WomanOnWheels.ca

What vehicles get low scores in IIHS crash testing?

Auto companies make a fuss when their vehicles get high crash-test ratings, but they're much quieter when they don't. Some vehicles aren't doing so well in the updated ratings at the IIHS, and my story in Driving.ca tells you all about them.

Here are some answers to your winter tire questions

Do you need winter tires if your area doesn't get a lot of snow? How much of a difference does price make? And what's an "all-weather" tire? Find the answers to these and other winter-tire questions in my story at AutoTRADER.ca.

Here's what your vehicle safety tech does, and what to do when it doesn't

Modern cars can come with all sorts of high-tech safety assist functions, but they're not infallible. They can be confused or rendered temporarily inoperative by bad weather or some lane markings, and may be permanently put out of business if your collision shop doesn't repair your vehicle properly after a crash. Find out more in my story at AutoTRADER.ca.

Your car got flooded -- now what?

If it's bad enough it will end up as scrap, but there are some things you can do to save a car that's gotten wet. Find out more in my story over at AutoTrader.ca.

Ten auto innovations that flopped

Automakers are always trying new things, and while many of them turn out to be hits, there are a few that make it to market but then don't make it in the market. How about retractable steering wheels, heartbeat sensors, or in-car record players? Find out more in my story at the National Post (Driving.ca).

These are the 5 dumbest ways to sit in a vehicle

There's a right way to sit in a vehicle, and a wrong way -- and the wrong way can potentially kill you. Find out the worst ways to sit, and how to do it right, in my story at the National Post (Driving.ca).

Can you get a ticket if you don't clean snow off your vehicle?

Can you be fined for not cleaning snow off your vehicle in Canada? You can, but the law doesn't quite state it that way. Find out how it works in my feature story at AutoTRADER.ca.

Do you still believe these winter driving myths?

Do you need all-wheel drive? Is it okay when the roads have just been salted? And there's nothing I can do about black ice! Find the truth about ten winter myths in my story over at AutoTrader.ca.

How It Works: Checking Tire Pressure

Most of us don't do it, and checking it regularly can save on your fuel bill as well as keep you safer. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post (Driving.ca).

Are you guilty of these five dumb driving habits?

Do you hook the wheel, ride with your feet on the dash, let your pet loose in the car? Find out what dumb habits can be dangerous or even deadly in my story over at the National Post (Driving.ca).

Trailer towing: How truck companies are making it easier

Cars and SUVs have all kinds of active safety features. Trucks do too, and increasingly, automakers are tweaking them so they'll help out when you've got a trailer hooked to the back. Find out what they are and how they help in my "How It Works" column at the National Post (Driving.ca.)

How It Works: ABS

When you hit the brakes hard, the last thing you want is for them to lock up so you slide. Anti-lock brakes -- ABS -- help prevent this, but how? Find out in my "How It Works" column in the National Post (Driving.ca).

Truck guards vs truck skirts

Many people say that pedestrian lives could be saved if all trucks had the guards they've seen on tractor trailers -- but those are aerodynamic skirts, not guards. Find out the difference between them in my "How It Works" column at the National Post (Driving.ca).

Do you understand right-of-way?

Here's an interesting tidbit: the law doesn't give you the right of way; instead, it dictates when you have to yield it. Do you know what to do at a four-way stop, in a roundabout, or if there aren't any traffic signals? Find out in my "How It Works" column at the National Post (Driving.ca).

Today's rant: When you're turning right, LOOK to the right!

If your head turns to the right, you should be turning it that way, every time you make a right-hand turn. And far too many drivers don't, and so far too many pedestrians and cyclists get hurt. See what I'm talking about in my rant over at AutoTrader.

What's that on the side of the highway?

Ever drive along the highway and see what look like sheds with no sides, or spinning cups, or dirt piled against a fence, and wonder what it's all about? Alongside many highways, there are structures for animals, for determining the weather, and for helping to keep you safe. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Why do wheels come off?

Truck wheel separations make the news, but they can come off cars as well, and be just as dangerous. Find out why it happens, and how to help prevent it, in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

All-season, winter, all-weather: Do you know your tires?

