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 KnowledgeCentre |
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| | The very fact
that you are here, visiting this insurance website, shows that you are
somebody who puts a lot of thought into being well-prepared and leading
a superior quality of life. We are happy to offer you some interesting
information, tips and ideas to relish the experience of life and
living, to the fullest! | | | | | Pick an Insurance category | | | | | | | Information Required | | | | | | | Car Grooming
Here are some easy and useful tips to keep your car looking as good as new.
| | | Keep it Shiny |  | The best thing you can do to protect the painted exterior of your car is to wash it on a regular basis. This will remove industrial pollutants, bird droppings and other substances that can eat their way through the paint. | | The best choice for washing your car is the carwash-soap sold in auto parts stores (or as supplied by Amway or Modicare). In respect to other soap products, there is widespread disagreement on what is okay and what is not. | | Do not wash your car in full sunlight. You could end up spotting it permanently. Have the garden hose ready on stand-by to rinse off. Begin by washing the roof, using a sponge or soft cloth, and work your way down the car so that dirt from one area won't be rinsed onto parts already washed. | | After a thorough rinsing, dry the car with a soft cloth. Soak the soft cloth in water and wring it out before using it. | | Use the right edge of the road or painted road markings as a guide | | Be patient. Do not pass lines of traffic | | Once you've finished washing, check the painted surface for bug or tar spots. Solvents to remove these substances are available through auto parts stores. | | If the surface appears lightly scratched or spotted after washing and a solvent treatment, polishing it with a light polishing compound may be necessary. Apply it to small areas using a damp cloth or rubbing pad. Rub only until the scratches or blemishes disappear. If you overdo it or rub extensively on an edge, you'll end up with a bare spot. | | | next>> | | Final Wax and Polish | | When it comes to application of a final wax and polish, you have a number of options. The newest polymers (offered in both basic configuration and rather expensive kit form), provide the longest lasting protection. | | However many argue that polymers can't produce the lustrous sheen a conventional wax and silicone, can. Most products that offer a combination of wax and silicone also contain some abrasive for the removal of very minor scratches or stains. | | Sometimes these are offered in two - component systems, one being a cleaner, the other a wax. Component polishes do not contain abrasives. | | When applying a wax, work only in the shade or on a cloudy day. Apply the product to one small area at a time. Most wax manufacturers recommend working in areas of about 2 sq.ft at a time. | | When you've finished waxing, wash the car with lukewarm water and a soft rag to remove polish residue. Polish caught in crevices can attract moisture, which leads to rusting. | | Use wheel polish to clean and shine custom steel or aluminium wheels. | | A vinyl dressing will clean and protect plastic exterior and interior parts. | | next>> | | Carpet Cleaning
To clean interior carpeting, vacuum the interior thoroughly, and then scrub with carpet shampoo. You can use the same shampoo that you use in the house or purchase carpet shampoo through an auto accessories store.
The handiest type for use in cars comes in brush-applicator bottle. Instructions usually tell you to apply the shampoo, scrub until foam disappears, allow drying and then vacuum up the residue.
The final vacuuming is an important step. If you don't do it, the dirty residue will be left at the bottom of the carpet piles. Vacuuming on a regular basis will also help keep the carpets clean between shampoo treatments. | | | | | | Driving in Foggy conditions
Fog can be thought of as a cloud at ground level. It forms when the temperature drops to
the dew point (the temperature at which air is saturated), and invisible water vapor in
the air condenses to form suspended water droplets. Fog can reduce visibility to
1/4 mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions. If you can't postpone your
trip until dense fog lifts -- usually by late morning or the afternoon -- follow these tips.
