the seats. The fewer objects moving, the less chance you'll look away.

Driving in your car is not the time to use the mirror to take care of last-minute…

You're driving along and the "check engine" light comes on. You know you need to take your car for service, but how do you choose the right mechanic? There's a saying that a good mechanic could be worth their weight in gold.

The first step in finding the right mechanic is learning a little bit about your car. You can access basic auto information online. You can find out the meaning of your check engine light and learn what goes into basic auto service.

When it comes time to pick the mechanic, check to see if the technicians…

When you're getting ready to buy a new car, you want to make sure you're doing your research. Exploring your options can expose you to new types of vehicles that you may have never driven before. If cargo space is something that matters to you, you might consider buying a hatchback.

These versatile vehicles were built with practicality in mind. They have the feel and efficiency of a more compact car, but they go above and beyond in terms of cargo space. When the rear seats are folded flat, the space you have can rival what you might…

Your vehicle’s suspension system is actually a complex collection of mechanical parts. All of those different components work together to give you full control over your vehicle no matter the terrain. That is why it is so important for all drivers to have a basic understanding of how suspension systems work.

When you are driving on surface streets in Bakersfield, your suspension is going to keep your tires pointing forward until you turn the steering wheel. As soon as you hit a speed bump or pothole, the struts and springs will keep the body of the vehicle relatively still…

A properly maintained differential is going to last for years, but major mechanical problems can still happen at any time. Problems with your differential need to be caught early on so that other key components of your vehicle don’t become damaged. Here are a few early warning signs of differential problems that should never be ignored.

As a general rule, your car should be inspected by an experienced mechanic if you ever notice any unusual whirring or grinding noises. Those noises are often the result of a differential that is no longer properly lubricated. You might also notice...

 

Testing the power of your car's battery is easy if you are using a voltmeter.

• Before getting the test results, be sure the car engine is turned off and you are wearing protective glasses and gloves.
• If there are any visible signs of corrosion on the battery terminals, use a small wire brush to create two clean contact points.
• The voltmeter is simple to use because it only has two cables, red and black.
• The red cable will be connected to the positive side of the car battery.
• The black cable goes on the negative side of the battery…

Just about every driver on the road understands that tires do not last forever. As critical as they are to your vehicle's performance and safety, they are basically disposable. A new set of tires is not a cheap prospect, either. So it makes sense that when you put a new set on your vehicle you will want them to last for as long as possible.

The good news is that there are things that you can do to ensure that you get as much out of your tires as you can. For starters, pay close attention to the air…

The manifold, catalytic converter, muffler, and tailpipe are known to reduce noise. However, more importantly, the system is responsible for converting harmful gases and eliminating them from the vehicle. If one or more components wear out or become damaged, toxic fumes may enter the vehicle's interior, which poses a threat to occupants. As the gases are colorless and odorless, vehicle owners may not initially be aware of the problem.

Regularly inspecting your exhaust system may head off problems before they become serious. With the engine running, hissing...

If you are alive today – obviously, you are – then you most likely have a vehicle of your own. If that isn’t true, it’s almost always true that your household, collectively, will own one.

That vehicle – or more, if you own or have access to multiple – that’s close to you has hundreds of parts that make that car, that car. Even though cars often look a lot different form one another, you will find that the parts inside most of them are largely similar.

Every single part included in your vehicle will be made by the original manufacturer…