Page 6 - On The Safe Side: The RVS Blog

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you already know that geopolitical tensions have driven oil prices up to near historic levels, making the price of gas at the pump oppressively high.

Considering the current global conditions, the weaponization of oil supply in conflicts involving major suppliers (like China and Russia), and inflationary concerns that exacerbate these issues even more, oil and gas prices may not see relief anytime soon.

The impact of all this price movement won’t be felt at just the pump–it will directly and indirectly alter many facets of our lives:...

In 2014, a group of 2,705 American drivers aged 16 and up were surveyed by AAA.  

These drivers had driven at least once in the 30 days before the survey and the group was weighted so as to reflect the overall American population. 

The questions in this survey focused specifically on their reactions when feelings of anger were triggered, and the answers revealing the uglier side of driving: road rage. 

The resulting statistics in lighter cases were as follows: 

- 1/3^rd of drivers admitted to have made an angry gesture at another driver 

- 50% admitted to tailgating on purpose 

- 46%...

We’re consummate advocates of and experts on good visibility–it’s literally in our name!

That’s why digging up a list of cars known for their great (or not so great) sightlines is right in our wheelhouse.

These are 5 top-ranked vehicles and their defining features when it comes to visibility, according to Motor and Wheels:

Subaru Legacy

- Thin pillars

- Big windows

- Upright cab

- Rear-view camera

- Blind-spot monitor

Honda Fit

- Multi-angle rearview camera

- Blind spot monitor

Nissan Altima

- Extra rear-quarter window

- Rearview camera

- Rear cross-traffic alert

- Forward-collision alert

Toyota...

Imagine a world where whiteout conditions and an inexperienced driver don't equal a three-week-long delivery delay....

This inconvenience won’t just disappear overnight, but delivery fleets are slowly catching on to the fact that improving a driver’s overall visibility and eliminating blind spots with the right camera system is now a must, when considering cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and local compliance. 

As more and more pickup & delivery fleets get smarter with their system selections, they’re turning to things like powerful Mobile DVRs, HD cameras, dash cams, sensors, compact monitors...

It’s been approximately 3 weeks since Canada mandated vaccines for truckers crossing the border, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight to the backlash.* In fact, many theorize that the blockades and protests will grow. 

If continued, these protests can cascade into problems that will hit close to home for many Americans:

• Manufacturing Job Cuts/Reduced Capacities

The focal point of the protests, Ambassador Bridge, is responsible for roughly 1/3rd of America’s auto industry supplies. Car plants, including some of Toyota’s and GM’s, have already been cutting back on shifts since the protests...

You might be guilty of it yourself.

Distractions, however brief, are almost impossible to ignore. That’s why states havehad to crack down on distracted driving as cell phones have become ubiquitousover the course of time.

Despite the potential of being fined or worse, drivers just can’t help but look everywhere but the road in front of them, and the numbers show it.

According to MoneyGeek, these are the 5 worst states when it comes to distracted driving fatality rates per billion miles (DDFR, for our intents and purposes), with a side of distracted driving deaths (2018-2019):

5. Louisiana

Louisiana...

Nobody wants a safety system that can’t weather the storm–whether that storm consists of snow, rain, sleet, or dust.

The elements have a habit of ruining expensive equipment by entering into any tiny crevice and seam not completely sealed off. 

Enter the Ingress Protection (IP) rating system, the scale used to identify how well your equipment’s interior is shielded from solid particulates, liquids, and submersion.

The scale works as such: 

- The first number after IP in any given rating applies to your equipment’s protection against solid elements like sand. This scale goes from 0-6, with 0...

Ever wonder how dangerous your state is when it comes to driving?  

Well, according to insurance company data, there’s a method to figure this out. It involves combing through 4 million insurance applications to calculate the proportion of drivers to speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, and DUIs. 

Based on the stats extracted by the above mentioned method, these are the 5 most dangerous states, in order from bad to worst:

5. 5. Virginia 

“Virginia is for lovers,” so that might explain the 14.34% of drivers with a speeding ticket, but it doesn’t explain the 26.68% of drivers with at least one...

Take one look at Jessica Rambo’s Instagram page The Painted Buffalo, and you’d think it was a collection of gorgeous landscape shots, skoolie conversion updates, and cool excursion pics. 

In fact it’s all those things, and so much more, for so many folks.

Read a little into the captions and you’ll not only get her story, but a sense of what drives her and makes her projects and her page so special. 

Jess is a mother, a Marine vet, an artist, and a force for good when it comes to other vets, women, and single mothers. Last but not least, she’s the owner of The Painted Buffalo, a school bus-turned-home...

If there’s one time we’d recommend using our systems, it’s during your commute home on that busy highway you have no choice but to take.

Though you may be sitting in traffic for a while, it’s still possible to get scratched, side-swiped, rear-ended, or even worse–so who wouldn’t want a good set of sensors to get through that?

With the help of ATRI, we’ve compiled the top 5 busiest highways in the U.S. (as of 2021) that are sure to have you sitting and seething. That is, if you make it home unscathed.

5. Houston, TX: I-45 at I-69/US 59
Though up 53.7% in peak average speed from the year before...

In keeping with our (recently established) tradition, we’d like to start the new year by highlighting upcoming auto-related technologies--especially the novel types that save lives.

