Boyd Autobody & Glass Articles

Is It Safer To Drive A Vehicle Today?

With all the modern advancements in safety technology, it might seem like it should be safer for us to drive today than ever before. But is that really the case?

When cars were first invented, they were such a novelty that only a few people had them and everyone approached them with caution. You couldn't go very fast in them and they weren't completely covered against the elements.

Today, vehicles are everywhere. Families have more than one vehicle. Vehicles go faster and are safer than ever before.

That Doesn't Necessarily Make It Safer To Drive We have more and more people using the same number of roads. Therefore, roads are more congested and that congestion can lead to collisions...

Excuses That Have Stood The Test of Time!

As a child, were you ever caught doing something you know you shouldn't have been doing? In a desperate "last ditch effort" to get out of trouble, we fire up the same old lame excuses that have stood the test of time:

"I didn't know it... it was my sister!" "The dog ate my homework" "I'll do it tomorrow" Etc.

Popular Excuses People Use When Driving Unsafely

Unfortunately, we never outgrow the need to rely on excuses, and sometimes we feel forced to rely on grown-up versions of those excuses when we drive unsafely.

• "I didn't wear my seat belt because it was just a quick trip down the street". This can be easily avoided by always wearing your...

In 2009, Transport Canada measured the number of collisions causing injury or death on Canadian roads

The number, they found, was 124,000. That's not a number that is likely to go down. At Boyd, we'd like to see that number diminished as more Canadians become careful drivers.

We've dedicated 2012 to be the Year of Safer Driving, and we're doing our part by encouraging everyone to work on just one driving skill each month. We believe that if we all can improve one driving skill each and every month, we'll all drive safer and diminish the number of injury- or death-causing collisions on Canadian roads.

This month, the safe driving skill to work on is braking in time.

Our vehicle's brakes give us a false sense of security.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

When driving, it's so easy to forget about the other drivers out there and just to focus on what our vehicle is doing and where we need to go. We share the road with many other people who are all hurtling down the asphalt in glass-and-steel contraptions at dangerously high speeds.

If you want to be a safer driver, be aware of the four kinds of personalities on the road

Chances are, you'll recognize yourself as one of these personalities and -- more importantly -- you'll spot these personalities among other drivers. Knowing how you and everyone else reacts can help you predict and avoid collisions.

The timid driver

The timid driver is the one who drives slower than the speed limit and sometimes brakes...

Transport Canada has released a shocking statistic – in 2009, there were 124,000 collisions causing injury or death

In the past 3 years since those numbers were researched, is it likely that collisions have decreased? We don't think so.

So we're trying to do something about it. Each month, we've been highlighting one skill to help Canadian drivers improve on the roads. Although we'd love to see sweeping improvements in how safely drivers drive, we think that a realistic goal would be to improve one driving skill each month. If everyone worked at improving just one driving skill each month, imagine how much safer our roads would be!

This month, we're focusing on the safe driving skill of remaining in control. That sounds like...

During the Academy Awards, we are reminded that it takes far more than a talented actor and actress to make a movie

There is also the director, the producer, the film crew, the musicians, and (of course) the supporting cast… and so many more.

The same is true if you think of driving as a type of on-the-road performance

The driver might be the leading actor or actress, as well as the director and producer all rolled into one. They are not the only actor in this drama! Consider some of the other actors that can change the scene at a moment's notice:

Other drivers. Vehicles share the road with other vehicles and those vehicles are driven by other drivers. Each driver has a goal (to get where they want to go) and usually...

It's the commute home FROM work that really does you in

Your day starts off just fine. It's a little rushed in the morning but everyone gets out the door on time and you get to work (with a quick stop at Tim Hortons of course).

Why is that?

It's not always easy to tell while you are in the vehicle driving home but here's what we think Your day at work can sometimes build up stress. Bosses are annoying, coworkers are far from perfect, customers can be demanding, and you're reminded by the end of the day that you don’t get paid enough to do what you do You're thinking about the project that you wanted to finish today but didn't get a chance to do and you'll have to rush it a bit tomorrow morning to have it ready You haven't...

Safe driving is everyone's responsibility

Here are eight ways you can be a safer driver Slow down. Speed is one of the top causes of collisions. Actually, it's not speed itself but it's the reduced reaction time that you have when you drive above the speed limit. Speed limits are chosen for a reason, including the number of potential hazards you'll face on a road and the distance you need to stop Don't call or text. Distracted driving is on the rise as mobile devices become more popular. We lead busy lives and feel the need to multitask in the vehicle while we drive. However, driving takes 100% of our attention Slow down at crosswalks. Yes, you are already watching your speed (see #1) but slowing down at crosswalks is a good way to stay vigilant...

Back To School!

It's that time of year again when our mailboxes are brimming with flyers for back to school specials. Pens for a dime? Notebooks for a quarter? Back to school outfits for a toonie? Sounds good! We'll take a dozen of each!

"Back to school" means something else entirely for drivers

"Back to school" should be synonymous with "SLOW DOWN".

In the summer drivers tend to relax a little because (compared to winter driving) the roads are nice and dry and we can see further ahead. The sun is out for much longer and people take vacations, so there are fewer people on the roads. In other words, it's much easier to drive safely in the summer and (if we were to be honest with ourselves) we may slack a little in our driving...

There's nothing like a road trip for the summer (or any other time of year for that matter)

It's great to get away from it all, feel the freedom of the open road, and just point your vehicle to an interesting (and perhaps new-to-you) destination.

But road trips can also be dangerous

far more dangerous than sitting on the couch or taking a walk around the park. Once on the road, you are opening yourself up to the risk of collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, and wildlife. Here are some top ways you can stay safe while on a road trip:

Plan where you are going. It's fun to drive until the road ends but when we don't know where we're going, that's when things become unsafe. An unexpected turn in the road can yield new unknown dangers...