Page 4 - car safety tips

Rear View Safety continues to be on the cutting edge of vehicle safety technology. The Brooklyn based company, which celebrates their 10th anniversary this year, is proud to introduce the 360+ Bird’s Eye View System with lane changing cameras.

According to an estimate from the National Safety Council, as many as 40,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes last year. This is a 6% rise from 2015. Not only does the 360+ erase blind spots and assist with parking navigation on narrow roads (all other 360° systems only have these features), it is also equipped with two side cameras to help with lane...

As older people continue driving for longer, it's becoming increasingly important that they stay safe on the roads well into old age. Fortunately, car technology is constantly improving, and there are now many features that can help older drivers stay safe on the roads and keep driving for longer.

Here's a look at some of the best features that can help to keep older drivers safer.

Lane Assist

Lane assist systems detect when the driver is moving out of their lane on the highway, and they then alert the driver by using a vibration or a light or sound.

They can be very useful on longer journeys when...

Here is a recent dash cam video from California. Authorities are looking for the motorcycle driver. Who is to blame for this road rage crash?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAydSRyeKzM

Dash Cameras Protect Against Road Rage

This video is a great example of why you should have a dash camera.

Designed to mount to a vehicle's windshield and record everything seen out of the front of the vehicle, dash cameras are packed with different features. Find one that is right for you and your needs. Video quality, storage capacity, design, GPS options, and camera quantity are some features to consider when...

U.S. Representatives Tim Ryan (D-13th OH), Peter King (R-2nd NY) and Jan Schakowsky (D-9th IL) recently introduced the Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats Act (HOT CARS Act of 2017, H.R. 2801). The act requires technology in passenger vehicles to alert the driver when a passenger is left in the back seat.

This bipartisan initiative would prevent deaths and injuries caused by vehicular heatstroke. It is the first step to prevent this horrible problem. Reminder systems for headlights, doors, keys and seat belts already exist in many cars.

According to Kids and Cars, this year...

More and more large companies and lawmakers are taking distracted driving seriously. It's about time. According to NHTSA, distracted driving killed 3,477 people in 2015. A feature in Apple's iOS11 hopes to stop this trend.

The Do Not Disturb While Driving feature disables alerts when you're on the road. The feature pops up when the phone determines you're in a moving vehicle after you've used it once. You can dismiss the feature if you're just a passenger.

Your phone will auto reply to messages that you're driving. There is an option to over ride this feature in the case of an "urgent" message...

5. So far this year 5 children have lost their lives due to vehicular heatstroke. According to Kids and Cars, 39 children passed away from vehicular heatstroke in 2016. The average number of child fatalities from vehicular heatstroke per year since 1998 is 37. That’s one death every 9 days.

This is an epidemic, these are not isolated events.

I’m at a loss for words. This can happen to anyone. The only thing on my mind are my nieces and nephews, my friends’ children, and my future children. We can stop this.

Kids and Cars have announced April 26^th as National Child Vehicular Heatstroke Awareness...

Vehicle safety regulations have changed. Below is a demonstration from the 2017 NTEA Work Truck Show of compliance to the FMVSS 111 law. The new law states a necessary view behind a vehicle. This standard must be in effect starting May 2018 and will require all vehicles under 10,000 pounds to adhere to a certain field of view behind the vehicle. In vehicles with limited rear vision, installation of a backup camera which provides the necessary rear view will be mandatory.

FMVSS 111 Compliance

All Rear View Safety cameras comply with FMVSS 111. The video, a test to see if a vehicle conforms to...

While walking to work today I saw a cyclist hit a hidden patch of ice and fall onto the street. I quickly ran over to see if he was ok, and luckily he seemed alright. A bit shaken, but alright. He didn’t have a helmet on, but caught himself on his hands before his head hit the cement. Thankfully no cars were coming. He was riding on a pretty busy street. It got me thinking about safety laws.

“I should be wearing a helmet, but I left it at work and I’m not going very far. I’ll slow down,” he assured me before zipping down Van Brunt St.

Of course, he should wear a helmet. Everyone should wear a helmet...

Today on my morning commute, I had the opportunity to help someone. I noticed a man in a motorized wheelchair having some trouble getting his chair onto the train. Another commuter and I asked if he wanted assistance and we lifted his wheels and helped him onto the train. What kind of access do people with disabilities to public transportation? While the Americans With Disabilities Act mandates access to public transportation, it has its shortcomings, especially in certain parts of the country. A recent study indicates that self-driving cars are a viable solution for Americans with disabilities...