| | Drive with lights on low beam. High beams will only be reflected back off the fog
and actually impair visibility even more | | Reduce your speed - and watch your speedometer. Fog creates a visual illusion of
slow motion when you may actually be speeding | | Listen for traffic you cannot see. Open your window a little, to hear better | | Use wipers and defrosters as necessary for maximum visibility | | Use the right edge of the road or painted road markings as a guide | | Be patient. Do not pass lines of traffic | | Do
not stop on a freeway or heavily travelled road. If your car stalls or
becomes disabled, turn your vehicle's lights off, and take your foot
off of the brake pedal. People tend to follow tail lights when driving
in fog. Move away from the vehicle to avoid injury. | | | | Good Driving Practices
This section describes how to do the most common driving manoeuvres safely and with consideration for other road users.
| | | Moving Off | | Before you turn on your engine, check that:
- • your rear view mirrors are clean and properly adjusted,
- • all doors, the bonnet and the boot are closed,
- • all safety belts (yours and those of your front-seat and back-seat passengers) are fastened,
- • your seat and headrest are properly adjusted.
| | When you are ready to move off, signal your intention to move out into traffic | | When moving off from the curb you must give way to other traffic and pedestrians | | When the way is clear, move out and adjust your speed to that of the normal flow of traffic | | Always look in your mirror but remember that there are blind spots, so always check over your shoulders as well. Traffic and pedestrians may be coming up beside your vehicle When moving off from a stationary position check your blind spots by looking around you | | | next>> | | Your road position | | Make sure you drive your vehicle far enough to the left to allow traffic to safely pass or overtake on the right but not so far to the left that you are driving on a cycle lane or blocking/endangering cyclists or pedestrians | | Changing traffic lanes | | Don't move from one traffic lane to another without good reason. You must give way to traffic already in the lane into which you are moving. | | Overtaking
Only overtake if it is safe for you and other traffic. Be particularly careful of features that may hinder your view of the road ahead, such as hills, dips, bends, bridges, roads narrowing or pedestrian crossings. Pay attention to the rules on road signs or markings (continuous, broken, single, double white lines) covered in the Traffic signs and road markings section. | | How to overtake safely | | Make sure the road ahead is clear so you have enough distance to allow you to overtake and get back to your own side of the road without forcing any other road user to move to avoid you | | Never directly follow another overtaking vehicle | | Give way to faster traffic already overtaking from behind | | Before overtaking check that the way is clear, check in your mirror and blind spots to ensure another vehicle is not approaching from behind. Give your signal in good time, move out when it is safe to do so, accelerate and overtake with the minimum of delay. | | When you are well past, check the mirror, signal and gradually move in again making sure not to cut across the vehicle you have passed. | | Take extra care when overtaking a vehicle displaying a "LONG VEHICLE" sign. This means that the vehicle is at least 13 metres long and you will need extra road length to pass it and safely return to the left-hand side of the road. | | You must not break the speed limit, even when overtaking. | | Reversing | | Check for nearby pedestrians and traffic by looking carefully all around, in front of and behind you, over both your shoulders and in your mirrors. | | Take special care where small children may be gathered, such as schools, playgrounds, residential roads, car parks or your own driveway. | | If your view is restricted, ask for help when reversing. | | Give way to other traffic or pedestrians. | | When reversing from a major road onto a minor road, wait until it is safe, reverse slowly far enough into the side road to allow you to take up the correct position on the left-hand side when rejoining the major road. | | Take extra care when reversing in darkness. | | If you are in doubt get out of your vehicle and check the area. | | You must not reverse from a minor road onto a major road as it is unsafe to do so. | | next>> | | U-Turns
You should make a U-turn only when traffic conditions make it completely safe to do so. | | Check there are no signs or road markings prohibiting a U-turn, for example a continuous centre white line | | Check that the road is not one way | | Look for a safe place, where you can see clearly in all directions | | Give way to all other road users | | Check carefully for cyclists and motorcyclists | | Do not delay or prevent pedestrians from crossing safely | | Make sure there is sufficient room to complete your manoeuvre safely and smoothly | | Stopping at the road’s edge | | Check in your mirror to make sure you can slow down and stop safely | | Signal your intention to change course and pull in | | Signal your intention to slow down either through the brake lights or by moving your right arm up and down outside your vehicle window if you think your brake lights might not be working. | | Towing
If you are towing another vehicle or a trailer (including a boat trailer or a caravan) remember the following points. | | Make sure the tow bar or other towing device is strong enough and attached securely so that it does not break or become loose when used | | next>> | | Driving at night
Make sure all your lights, indicators, reflectors and number plate lighting are clean and in good working order so that you can see clearly and be seen at all times. A clean windscreen is also important when driving at night.
Drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the distance covered by your lights. Assuming good driving conditions on an unlit road, the headlights of a typical car let you see for about 100 metres. Dipped lights will let you see for about 30 metres and a car traveling at 100km/h will cover this distance in approximately a second.
Keep your headlights adjusted properly. If they are out of line, they may dazzle oncoming traffic, even when dipped.
Even with the best headlights, you can see less at night than during the day. Pedestrians and unlit bicycles are extremely difficult to see in the dark, particularly if you have to deal with the glare of oncoming lights
| | Horn Usage
Only use a horn to: | | Warn other road users of on-coming danger, or | | Make them aware of your presence for safety reasons when reasonably necessary | | Remember, the horn does not give you the right of way.
Do not use a horn in a built-up area between 23.30hrs and 07.00hrs unless there is a traffic emergency.
| | | | | | When the monsoons come pouring, here are a few pointers to keep your car in ship shape and have a safe and pleasurable journey.
When the monsoons are well and truly here we are usually reminded of piping hot drinks to warm up the cold wet days. While the lush greenery that the monsoon brings might make your drive more scenic, it also brings along numerous hazards which cannot be overlooked. Here are a few pointers to help you breeze past this season with safety and style.
With the car having to bear the brunt of the lashing rains, pot-hole ridden roads, flooding and what not, it is important to keep your car in ship shape with a good pre-monsoon checkup. Here are a few things that need to be looked into specifically.
| | | Tyres
Tread depth and tread pattern are of primary importance when it comes to tyres. Assuming the tyres have enough tread depth, a wrong tread pattern may not throw enough water away from the tyres, and cause aquaplaning.
The rubber compound of your tyre also makes a significant difference at higher speeds.
Under or over-inflated tyres can induce aquaplaning sooner than expected.
| | | Suspension Geometry
Suspension affecting driving in the wet may sound strange but it very well does. A wrongly aligned wheel can affect stability due to uneven forces acting up. Wrong steering geometry can further exaggerate this misbehaviour. | | | Breaks
Uneven braking force on the four wheels may cause loss of directional stability. Check all the brake pads and replace if necessary. Panic braking instances on wet roads can make the car lose control very easily, in which case a good Antilock braking systems (ABS) can be a saviour. | | | Wipers
A good set of wiper blades with soft rubber compounds and an even cutting edge will ensure adequate visibility. Do not forget alignment of the blade arms. | | | next>> | | Driving in Monsoons
As driving conditions vary widely between dry and wet, here are some tips to drive safely: | | Reduce speed. It takes far longer to slow down in the wet | | As most of our roads are crowned towards the centre, water accumulates in the outer lanes. As far as possible, stick to the middle lane | | Maintain three times the distance you usually would from other vehicles | | Driving in the tracks of a car ahead of you is advisable as chances are your tyres will need to disperse less water as the car in front will have created a relative dry path | | Do not follow large buses or trucks too closely. The spray from the wheels will block vision | | Avoid excessive use of brakes | | Turn on your headlights in dark, gloomy conditions so that you are seen by others on the road | | Allow for more travel time between destinations | | You should be more alert for stop signals, especially at junctions | | Never drive beyond the limits of visibility. At night, wet roads turn dangerous Glare of oncoming lights, amplified by rain on your windscreen and reflected off the wet road, can cause temporary loss of visibility | | Never drive through moving water if you cannot see the ground through it. The force of the water may be more than the weight of your car | | When driving through a flood, go slowly. If it is deeper than the bottom of your doors, turn around | | Dry your feet before entering the car. Wet feet can slip off pedals, which is very dangerous | | Keep windscreen washer fluid topped up and on a long journey carry some extra in the boot too. | | next>> | | Monsoon Check
