A booster seat is a simple concept and it has a very simple function. This simple function is this: it is there to save the life of your child. A car accident is not something that anyone really wants to think about, especially where children are concerned, but to be prepared for the eventuality is one of the best things you can do for the safety of your child.

A booster seat is easily added to a standard automobile, and they are relatively inexpensive. And yet they can save your child’s like or save him or her from serious injury.

But what’s wrong with a normal seat, I hear you ask. After all they have seat belts, which are great life savers. True, they do, and seat belts are a lifesaver. But the problem is that seats are designed with primarily adults in mind. The same goes for seat belts. In fact, using seatbelt on a child can actually be more dangerous than it is effective at protecting the child, since the belt can become entangled with the child and cause injury.

Most injuries to adults are caused by the adult not putting on the seatbelt in the correct way. And since seatbelts are not designed for children, but for adults, then the seatbelt will automatically be put on in the wrong way, putting the child at risk, and possible great risk in the event of a car accident.

All this is why you need a booster seat. These are seats which fit into a normal car seat, and allow the child to sit properly. They allow the seatbelt to be used properly, and they give support to a child’s body. This is essential if there were to be an accident.

So before you even contemplate taking your little one out for a ride in the car, think booster seat. It could be one of the best purchases you ever made for your child.

Clearly, a less important concern - for the moment—than Ford Windstar recalls might be what Levine Breaking News reported March 14, 2006: an anti-gay/conservative Christian group are seeking retribution by boycotting Ford Motors…because Ford advertises in gay publications.

Tell me when did we give up the right to spend our hard-earned money on costly advertising, top-class merchandise, and any ^%$# publication we wish to read, write for, subscribe to, publicize in, or be a demographic target for? Okay. Hold on. Before I get all involved in who has what - ahem - RIGHTS, I should calm down, digress, and recoup to the more significant concern or issue: Ford Winstar recalls. There are several of them, that vary from safety and other recall issues (and usually getting increasingly lessened by year), but a mention here will suffice, as other investigations thoroughly cover by describing and explaining.

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 2003

-Seats: mid- and rear-assembly

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 2002

-Seats: mid- and rear-assembly

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 2001

- Mid- and rear-seat assembly - Windshield wiper/washer motor - Electrical system: air conditioner - Air bags frontal sensor control module - Accelerator pedal - Seat belt assembly - Trailer hitch

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 2000

- Structure: body/hood - Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal - Glass: side- and rear-view mirrors - Electrical wiring under dash - Electrical system wiring; windshield wiper/washer motor - Seat belts - Trailer hitch

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 1999

- Structure: body/hood - Hydraulic brake foundation: hoses, lines, piping, fittings - Master cylinder - Electrical: air conditioning system; interior/under dash wiring - Windshield wiper/washer motor

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 1998

- Structure: body/hood - Hydraulic brake foundation: hoses, lines, piping, fittings - Front wheel suspension springs and coils - Automatic trans/power train - Exterior lighting - Steering: gear box/shaft - Child seat

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 1997

- Hydraulic brake foundation: hoses, lines, piping, fittings - Front wheel suspension springs and coils - Automatic trans/power train - Exterior lighting

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 1996

- Structure: body/hood - Automatic trans/power train/gear position indication - Exterior lighting - Hydraulic brake foundation: hoses, lines, piping, fittings - Front wheel suspension springs and coils

FORD WINDSTAR RECALLS, 1995

- Structure: body/hood - Electrical system wiring - Hydraulic brake foundation: hoses, lines, piping, fittings - Front wheel suspension springs and coils - Alternator/generator - Gasoline storage tank assembly

With all of or despite all the recalls, I am still a huge Ford fan—having brought up around, in, and looking at and listening to hot rods and trucks made by Ford Motor Corp.. What’s more, I would still fight for the right to sell, buy, advertise, drive, think about or talk about any damned material item I please. Go Ford!

Motorcycle helmets may not seem all that important when you think about it. It is heavy, hot and even suffocating. The material may even cause break-outs on the skin and even allergies. Motorcycle helmets also keep you from enjoying the wind on your face as you ride. So why the hell should people wear them? The answer is actually fairly simple. It can keep you from having a permanent disability or even keep you from dying.

Take for instance the story of Don Koening who died when his head hit a tree. He left his helmet on his front porch.

