Fall Driving Safety Tips

As weather and road conditions change with the season, following fall driving safety tips will help keep you safe as you enjoy the cool crisp air and the beautiful colors of the autumn leaves.

The Dangers of Leaves on the Roads
When leaves accumulate on the roadway and become wet, they can get extremely slippery, making the driving conditions similar to driving on ice. If the temperature drops below freezing, the wet leaves will freeze and turn into dangerous icy leaves on the roadway. Besides reducing the car's traction, causing skidding and the possibility of losing control of the vehicle, leaves often cover the painted road markings, making it difficult to know the locations of the lanes.

• Slow down if you are driving on a road covered with leaves, especially when driving around turns.
• Allow yourself plenty of room to stop in an emergency. Keep a greater distance between you and the car in front of you.
• Leaves make it difficult to see potholes and bumps in the road.
• A pile of leaves raked to the side of the road is an inviting place to a child. Children enjoy jumping into the leaf piles or burrowing down into them and hiding. Never drive through a leaf pile. Use caution going around turns and where children are playing.
• Keep your windshield leaf free to avoid wet leaves getting stuck under the windshield wiper blades.
• In order to avoid the possibility of a fire hazard from the exhaust system or catalytic converter, never park your vehicle over a pile of leaves .

Changing Weather Conditions
In many areas, autumn is a damp, wet season. There are many rainy or foggy days and nights. As the temperatures drop, frost often coats the ground at night.

• When driving in fog, set your headlight to low beam. This setting aims the beam of light down toward the roadway.
• In the fall as temperatures drop, frost often forms on the roadway, causing hazardous driving conditions. Drive slowly and break gently at overpasses and bridges as these areas frost over more quickly than other roadway surfaces.
• Be aware of areas where black ice forms on the roadway.

Adjust for Fewer Hours of Daylight
In the fall there are fewer hours of daylight. In the earlier darkness it is common to see children outside playing or riding their bicycles. People are walking their dogs, jogging or taking late afternoon or evening walks. In the fading light of dusk it is more difficult to see the children and pedestrians.

• Watch out for children at their bus stops in the morning and as they return home in the afternoon.
• Halloween is a fun fall holiday. Take special care where children are out trick or treating. They may be wearing masks or costumes that limit their visibility.
• Always drive defensively.

Vehicle Maintenance

• Keep your headlights cleaned and in proper working order, making sure they are aligned.
• Replace your windshield wiper blades if they show any signs of wear.
• Keep an emergency car safety kit in your vehicle.

Additional Fall Safety Driving Tips

• Always keep a pair of sunglasses in your vehicle. Fall sunrises and sunsets can be very brilliant. The bright sun often creates a large amount of glare, making it difficult to see other vehicles, the roadway or the road's shoulder. Wearing sunglasses during these times reduces the danger.
• If you live in an area where there are deer, they are more apt to run into the roadway especially at dawn and dusk since the fall is an active breeding time. If you see a deer cross the roadway, proceed very slowly as they often travel in groups.

Naturally safe driving practices are essential all through the year. However, being aware of the unique autumn driving hazards and following the fall driving safety tips here will make you a safer driver.

Source: safety.lovetoknow.com

10 Driving Tips to Help Keep You Safe This Fall

Fall means a number of wonderful things, like warm, comfy sweaters, foliage, and baking pumpkin pies. For drivers, fall also brings unique dangers to the roads. Find out what makes fall driving dangerous and what you can do to keep yourself safe.

Why Driving In The Fall Can Be Dangerous

Weather conditions can be unpredictable in the fall. A bright, beautiful afternoon can turn rainy and cold in minutes. And with days getting shorter, you could find yourself commuting to or from work in darkness.

Back-to-school traffic
Fall means back to school for kids, which means more cars and buses on the roads. Drivers also need to watch out for increased pedestrian traffic in the morning and afternoon as children walk to and from school and their neighborhood bus stops.

Rain
The first rain in a few weeks can be particularly dangerous, as water pools on top of dust and oil that haven't had a chance to wash away and makes the pavement extremely slippery.