You know about all-season and winter tires, but now you might have a third choice with all-weather tires. All of them have their pros and cons -- find out more in my story at AutoTrader.

What's the best way to prevent whiplash?

Adjust your head restraint properly and wear your seatbelt, for starters. That's about all you can do, because there's no federal mandate for whiplash protection, other than a minimum height requirement for the seat. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Should you put winter tires on a leased vehicle?

If you lease your vehicle, and might not buy it out at the end of the term, should you put winter tires on it? Check out the pros and cons in my story at AutoTrader.

Do you need winter tires?

You have all-wheel drive, you have high-tech safety features, and it doesn't snow much where you are, so you're good to go without them ... right? Find out why that ain't so in my story at the National Post.

Are you guilty of these bad driving habits?

Do you hook the wheel? Ride with your feet on the dash? Look straight ahead when the light turns green? All of these bad driving habits aren't just annoying -- they can be very dangerous. Find out more in my story at AutoTRADER.

How It Works: Traffic Calming

Municipalities don't just depend on cops with radar guns to slow vehicles down. There's a whole science of traffic calming, which uses such devices as speed humps, traffic circles, and even the use of "street furniture" to get drivers off the throttle. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Buying a new car? Here's what you will -- and might not -- get

Some auto items have been around long enough that automakers don't advertise them anymore, which doesn't always help you when you're buying a new vehicle. And while some have become mandatory, others are still optional. Will your car have anti-lock brakes, tire pressure monitoring, or disc brakes? Find out what it will or might have in my story at AutoTrader.

Windshield chips and cracks: When is it time for a fix?

Stars, bull's-eyes, half-moons -- these types of chips and cracks in your windshield aren't just ugly, but they can affect your vision. If they're bad enough, cracks can even affect your vehicle's structural integrity. Find out when it's time to get them fixed in my story over at AutoTrader.

Is it a car crash, or insurance fraud?

Insurance fraud is a huge issue, and it's easy to become a victim. And it's not just the crash itself: the tow truck operator, the body shop, and even the rehabilitation clinics might be in on the scam. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Why do the cops close the road for hours after a crash?

They seldom do, although it may seem that way if you're inconvenienced by a road closure. But there's a good reason for it. They're likely investigating a fatal or near-fatal collision, and they've got one chance to do it right.

They're not just looking for who's at fault -- although that's part of it -- but at factors like the road and conditions, to see if similar crashes can be prevented in future. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Buying an accessible vehicle? Here are some of your options...

While you can get almost anything converted to at least some sort of accessibility, getting the right vehicle for your needs can require expert advice and, in most cases, a fair chunk of change. None of the mainstream automakers convert vehicles themselves, but some offer rebates if you have it done. And there's even one that's purpose-built for wheelchair passengers -- find out more in my story at AutoTRADER.ca.

Electronic stability control: Staying off skid row

Electronic stability control is mandatory on new cars, and for good reason: it can help keep you going in a straight line if your vehicle starts to skid. Find out how it works in my technology column at the National Post.

How cars know to stay in their lanes, and warn you about other vehicles...

Once considered a science-fiction scenario, many cars are now able to keep their distance from the car in front, come to a complete stop and then start again in heavy traffic, warn if another car's alongside, and slam on the brakes if you're about to hit something. Find out how these work in my technology column at the National Post.

Towing and hauling this summer? Remember the M word!

It stands for maintenance, and it's one of the most important things when you're getting ready to go on your summer vacation. You also need to take precautions when hooking up a trailer, and when packing your vehicle, to ensure a safe trip. Find out more in my story at AutoTRADER.

Need collision repair? Proceed with caution!

Fixing a car after a crash is no longer a case of just hammering out the dents and spraying some paint. New cars can come with all sorts of technologies that your repair shop needs to know: crash-durable adhesives, airbag sensors, active safety features, and even how much paint a bumper can take. Find out more in my story over at AutoTRADER.

Tires: What you need to know

For all the safety items that your car may have, the most important ones touch the road: your tires. Everything else is there to get your butt out of the fire once the tires lose their grip. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Do you believe these nine driving myths?