There are a lot of people who have suffered from permanent disability, some even died, just because they have forgotten one tiny detail, to wear their motorcycle helmet. What is more saddening about this is the fact that most of these people are between the ages of 16 and 24, people who still have a full life ahead of them.

Laws requiring helmet use

This is perhaps the reason why legislators have included the wearing of the motorcycle helmets in state laws. The law also states that the helmet worn must also pass the criteria that are set by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motorcycle Vehicle Safety Standard 218. It is one of the three laws that require motorists to wear safety gears while in motor vehicles. The other two are the use of a child-passenger safety restrains and the use of seatbelts while inside the car.

Differences in some state laws

Although the same basic law is stated in all the states, there are slight differences as to the enforcement especially with the monetary fines. In California for instance, motorists must wear helmets all the time. Helmets should not only be worn but also securely strapped in. In Florida, the law is somewhat a little bit more complicated.

Although all motorists are encouraged to wear helmets when they ride, people over 21 years old and are covered by an insurance policy that provides for at least 10,000 dollars in medical assistance should an accident happen are exempted.

The helmet law also does not apply to people who are 16 and older and are operating a motorcycle that have a displacement of 50 cubic centimeters; does not have an excess of two brake horsepower or those that are not capable of operating it beyond the speed of 30 miles per hour.

There are many types of scooters and hence they require different add-ons and accessories. The parts and accessories are modified from time to time depending on the upgrades of scooters. The add-ons add to the comfort and style of the vehicle. For Example a sea scooter is a wave rider, which is used for water sports. These scooters are specially designed to ride on the waves and their accessories must comply with all the safety standards so as to avoid accidents. In the same way medical scooters for the disabled have to be designed in such a way so as to give complete safety and comfort to the patients. Hence the accessories depend on the type of the scooter.

Here are some of the basic add-ons, which can be used almost on all the scooters.

Rear or front basket: This basket is usually there in all the scooters so that you can keep your stuff inside the basket if you wish so. This is one of the very essential accessories in a scooter.

Cup Holder: Cup holders are there in the scooters to hold your cups, cans and water bottles. This is very important for medical scooters like wheel chairs and even scooters that are designed for the children.

Saddlebag: Saddlebag is another attachment that helps you to keep your money, important papers, credit cards etc.

Rear View Mirror: If you are riding any vehicle a rear view mirror is very important so that you can see the other vehicles that are coming from behind. This is very important for your safety so as to avoid accidents.

Safety flag: This is very important for medical wheelchairs and scooters designed for children. This helps the other riders to be careful while riding.

Safety Belts: All the riders must put on their safety belts before riding. This is one of the most important safety measures that have to be followed by each and every rider.

Weather Breaker: A weather Breaker protects you from the sun and rain.

Scooter Dust Cover: To protect the scooter from dust and damage it is always advisable to put on the scooter dust cover when the scooter is not in use.

Mobile Charger: A plug- in socket can be improvised in a scooter to charge your mobile battery, which is very useful at times when you are going for long drives, or in emergency.

Back Rest and Arm Rest: The scooter seats have a backrest to ease your back. It also has an armrest, which allows the riders to travel with ease and comfort during longer trips.

Some of the above accessories improve the lifestyle and comfort of the riders. These add-ons provide complete satisfaction to the customers.

Car safety is a critical component in the design of any new car nowadays, and no manufacturer will have a license to build and sell cars, if they don’t comply with all the car safety aspects. With the increase in technology and the resultant conveniences in our lives, the aspect of safety too has come to the fore. This is especially true in the case of automobiles.

Car safety takes on several forms in this technological era. While the person driving the car is still responsible for adhering to driving safety regulations, increasingly, small computers and micro processors are taking on the role of the car safety keepers. All cars nowadays come with a certain degree of automation, and when it concerns car safety, these aspects are mandatory.

Gone are the days when the safety of the car depended on the individual driving it. That was probably restricted to them old vintage cars, when moving along was the critical component. But with the ever increasing number of cars on our roads and the heightened speed limits at which they drive along, car safety is no longer an option. It has become a critical aspect of the car manufacturing process itself. Not only that, it has become compulsory by law as well!