Leaves (and leaf peepers)
Fall foliage is certainly beautiful, but as leaves begin to fall, they litter the roads, making streets slick while obscuring traffic lines and other pavement markings. They also hide potholes and other road hazards. And when it rains, it can make those wet leaves on the roadway as dangerous as ice.

And where there are turning leaves, there are leaf peepers. These leaf-peeping drivers tend to crawl along the roads and make unpredictable stops to admire the changing foliage. If you're driving behind a car with out-of-state plates, give them a little extra space just in case they stop short for a photo.

Fog
Cold fall mornings often lead to fog, which can greatly limit your driving visibility and perception of distance. Fog tends to occur in low places or areas surrounded by hills, water, mountains, and trees. One common mistake drivers make during foggy conditions is putting on their high beams instead of staying with their low beams. This only makes visibility worse because your high beams will bounce off the fog and create glare.

When driving through fog, slow down and stay well behind the car in front of you so you'll have adequate time to stop if you need to.

Frost
During the fall, temperatures tend to drop dramatically during the night, which can lead to morning frost and icy spots on the road. This is especially common on bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas of the road.

Sun glare
Fall is also a bad time for sun glare on the roads. Sun glare can impact your sight for seconds after exposure, making it hard to see pedestrians, oncoming traffic, or the car in front of you. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers describe being "blinded" after exposure, and this sometimes leads to accidents or near misses.

Sun glare can also cause problems when the sun sets behind drivers. In this case, sunlight can bounce off your rearview mirror or reflect off traffic lights up ahead, and this can blind you for a split second while your eyes adjust. It can also make it hard (or impossible) to see traffic lights, which can prevent you from knowing if you're supposed to stop or go.

Deer
The fall season brings an increase in deer activity because it's their time for mating and migrating. If you live in a deer-heavy area, watch for darting deer, especially when driving at night.

Fall Driving Tips

• Being prepared for fall's inclement weather and hazardous driving challenges is half the battle.
• Watch your speed: Drive a bit slower when faced with fall driving hazards, especially if you're driving around a school bus.
• Keep your distance: Leave a little more space between you and the car in front on rainy or foggy days, during dawn or dusk, and in areas with wet leaves. This will give you more time to react.
• Stick with low beams: Keep your headlights on low when driving in the fog (and rain). High beams will only cause glare.
• Clear frost away from your windows: Frost can reduce visibility and response time on the road.
• Approach traffic lights carefully: Sun glare can make it harder to see traffic lights change, so approach them with more than the normal care.
• Avoid using products that increase gloss: Washing and waxing with these products can magnify the fall's sunny glare and make it hard to see.
• Clean your windshield, inside and out: When your windshield's illuminated by sunlight, dust particles, streaks, and smudges become magnified, making it hard to see the road.
• Watch for wildlife: especially in the early morning and evening hours.
• Check your tire pressure: Since fall weather rapidly changes from warm to cold, your tires will often expand and contract. This can lead to a loss of pressure.

Source: www.esurance.com

2016 Chevy Silverado puts on a better face

When Chevrolet introduced the redesigned Silverado pickup for 2014, you, our loyal readers, gave the new truck's front-end a lukewarm response. Aside from saying it was ugly, one commenter came to the far more damning conclusion that this brand-new vehicle already looked dated. For 2016, Chevy has attempted to address opinions like that, issuing a comprehensive facelift to its bread-and-butter pickup.

Designers cut way back on the chrome for 2016, fitting a body-color strip across the middle of the grille and going to a single-headlight design. Combined with twin LED running lamps, the new look is much more modern while still harkening back to the retro-ish look introduced a few years back. The new truck also gets a much more muscular and aggressive hood, while the front bumper is significantly more modern, and features vertical housings for what look like LED foglights.

The bad news, here, is that there's only one picture, shown above. We have no idea what changes Chevy has made to the rear of the pickup, nor do we know what other versions of the truck beyond the Z71 seen here may be available. The Bowtie brand did, however, confirm that we'd see a wider application of the eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as a new version of the MyLink infotainment system, which will play nice with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Look for much more on the freshened Silverado when it makes its official debut this fall.