Do you think you should never move vehicles after a crash? That the middle lane is the "driving lane"? Or that you should always be polite on the road? If you do, check out my list of nine driving myths over at AutoTrader.

Do you know how an airbag works?

You need to, because knowing how they work can help you stay safe around them. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

You know you need winter tires, but why?

It's all because of what's in the rubber, and what's on the tread. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Why do new cars crumple up when they're hit?

It's not to make body shops rich, but to save your life. "Crumple zones" first appeared in 1959, although it took a while before automakers around the world started using them. Find out more in my "Rearview Mirror" column at the National Post.

How do your brakes work?

After you press the pedal, what happens to make your car stop? It's all about using friction to stop a spinning object, which means parts wear down and you need to look after them to stay safe. Find out more in my "How It Works" column at the National Post.

Drivers versus the World: We ain't always the bad guys

Yesterday, I played tour guide in Toronto for some visiting relatives. The city was packed, as the city always is, and it wasn't always easy to drive there, as is always the case.

I almost hit two people: one a pedestrian, the other on a bicycle. And I came away angry as hell, because each of them did something stupid that put them in my path.

The pedestrian was a jogger, running along the sidewalk toward a curve in the road where I, a driver, had to veer left. It is a confusing intersection, because cars make that turn and then come to a stoplight (for those familiar with Toronto, it's the Don Valley Parkway exit onto Bloor, which takes you around the curve to Castle Frank). But that doesn't excuse what this woman did.

Although there is a sidewalk, pedestrians should be on the opposite side if they want to cross, because then they're not jaywalking across a three-lane road where cars are not required to stop before making the curve. But jaywalk is exactly what my jogger did. Fortunately, I spotted her on my left, running toward the road. I also noted that she was looking straight across at the opposite side, instead of to her right to see if there was a car about to flatten her.

Just as I figured she would, she ran right out and directly in front of my car. Since I'd anticipated her doing that, I was already on the stoppers. If I hadn't already been braking, I would have hit her.

A little while later, I was making a right-hand turn, on a green light. There were a lot of pedestrians in the area (Spadina and Nassau) and so I checked to my left, as well as to my right. That's when I saw a cyclist coming, and realized that even though he was looking at a red light, he had absolutely no intention of stopping. I did, which avoided him smashing into my driver's door.

In both instances, if I hadn't anticipated these people doing something incredibly stupid, there wouldn't have been time to hit the brakes and avoid the collision. In both instances, I blew my horn. I scared last night's dinner out of the jogger; she wasn't paying attention and had no idea she'd run into traffic. The cyclist, whose bag indicated that he was delivering food for some app-based service, didn't bat an eye. It was obvious he didn't give a fiddler's fart about traffic rules, or how close he came to being a statistic.

And what would have happened in each case, if I hadn't looked both ways, and hadn't anticipated what these people were going to do? The papers would have reported tragic cases of pedestrians or cyclists versus traffic. People would have brought flowers to the site, or set up a ghost bike. Activists would have wrung their hands about how vulnerable road users don't stand a chance in the city.

I would have been The Bad Guy. Because no one would have asked, "Well, who set it up for that collision to happen?"

People: it's a city. There is traffic. There are a lot of drivers who are at fault, who turn right while looking to the left, who run red lights, who turn in front of cyclists. As drivers, we have to look in every direction, no matter what, no matter if the light's green or if we're not required to stop. We have to anticipate situations, not react to them. We have to drive as if everyone is going to walk against the light, or dart out into traffic, or ignore the rules.

But vulnerable road users -- pedestrians and cyclists -- have to do their part, too. Take the damn headphones out of your ears and listen for traffic. Put down the goddamn phone and watch where you're going. Obey the lights. Obey the signs. Because if you don't, you're going to meet up with someone in a car. And believe me, no matter who's at fault, you're going to lose.

Do truck guards save pedestrian and cyclist lives?

The answer is "possibly," but one of the major issues is that most people don't realize that truck skirts -- shown in the picture -- are not the same thing as truck guards. Only one's meant specifically to protect other road users, and it's highly likely that you've never seen the one that is. Find out more in my story over at the Toronto Star.

Ten easy ways to become a better driver

It's actually not that difficult to become a better driver, and most people could vastly improve by just following a few simple tips. I've got ten of them in my story at the Toronto Star.