Before you turn that ignition key and head out for that rainy ride, remember to check for: | | Wipers | Smooth functioning, condition of arms. If cracks appear on the blade, replace it otherwise the streak on the windshield will strain your vision. | | Tyres | Minimum 2mm depth including your spare. Check pressure of all five tyres | | Lights | Check your high, low and especially brake lamps | | Electricals | Check that no malfunction lights have come on. | | Windows | All windows should shut perfectly without gaps, otherwise the monsoon will be in your car. | | Brakes | See if the handbrake works properly. Be alert for excessive pedal travel | | Corrosion | A common myth going is that you should wait for the monsoon to play havoc with your paint and then deal with it. No, get anti-corrosion work and a paint job done beforehand - they'll weather the season well. Remember, waiting for the monsoon to end is like opening an umbrella after a shower. | | | | | | | Tips for Racing enthusiasts
There is no greater thrill for a budding car-racer than seeing his first championship trophy or simply gaining an edge in the world of Auto-racing. Auto racing is a simulated sports activity that requires extreme mind focus, concentration and strength. Moreover, it requires special skills and expertise that only a trained and well-educated car-racer can posses. These simple tips can be really useful in honing your skills.
1. Do your homework - read up
Motor racing is not all about practical applications and stepping on the gas acceleration at once.
One of the best pointers in achieving success in car racing is to read more information regarding the principles and theories of car racing.
Do your homework and expand your knowledge about car-racing. The more information you know, the more chances of appropriately applying the advice on the field.
2. Fluids, fluids, fluids
Fluids are vital as the heat generated from racing exhausts both car and driver. Experts recommend that car racers should ensure that their car parts are in top working condition. Likewise, it’s imperative to maintain the driver's physical fitness while racing.
3. Attitude spells success
Experts say that nearly 80% of car racing success is not built on skills and expertise. It is more on the attitude of the driver.
In order to finish the race as safely as possible, car racers should maintain a positive attitude. Anxiety and stress on the tracks can cause mishaps and even death. Discipline and composure go a long way in avoiding any problems on the road.
4. Be alert
A common tip for drivers in general, becomes top most priority in the world of racing.
Attentiveness when driving at greater speeds enables the driver to concentrate on the proper application of brakes, clutch, and acceleration, and while navigating turns.
Ultimately, nothing should go wrong as long as the car-racer knows what to do while he is on the race track.
| | | | | | | Preparing for Road Trips
A big road trip is looming in the exciting future. Can you be sure that your car is ready? Before you head out on the open road, there are some important safety checks you need to make. After all, nothing would ruin a vacation faster than serious car trouble on your way to your destination!
One Month before Leaving
Preparing for a car trip starts long before you are ready to go. About a month before you are ready to leave, there are some steps you need to take.
First, you need to complete any major repairs that are needed on the vehicle. Often repairs lead to the discovery of more problems, and you want to be sure that your car is in the best shape possible before you take a long trip.
If you are traveling in the summer or headed somewhere that is significantly warmer than your home, have your coolant checked. If you are traveling where it will be below freezing, make sure the coolant has the proper amount of antifreeze in it. Change the coolant if it needs to be changed.
This is also the time to check your tires. Do a tread check. If the tread is too worn out, you need to replace your tires. While this might seem like a very big expense, worn tires can burst while driving, which can be a very dangerous situation. Also, make sure your spare is inflated and that you have the necessary tools to change a tire if needed, such as a jack and a wrench.
This is also a good time to spring for a brake inspection. Brakes that fail can cause serious accidents, and often something as simple as replacing the brake pads can keep your family much safer. It is better to know now that something is wrong with your brakes, rather than finding out as you are driving.