Source: autoblog.com

Chevrolet planning new crossover between Equinox and Traverse

Chevrolet is taking a crowbar to its crossover lineup so it can slide in a new entry between the Equinox(shown) and the Traverse, according to a report in Automotive News. The current Equinox, a tweener compared to its rivals, will get smaller when the next-generation vehicle moves to the Delta platform that underpins the Chevrolet Cruze. The next Traverse will remain full-size, the liberated space between it and the smaller Equinox making room for a fourth offering from the brand.

Designed on a short-wheelbase version of the Traverse platform, AN's sources say it will offer three-row seating, and its architecture will also serve the Cadillac SRX successor, the XT5, and the redesigned GMC Acadia. Yes, the Acadia will also come down a notch in size. Once all the rationalizing is complete, the Trax, Equinox, new crossover, and Traverse would give consumers a quicker, easier way to compare size and features with the competition.

As it stands, the Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, Honda Pilot, and Toyota Highlander are all larger than the Equinox. The future offering and its two- and three-row seating options would take clear aim at those four vehicles, and the Equinox could focus on the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Jeep Cherokee segment. The new Chevy is predicted to go on sale at the end of next year as a 2018 model.

Source: autoblog.com

Four Chevrolets Rank Highest in J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality

DETROIT – The Chevrolet Malibu, Equinox (tie), Silverado LD and Spark ranked highest in their respective segments for the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Initial Quality Study^SM. Chevrolet has 10 models in Top 3 positions, more than any other brand, foreign or domestic. 

The other Chevrolet nameplates achieving a Top 3 score for their respective segment include the Sonic, Traverse, Camaro, Impala, Silverado HD and Tahoe.

“We are constantly challenging ourselves to bring to market the highest-quality products for our customers, regardless of the type of vehicle they purchase,” said Alan Batey, global Chevrolet president. “Quality studies like this one tell us we are moving in the right direction.”

The IQS announcement for 2015 models coincides with a strong May sales performance for many of the brand’s nameplates highlighted in the study. Overall, Chevrolet U.S. sales are up 1.6 percent over the same period last year.

Malibu: Total sales up 11 percent
Equinox: Total sales up 30 percent
Silverado LD: Total sales up 12 percent
Traverse: Total sales up 2 percent
Sonic: Total sales up 3 percent
Silverado HD: Total sales up 6 percent

The 2015 IQS is based on responses from more than 86,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2015 model year vehicles surveyed at 90 days of ownership. The study includes a 233-question survey designed to provide manufacturers with information they can use to quickly identify problems and drive improvement.

Source: http://media.chevrolet.com/

5 Ways Chevrolet Made 2016 Malibu Segment’s Lightest Approximately 300-lb weight reduction enhances efficiency, driving dynamics

DETROIT – Engineers developing the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu put the new midsize sedan on a strength-training program, making it sweat out a pound here and a gram there, in a quest to make it more fuel efficient, stronger and safer.

The result is an all-new Malibu that is nearly 300 pounds (136 kg) lighter than the current model – an achievement that not only gives it the segment’s lightest base curb weight, but also contributes to an estimated 48 mpg in city driving for the hybrid model and 37 mpg highway for the 1.5L turbo base engine. A lighter curb weight will also improve ride and handling.

“Imagine you’ve got a 300-pound lineman riding on the roof of your car and he decides to jump off – you’re going to notice a change in performance immediately,” said Jesse Ortega, chief engineer. “That’s what we’ve done with the 2016 Malibu, with the mass savings spread throughout the vehicle, providing greater overall balance, a more responsive and agile driving experience and lower fuel consumption.

“The Malibu team was challenged to look for weight savings in every area of the vehicle, no matter how small, because every gram adds up,” said Ortega. “The aim was to make Malibu the most mass-efficient car in its class.”