Though we tend to be more safety-focused, we appreciate the bells and whistles of flashy new trends that seem straight out a sci-fi movie scene; some of which definitely made our list:

Adaptive Headlights

Adaptive, or matrix headlights, automatically adjust high beams in the face of oncoming cars while keeping the rest of the road illuminated and are able to be aimed more precisely than regular headlights. The headlights...

It’s been an eventful 2021 to say the least, and we’re going into the new year with high hopes and safe wishes for all! 

Thanks to you, our readers, the On The Safe Side blog has had its best year ever! 

Readership increased in record numbers, and more and more visitors showed interest in the various topics we touched on. 

In order, here are the top 5 articles you clicked on in 2021:

5) 4 PIECES OF TAILGATING TECH YOU'LL GET A KICK OUT OF

Just in time for the start of the NFL, this blog entry dropped a quick list of tailgating essential gadgets that’s still in season (at least until the Super...

Who says a premium safety feature has to cost like one?

We’re all about having best-in-class systems at average-consumer-level prices, and these 5 popular cars help make the case for that.

Hyundai Sonata
Priced at an affordable $24K, Hyundai’s popular sedan comes with brake assist, lane keep assist, an effective blind-spot system, and a backup camera that definitely make it worth the low price tag.

Toyota Camry
At around $33K, the popular Camry comes with a backup camera system which accompanies features like automatic braking, collision warning, lane keep assist, and a blind spot system.

Nissan...

If “hindsight is 20/20” was a gadget, it would be the dash-cam. 

Mini but mighty, dash cams are the most underrated yet useful pieces of tech out there. 

Since privacy and recording laws differ state to state, cars aren’t legally required to have them, but when utilized, they assist with a multitude of issues: 

- Lowering Insurance Premiums 

While it inherently influences a driver to be more aware of their habits on the road since they’re being recorded, it’s also the perfect tool for accident-recording and resolving liability issues should they arise. Establishing that you’re not at fault...

If the early headlines are any indication, then this winter might be a tough one. 

When it comes to safeguarding yourself and your family against icy, whiteout, and freezing conditions, the time to begin winterizing your vehicle and mentally preparing is now–especially if you’re in the northernmost U.S. and Canada. 

So we’ve collected some tried-and-true tactics that have stood the test of time, and updated that list with some modern strategies (namely some cool tech right from the RVS collection). 

Visibility

- Warm up your vehicle and cab first to reduce the chances of your windows fogging...

There are a long list of warning signs to keep an eye out for if you’re in the market for a used car.

You’ve heard of the usual red flags, especially when it comes to prices, financing, and mysteriously missing paperwork; in true RVS fashion, we’ve decided to focus on more tangible, safety-related warnings–the types that you can either see or feel (and even smell).  

• Mismatched/Recent Paint Jobs 

While it seems innocuous on the surface, a patchy paint job on a car can point to recent damage that may have just been brushed over, instead of professionally fixed. This is a red flag regarding both...

Though vehicles (and sometimes your patience) can take a beating during the holiday season, nothing tests drivers more than Thanksgiving weekend--and that will go double for this upcoming 2021 Thanksgiving weekend, as the post-pandemic rebound continues. 

Ever in a giving mood, we’ve gone ahead and compiled some of the Thanksgiving forecasts (directly from AAA) to help you guide or plan for the worst in those long drives:

Top 20 Most Popular Travel Destinations

• Orlando, FL 
• Anaheim, CA
• New York, NY
• Dallas, TX
• Phoenix, AZ
• Honolulu, HI
• Kahului, Maui, HI
• Atlanta, GA
• Tampa, FL
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL...

This list of car models with the most accidents won’t come as a surprise to many adults, especially parents with teen drivers. 

While it doesn’t cover the deadlier aspect of car crashes, it certainly highlights the danger that comes with certain demographics being behind the wheel and what kind of sporty, compact, and (sometimes) fast cars they tend to favor.

Thanks to insurance company data, we can see which of these models are making up the majority of accident reports in 2021:

• Subaru Impreza

Though it’s the most affordable model on this list with the highest overall safety ratings and safety...

Both large-commercial and consumer-facing vehicles regularly take on a shared enemy: the blind spot. 

Whether caused by extra thick pillars, small windows, bad sightlines, or high dashboards, a lack of visibility is responsible for its share of accidents. 

It also plays a huge role in the failure of maneuvers like backing up, parallel parking, and lane switching, which many drivers are apprehensive towards.

Luckily the aftermarket for blind-spot-elimination offers many options, and of course, we’ve got the most powerful of the bunch: 

RVS-118 Blind Spot Sensor System

You know the area slightly...

You’re an average driver with a decent driving record, your car model is quite a popular one on the road, but you still think there’s room for improvement as far as your insurance premium goes. 

We know you’ve already heard the conventional tips like bundling, shopping around for rates, keeping your record clean, avoiding sports cars, and taking defensive driving classes--but we’ve got a few that are a little less-known. 

• Investing In A Safety Camera/Sensor System 

Spoiler alert: we’re kicking this off with an obvious RVS pick here. You may not necessarily get a discount from your insurance...