I have weather alerts set up for 3 places. New York, where I live, Topeka, where my parents live, and the Bay Area, where 2 of brothers live with their families.

It's been an interesting week. The Bay Area is officially not in a drought after a drought monitor issued Thursday. Powerful storms in the area have caused at least 40% of the state to enter a drought.

Even though it's still winter, yesterday in New York it was around 70°. It was so amazing. I wore a t-shirt in January. Then there's Jupiter.

Winter Storm Jupiter

Winter storm Jupiter is a huge multi-day ice storm that is expected to cut...

I don't fly that often. Maybe once a year to visit home. I usually pick a super early flight and just sleep the entire way. No problem. That's why I was initially confused when I read a headline that the government may soon allow Wi-Fi connected phone calls on flights. Why would you need to make a call on an airplane? I've used Wi-Fi on a plane, but never lamented that I can't make a call while in the air. I ride the bus nearly every day, and it's very annoying when someone is on the phone. Someone is always on the phone.

After reading the story, the reason became obvious. It's for work. If you...

2016 has been the year we talk a lot about autonomous vehicles. A lot has happened this year. Google created Waymo, a self-driving vehicle company under the Alphabet umbrella. MIT designed a mini city for testing, and GM is testing on public roads in Michigan. Self-driving Ubers (with a driver for emergencies) are being tested in Pittsburgh as I type this.

Playing By The Rules

A few days ago Uber expanded this testing to San Francisco, but with some changes. The cars used in California are EX90 SUVS, the result of a collaboration with Volvo, who does not have a permit for self-driving cars from...

When I was younger I did a lot of stupid things. I’ve driven while eating soup, cereal, and even hot pockets. It’s absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. I don’t drive a lot anymore, but I when I do I am 100% committed to the task at hand, driving!

3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured in vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2014. Recently the NHTSA announced their 2^nd phase of voluntary guidelines to address distracted driving.

The first phase encouraged automakers to design less distracting devices or systems at the time of manufacture. This second phase encourages...

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. When I was growing up all 6 of us would pile into our SUV and travel to Kansas City from Topeka. It was about an hour drive, and I thought it was so cool that I could spend the day in a “big city.” The venue would often change, sometimes we would do Thanksgiving at my aunt and uncles, sometimes at my cousins’ house. One of my favorite parts of the day was after the meal, traveling downtown to watch The Plaza lights turn on. This is a must for Thanksgiving in Kansas City.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLXM7kZ034k

It was a wonderful experience with my...

Last week while we were in Kansas, Kelly got the dreaded phone call. Her friend Janis called from the hospital to say she had gotten hit by a car while walking to work. She didn’t have any serious injuries but her back was hurt and she was understandable very shaken. It was early, and the driver didn’t see Janis and hit her while he was turning.

Now that we’re back in town we’re going to visit Janis. She left the hospital, but is taking another week off work.

Here at Rear View Safety we keep people safe. From backup camera systems to backup sensor systems to driver fatigue systems and everything...

I must have been around 8 or 10. My brother was playing soccer in an Oklahoma tournament when it was announced that the fire department had been called to a vehicle fire in the parking lot. The vehicle was our family van.

I’m very thankful the car caught fire in the parking lot, and not while my family was driving on the highway. I hadn’t gone to Oklahoma for this tournament, but saw the aftermath back home a few days later. It was a mess. Everything was covered with soot. The inside was almost completely unrecognizable. I remember being upset about the toys (now ruined) I left in the van. How...

Getting a driver’s license opens a whole new world. I still remember the day I got mine. I was smiling ear-to-ear for my picture at the DMV by the highway. Now I could drive to the mall myself! There was not a lot to do in my hometown. More importantly for me and my friends, it meant we could drive to Lawrence ourselves.

I’ve always loved music. From my dad playing Bob Dylan and The Beatles to my older brothers blasting The Red Hot Chili Peppers, our house was always full of music. My friends and I loved seeing live music, but all of the bands we wanted to see would never come to Topeka. They would...

We are all being encouraged to share the space in our own car or ride with someone else, in order to not just save money but also to help reduce emissions and improve the environment.

Ridesharing is a great idea and if you can grab a ride in a comfortable car like the Chrysler 300 for example, it has its attractions as well as offering convenience. Although personal safety is not often a concern for the majority of passengers and drivers too, it does make sense to at least have some basic safety awareness, especially if you are a busy rideshare driver.

Get yourself a dual dashcam

Dashcams are rapidly...