Here are five of the most noteworthy mass-saving achievements:

1. Leaner, stronger body structure
More than a third of the 2016 Malibu’s mass savings – approximately 120 pounds (54 kg) – comes from its all-new body structure, which features greater use of high-strength steels, enabling the use of thinner components in some areas, while delivering comparable or better crash performance.

The stronger-yet-lighter structure is also stiffer than the current model, which allowed suspension components to be tuned more precisely. Engineers had less body flex for which to account, contributing to the new Malibu’s sharper ride-and-handling reflexes.

Development of the Malibu’s structure is the result of extensive computational analysis, which employed sophisticated modeling programs to simulate dozens of design iterations that indicated the most strategic placement for high-strength steel elements such as the pillars and rockers – all while maintaining higher targets for strength, stiffness and crashworthiness.

“The analysis took the guesswork out of the Malibu’s development, allowing the chassis to be developed with the just-right level of structural components,” said Amir Sewani, structural engineer. “After the structure was determined, we started looking at all the components that are attached to it, evaluating where they could be optimized for lower weight.”

2. Greater use of aluminum

Light and strong, the incorporation of more aluminum in the 2016 Malibu contributes significantly to its lower weight. Examples include an aluminum hood that is 5.6 pounds (2.5 kg) lighter than current model’s aluminum hood, and aluminum suspension knuckles and chassis components, as well as lighter mounts.

An additional benefit of the aluminum suspension components is reduced un-sprung mass, which contributes to the Malibu’s responsiveness. 

3. Streamlined instrument panel assembly and lighter power accessories
New power window regulators collectively save 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) – a 34-percent reduction over the current model, while another 2.2 pounds (1 kg) was saved by reducing the complexity of components within the instrument panel. That included simplified construction with more integrated parts – and fewer components in the assembly.

Even the center console has a streamlined, one-piece structural shell that is 1.75 pounds (0.8 kg) lighter than the current model.

4. Lighter leather seats and other soft materials
The Malibu’s available leather seats are collectively 40.6 pounds (18.4 kg) lighter than the current model. Additionally, about 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) was saved with new trunk liner material and another 1.1 pounds (0.5 kg) was shaved with new, proprietary interior carpet material that also is more durable than the current model.

5. A lighter engine
The 2016 Malibu’s all-new, standard 1.5L turbo engine is 86 pounds (39 kg) lighter than the current model’s standard 2.5L engine, while delivering comparable performance. Its lighter weight also enhances the Malibu’s front-to-rear weight balance – another contributor of the car’s more responsive driving experience.

The 2016 Malibu goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2015. It will be offered in L, LS, LT and Premier trims, as well as a Hybrid model, which leverages Chevrolet Volt technology to offer segment-best estimated efficiency of 48 mpg city, 45 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined.

Source: http://media.chevrolet.com/

2016 Chevrolet Camaro Gets Angular Look, Aerodynamic Improvements

 DETROIT — The latest teaser photo of the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro reveals a new angular look for the coupe that targets the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger.

General Motors also said the 2016 Camaro logged 350 hours of wind-tunnel testing aimed at improving the car's aerodynamics.

"Drivers of the Camaro SS will experience a marked improvement in reduced aerodynamic lift," the automaker said in a statement on Monday.

The Camaro will arrive at Chevrolet dealerships in late fall, following a debut on May 16 during a public eventat Detroit's Belle Isle Park. Pricing has not been announced.

The Camaro aerodynamics team aimed at improved performance, stability, cooling and lower wind noise, without sacrificing fuel economy.

"To balance these different aerodynamic targets, we tested literally hundreds of changes on the new Camaro, millimeters at a time," said Kirk Bennion, Camaro exterior design manager, in a statement.

The initial design called for the lower grille bars to be set at a 20-degree angle to the horizon. But after testing, the team improved engine-cooling airflow by 1 percent by shifting the angle to 13 degrees, a change that achieved the airflow target while maintaining the original grille design.

Instead of a traditional airdam to cut aerodynamic lift, the team developed a flush belly pan that stretches from the front grille to the center of the vehicle.

"Paired with small 'spats' forward of the front tires, the smooth underbody helps reduce total lift by 30 percent, while also reducing aerodynamic drag," GM said.