How does the highway get cleaned up?

We've all seen stuff on the highway - shredded tires, mufflers, and stuff that's fallen off of trucks and trailers. But how does it get cleaned up?

I went out to watch a crew and found that it's an extremely dangerous job that the public really doesn't appreciate. And yes, there's a bonus round of "weirdest things they've ever picked up!" Find out more in my report at the Toronto Star.

How to stay safe with your airbag

Airbags can save your life, but they also have the potential to do a lot of damage if you don't sit properly around them, or hold the wheel as you should. Find out more in my story over at the Chicago Tribune.

Are you guilty of these driving mistakes?

Any of these could put you in danger, and all of them are preventable. Find out if you're guilty of any of these driving errors by checking out my Toronto Star story.

Feet on the dash? Here's why you shouldn't ...

I spend a great deal of time writing about why front-seat passengers shouldn't ride with their feet on the dash. There's an airbag inside that deploys at some 300 km/h in case of a collision - even a relatively minor one.

Now I've found a post that shows precisely why you shouldn't ride with your feet on the dash. Never mind being told about it. Have a look and see.

Warning - This link contains very graphic photos of major foot trauma. Don't say you weren't warned. But if you know someone who continues to ride like this, send 'em the link.

C'mon, people, THINK!

I was at the grocery store today when I spotted the newest thing in "stick figure families," those ridiculous decals that people put on the windows of their vehicles.

These figures had names.

Okay, so the adult figures were simply "Mom" and "Dad." But each of the three children was identified by name, along with the appropriate interests: one was a hockey player, one a dancer, and one was a baby still in diapers.

So let me guess what would happen if I walked up to said family in the store and said, "Hey, Jimmy, how's hockey going? Say, Emma, how are you doing in ballet class?" And I'm a woman. Imagine a man doing that.

C'mon, people, think. You worry about your children, you tell them not to talk to strangers, you drive them everywhere so they'll be safe, and then you tell the whole world their names and what they like to do? (I've even seen one where the child figures had their ages under them.) There's cute, and then there's dumb. Guess which one this is.

Pedestrian safety: Pay attention!

Even if you have the right-of-way as a pedestrian, you're not going to win any battle with a car. I have a list of tips for those on foot in the Toronto Star - check it out by clicking here.

Are you too tired to drive?

Being sleepy behind the wheel can be just as dangerous as being intoxicated, but a surprising number of people drive when they're tired. Read about the danger in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Seatbelt safety: Let's teach from other's mistakes

Okay, I'm going to go out in a direction that may make some people uncomfortable. And if you know the people in my story, I'm sorry that you're dealing with this grief. But I think it needs to be said.

Earlier this week, a 17-year-old girl was killed, and her 17- and 18-year-old friends were airlifted to hospital in critical condition, when they were involved in a single-vehicle crash in the Toronto area.

The girl who was killed, and one of those critically injured, were ejected from the van because they weren't wearing seatbelts.

The three attended a Catholic school, and so in addition to offering grief counsellors for other students, the school held a meeting to pray for the three.

And I say, all that is fine. But after the prayers were done, there should have been a police officer brought up in front of all the students to say, "This is what can happen when you get into a vehicle and you don't wear your seatbelt. This is why it's the law, and this is why we tell you, over and over, to buckle up. No one should have died in this crash. Wear your seatbelt, so you don't end up dead as your classmate did."

Tough love? Oh, yeah. But sometimes, that's what people need. No one expects they'll ever crash, or be ejected from a vehicle. But when there's an empty desk in your class, when you realize your friend isn't coming back, that it happened to someone you know - then the message has a chance of getting through.

When incidents like this happen, we should use them to educate that person's peers. We often do things that may initially be unpopular, or even seem heartless, but we temper them with, "but if it saves one life, it's worth it." This tragedy, had it been used to educate, could have done exactly that.

Is your car trying to tell you something?

Your car might not be able to converse with you in the literal sense, but it does have ways that it "tells" you that it needs repair - odd smells, strange lights, and warning signs among them. I have a list of ten of them that you can find at Sympatico Autos by clicking here.