Finally, check the glove box for the car's owner's manual, insurance card, and registration. If any of these items are missing, request them. You can order a manual from the car's manufacturer, or you may be able to download it online. If your motor insurance or registration is going to expire while you are on your trip, renew it before you leave.
| | | next>> | | The Week You Leave
When you are getting closer to the time of your departure, head to the mechanic to have an oil change done along with any other routine maintenance that is due on the vehicle. You may wish to schedule a full tune-up. You want your car to be running as efficiently as possible before you head onto the open road. Check the pressure in the tires and double check the tread. Make sure the air filter is clean, because a dirty air filter will reduce your gas mileage. If the air filter has been in the car for 10,000 or more miles, go ahead and change it, even if you do not think it looks dirty.
Now you need to clean out the interior of your car. You need room for your luggage, and anything that you do not need simply adds weight to the vehicle, which cuts down on your gas mileage. Some things you should not remove, however, are your first aid kit and emergency supply stash. Make sure these are well stocked. However, if you are not going to be in cold weather, you can remove the winter emergency kit from the car, if you have one. Don't get the car washed or vacuum the interior yet, however, because you still have a week to get it dirty again.
If you do not have an atlas, buy a good one. If you do have one and it is old, replace it. GPS systems and map printouts are great, but an atlas is one tool that you can rely on even if the electronics stop working. Also, you may be forced to take a detour, either due to construction or because you want to see some sights, and your printed maps or GPS may not help in this situation, as they are going to show you the shortest possible route to your destination.
| | next>> | | The Day Before Departure
The day before you are scheduled to leave, you need to check the tire tread and the tire pressure again. Tires are not something to leave to chance, so make sure they are in good shape before you leave! Check the owner's manual to see if your vehicle has separate tire pressure recommendations for heavy loads or high speeds, both of which probably apply to you as you prepare for your trip. If you need to make an adjustment, do so when you fill up, which is another thing you can do the night before you leave. Then you have one less thing to do on your way out of town the next day.
Packing up to Leave
On the day of departure, think carefully about where you pack your items in your vehicle. The heavier items should be placed as far forward as possible. Also, try to keep the load level. Make sure that you do not overload your vehicle. Remember, every vehicle has limits. These tips will help to increase your fuel economy as you drive. It will also keep your family safer if you should run into inclement weather along the way. A car that is packed unevenly is more prone to spinning off of the road and does not get good gas mileage.
| | next>> | | Tune -Up | | Tune Up: | If your car hasn’t had a tune up lately, now is the time. Have someone check your brakes, filters, and change the oil. Also have your mechanic check your brake lights, headlights, and turning signals for you. | | Tires: | Make sure your tires are at the proper pressure and have good tread. Bald tires can cause skids and blowouts, and that’s definitely not something you want to worry about heading down the highway. | | Fluids: | Besides the oil, you want to make sure your washer fluid is topped off and your radiator is properly filled.
| | You | | Keys: | Have an extra set of car keys in your purse or in your pocket. You never know when you may lock your keys in the car, and there may be no one to help you if you are far from home. | | Maps: | Have maps of each state you may be passing through. Have your course mapped out ahead of time to avoid confusion. There are some great online sites that can help with driving directions. | | Gas: | To be on the safe side, keep your tank full as you go along. Once your tank reaches the ¼ full mark, get gas as soon as you can. You might want to get into the habit of filling up once you hit the half full mark. You don’t want to run out of gas if you end up lost. Don’t forget to have a good gas can in your trunk, just in case you need it. | | Cell Phone: | Your battery should be fully charged and your hands-free unit hooked up before you pull away. You should never attempt to handle a phone while driving. Hands-free attachments are a little safer, but you should pull over to talk if at all possible. | | With these tips, you and your family will be as safe as possible on your next road trip. Remember, you cannot plan for the unexpected, but you can be as prepared as possible for whatever comes your way. Preparing your car is not just a good idea, but it is also essential to enjoying your vacation free from worry and hassle. | | | | | |
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