Car shoppers can begin to put together their 2016 Camaro later this summer with the help of an onlineCamaro "visualizer" that precedes the vehicle configurator.

In addition, the Camaro will embark on a major road trip following its May 16 debut that will take it to a variety of venues, including the Indianapolis 500 and Camaro enthusiast events.

New 2016 Chevy Volt ad arrives in time for Tomorrowland

As summer approaches, so do the blockbusters. We've already seen Furious 7 and The Avengers: Age of Ultron, while Mad Max: Fury Road arrives this week. Next week's big debut is Disney's Tomorrowland, starring George Clooney, and not surprisingly, the advertising campaign is kicking into gear.

Perhaps attempting to capitalize on the high-tech theme of the flick, Chevrolet has teamed up with Disney for the second-generation Volt's very first commercial appearance. As we reported previously, the Volt will star on the big screen when Tomorrowland hits theaters, and it will be accompanied by the EN-V Concept.

Take a look at the Volt's Tomorrowland spot, up top.

1965 Chevy Corvette Cutaway Expected To Bring Up To $1.4 Million At Auction

This cutaway display stand features a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray fuel injection car built from a prototype with 4 miles on the clock in 1964. It’s going up for auction and is expected to bring somewhere between $1,000,000 and $1,400,000.

Built for the 1965 Motorama show, it went essentially missing, spending 30 years in storage in South Africa before being brought back to the U.S.

Originally built as an actual road-going early prototype car, this cutaway display model is finished in Le Mans Blue paint over a white interior. It sports a 327 cubic-inch V-8, M-20 four-speed transmission, and four-wheel disc brakes.

Once returned to the U.S., the car was part of Al Wiseman’s collection. Wiseman oversaw a restoration of the display to its original show-worthy condition, but preserved as many original details as possible, from the teakwood steering wheel to the AM/FM radio to the original wide-sidewall Rayon cord tires. The car is now part of the Andrews collection.

The car goes up for auction at RM Auctions on Saturday, May 2, 2015. You can find out more details about the car, or register as a bidder, at the official auction page.

Chevy confirms 2016 Camaro will have wheels, brakes

Good news, everyone! Chevrolet has issued yet another round of teaser images and information about the sixth-generation Camaro, set to debut in Detroit on May 16. This time around, Chevy's teaser images confirm that the new car will not only have wheels and tires (Goodyear Eagle F1s, no less), but brakes as well. On top of that, we now know that the new Camaro will be 28-percent stiffer than the outgoing model.

"The more rigid body structure allowed the engineers to more precisely calibrate the steering and suspension systems because they didn't have to compensate for chassis flex. The lighter structure also enabled the size and mass of elements such as the wheels, tires and brakes to be scaled accordingly," GM said in a press release, which you can read below.

We've already learned that the new coupe will be 200 pounds lighter than its predecessor, has a bunch of unique parts, and according to GM's Mark Reuss, will outperform the Ford Mustang in every way. Now, it's only a matter of time before we see the sixth-gen Camaro, but surely not before Chevy issues even more teasers and information.

Chevy to reveal new Spark in Seoul and New York

Chevy is preparing to roll out an all-new Spark next month, giving us a taste of things to come with the teaser image above.

The new Spark is set to debut simultaneously at car shows in Seoul and in New York on April 2, joining the new Malibu that will also mark its debut at the Manhattan expo. Why introduce the new Spark at the same time in South Korea and in the US, you ask? Probably because those are the two biggest markets for Chevy's smallest car, accounting for the lion's share of the 1.1 million units sold in 71 markets around the world since its introduction in 2009.

Chevy hasn't revealed much about the new Spark, except to say that its styling will be more sophisticated than the "youthful whimsy" of the current model.

2016 Chevy Camaro coming on May 16

We officially have a date for the arrival of the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Fans of Chevy's Mustang fighter should look forward to May 16, and if they're in the Detroit area, they'll want to make their way down to Belle Isle, home of the Chevy Indy Dual in Detroit.

