Boyd Autobody & Glass Articles

We all know we should be safer drivers

But sometimes we can put off acquiring new good habits because it seems like a lot of work. We know it's a good idea but who has the time to learn something new? So here are some simple strategies to be a safer driver right now. You can implement these instantly for instant results and you don't have to learn anything new.

Slow down to the speed limit. Many drivers drive between ten and twenty kilometres over the speed limit. But speed limits were chosen for a reason and the distance to stop a vehicle grows exponentially longer the faster you go. So slow down to the speed limit. This one should be easy! Turn off those distractions. Eliminate the desire to check your cell phone by turning it off while...

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...

A lot of attention is focused on the importance of not driving drunk

Various organizations invest a lot of time, money, and effort into promoting safe and sober driving. Although there are still TOO MANY drunk drivers on the road, there has been a positive impact with many people choosing to drive responsibly.

Alcoholic inebriation is not the only reason why you shouldn't drive

You should never, ever drive drunk. But you should also never, ever drive under these other two conditions as well:

Fatigued Distracted

All three of these problems – drunkenness, fatigue, and distractedness – have exactly the same impact on our physiology and each of these three can impair us.

Each of these three conditions impair...

We all know that driving safely is smart… but the truth is, we sometimes forget to do it

We know that by driving safer, we reduce the dangers to ourselves and others but when we're in a hurry it's easy to forget that truth.

So here's a reason that drivers will want to be safe drivers: Safe driving costs less. Period.

The riskier you choose to drive, the more costly it becomes. The safer you choose to drive, the cheaper it is. Let's count the costs:

Unsafe drivers get tickets for speeding, running red lights, following too closely and other motor vehicle infractions. These tickets cost money to pay for, plus they can also increase the amount of car insurance you pay (depending on what province you're insured in) Unsafe...

As parents, you are always helping your kids live better, smarter, safer lives

You remind them not to touch a hot stove and to look both ways before crossing the street. By the time they become teenagers, they want to do the opposite of whatever you tell them and they are heavily influenced by their peers. Reminding them as teenagers to be safe drivers doesn't always have the effect we parents would like it to.

Here's how you can teach your kids about safe driving even before they get their driver's license

So by the time they do become licensed drivers, they will have the basics instilled in their DNA.

Model safe driving. Kids watch their parents and imitate what their parents do (even years after… even during those...

As technology increases and as life gets more complicated, our ability to drive safely is being put to the test

In this article, we will address four modern trends that are making it harder and harder to drive safely today:

Worsening road conditions: Many of our roads were built and paved when governments were flush with money. But in today's troubled economic climate (and with other issues like healthcare getting top priority), our road conditions are worsening. Roads aren't big enough or strong enough to handle the traffic. This means: More vehicles on the roads…and those roads aren't in great condition. That is not a recipe for safe driving. Rather, it increases the likelihood of a collision (as well as the personal cost of damage...

When automobiles were first invented, they didn't have a lot of safety features on them

As more vehicles appeared on the roads and as speed limits increased, more safety features were introduced: Seat belts, airbags, crumple zones, heads-up displays, hands-free calling, safety glass, rearview cameras, and more.

What does the future look like?

How will advancements of the future change how our vehicles keep us safe? Here are some ideas. Obviously not all of these will definitely appear in our vehicles but some of them might. Who knows, maybe someone reading this article will be inspired to make vehicles even safer.

Vehicles that shut off prior to collision: One problem with collisions is not the initial collision but the...

In Canada, we face the most extreme weather

Winter can be as low as -40 C (even colder with the wind chill) and summer can be as high as +40 C. That's an 80 degree difference, which is hard on the roads and our vehicles. It also creates new challenges for us in each season, since we have to get used to the quirks and challenges of driving during that season. In summer, we face the blazing hot and blinding sun. In the winter, we barely maintain control on snowy, icy roads.

But what about the spring?

As short of a season as it is in Canada, it still presents its own unique challenges. Here are some top tips to driving safer in springtime.

Remember the temperature differential between day and night. The day time can be sunny and warm,