We still don't have a great deal of information on the new Camaro, aside from what's been gleaned in spy shots and the like, although Chevy's press release was accompanied by the image shown above. That, friends, looks a lot like the Camaro's badge of old. Its presence here could be an indication that an old logo is set to return to production.

That's because what Chevy is planning could best be described as a jamboree, or Camaro-palooza, if you prefer, rather than a typical unveiling. Chevy is inviting up to 1,000 Camaro fans to descend on Belle Isle for a day-long event that will offer up a lot more than their first look at the sixth-generation muscle car. Fans can hot lap the Belle Isle circuit from the passenger's seat of a new Z/28, check out a Camaro "museum," featuring "the most significant vehicles from the brand's history," and chat with some of the Camaro's designers and engineers.

"This will be an event Camaro fans will not want to miss," Camaro marketing manager Todd Christensen said in a statement. "This is only the sixth time we have introduced an all-new Camaro. We wanted to share the moment with the customers and fans who have helped make Camaro both America's favorite performance car for the past five years, and a cultural icon since 1967."

2016 Chevrolet Volt Interior Makes EV Driving Personal | Day Chevrolet Monroeville PA

Intuitive technology adds to a fresh and inviting cabin

The all-new 2016 Chevrolet Volt’s contemporary passenger environment is designed to be fresh and inviting, with intuitive technology interfaces and attention to detail conveying an upscale ambience.

“The 2016 Volt maintains the high-tech interior design aesthetic of the first-generation Volt, but has more user-friendly elements creating an inviting balance between ambiance and functionality,” said Crystal Windham, Chevrolet Interior Design director. “The new interior will appeal to existing owners, but also to those who will be new to the Volt family because of its integrated, yet familiar technology.”

 Like the exterior, the Volt’s cabin flows with sculpted cues, visual jewelry and a greater emphasis on form. The instrument panel, for example, flows into the door panels, while the center portion of the instrument panel flows almost seamlessly into a more ergonomic center console.

New colors, blue ambient lighting and softer materials surround occupants and enhanced acoustic performance provides a quieter and refined environment.

Additional customer comfort and convenience features include:

• Standard rear-vision camera
• Enhanced charge status indicators – including a light on top of the instrument panel that can be viewed at a glance from outside the vehicle
• Center armrest that is longer and higher than the current model
• New storage bin in the front console
• Available heated rear seats
• Available heated steering wheel
• Available wireless smartphone charging

The Volt retains its signature dual digital color displays, with larger, eight-inch-diagonal screens – one in front of the driver for the instrument cluster and driver information center, and the other in the center of the instrument panel that controls the Chevrolet MyLink system and other apps.

The center stack is simple and intuitive, projecting approximately one-third fewer icons, and offering separate climate control knobs. Buttons below the center display offer a clear and convenient operation. Most of the features can be controlled with a single rotary knob and four buttons.  

Returning technologies and new amenities include:

• OnStar 4G LTE with three years of service and standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot (with a three-month/three gigabyte data trial)
• Siri Eyes Free and text message alerts (requires compatible iPhone)
• Bluetooth phone connectivity
• Automatic climate control
• Keyless access and ignition
• Auxiliary 12-volt power outlets and dual USB ports
• Remote start
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Premium cloth seats and available leather-appointed seating
• Available Navigation and Bose^® premium audio
• Heated driver and front passenger cloth seats
• Available safety awareness includes front and rear park assist, forward collision alert and lane-departure warning

Seating and trimA new bench seat design in the rear provides seating for up to three passengers. When the middle seat is not in use, the outboard rear-seat passengers can fold down an armrest.

The standard cloth seats feature a distinctive hexagonal pattern that blends a high-tech appearance with natural biometrics, similar to the pattern at the center of a sunflower. Lighter, natural color tones complement the seats and reinforce the cabin’s warmth.

The available leather-appointed seating features a Volt-exclusive, warm brandy color with jet black accents.

The upscale look and feel of the Volt is reinforced with three interior color choices: jet black, light and dark ash gray and jet black and brandy.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.8 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive & active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.