The auto pilot function for instance is one such example. By enabling the car to drive itself on open stretches, it ensures that drivers don’t feel the need to take their eyes off the road. Rather, they enable the driver to rest, thereby making for an enhanced driving experience, by taking on some of the monotonous aspects of driving on themselves.

Seat belts and crash balloons have almost become a permanent fixture inside all cars, even in lesser developed countries. Most countries nowadays have specific regulations pertaining to the useof car safety features like the seat belt and the crash balloon. In fact, some countries often issue hefty fines to drivers and passengers who drive without latching themselves in.

But car safety is often more than cosmetic. Manufacturers of cars nowadays have to test the car in a variety of possible scenarios in order to ensure that factors like crash zone, damage control and the like are minimized. This has resulted not only in a better build structure of cars, but has also ensured that the entire driving experience is made better, made safer and made absolutely secure.

With rapid advancement in technology, cars have undergone a paradigm change in their appearance as well as the speed that they are capable of achieving. The inventor, Mr. Ford himself would be surprised at the way his invention has got along. It is speed more than any other factor that has necessitated car safety measures to be kept at pace with the technological advancement in other spheres.

The automobile industry, fortunately, is very much aware of the need to prevent injuries and deaths caused to drivers and passengers alike due to rampant speeding which has become more of a rule than an exception.

Car seat belts did not serve the designed purpose till the time most of the states made it mandatory to fasten seat belts under threat of penalties under law. It even evoked some manufacturers to design seat belts that would automatically secure drivers and passengers after ignition.

The newer cars are nowadays equipped with another restraint system in shape of air bags for the safety of all those sitting in the car. In many models these air bags are placed in a way that will inflate and protect the driver and the passengers both in the unfortunate event of a collision. These air bags coupled with seat belts that can be adapted for child car safety seats provide sufficient safety to car users.

However, car safety should not only be the concern of the car manufacturer but also of the driving and traveling public. There is no way by which all accidents can be avoided but prevention is always better than a cure. It is incumbent upon us that we choose a car which is safe for us and our families and always make it a rule to use the restraint system available in the vehicle. A visit to http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov, the website of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will provide all the information about how different models rank with regards to car safety devices. The information that you may collect from there will prove helpful in making up your mind as to which vehicle to go for be it cars, pick up trucks, SUVs, or vans.

An informed decision while buying a new vehicle and adhering to the restraint devices installed in your car, will help to a great measure in ensuring the safety of your family and others traveling with you.

Taking the dog for a ride in the car? Better think twice about your four-legged passenger. According to a recent American Automobile Association study, pets and loose objects are rated as the third worst driver distraction, next to cell phone usage and unruly children.

The reality behind these statistics is not pretty for drivers or pets:

• A pet is propelled with force equal to 30 times its weight in a 30 mile-per-hour accident.
• A 30-pound dog can be sent flying with the equivalency of 900 pounds of force behind it - energy enough to kill it, and anything in its path. At faster speeds, the force is even greater.

In the event of a collision, pets are not only flying objects within the car, but can also be killed through their own impact with a windshield or any other hard surface within the vehicle. Pets are especially vulnerable in the front seat, where they can be injured by airbags, windows, windshields, or from distracting the driver by getting between him and the controls.

So buckle up the pet passengers in your vehicle with the Canine Auto Safety Harness created by Watson’s Senior Pet Products. Available in four different sizes, each harness conforms and adjusts to your pet’s specific proportions to ensure their comfort — and safety. The Canine Auto Safety Harness slips easily onto existing seat belts, and is guaranteed to fit any automobile.

For the sake of passengers, pets, pedestrians, and other drivers, it is important that pets be restrained at all times while riding in vehicles. Unrestrained pets can be a serious threat to both drivers and passengers, creating distractions or impairing the driver’s ability to drive. Without restraint, pets can be seriously injured during quick stops, sharp turns, and accidents. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: american automobile association | pets | drivers | safety harness

It has Volkswagen’s unique electronically controlled Haldex coupling in the rear axle differential. Safety features include equipped with an advanced side-impact safety system called Side Curtain Protection™, an airbag supplemental restraint system to protect heads and upper torsos from injury. VW R32 also offers front and side airbag supplemental restraints; front integrated head rests and three-point safety belts in all seating positions, with front seatbelt pre-tensioners and shoulder height adjustment; and the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system in the rear outboard seating positions for installation of child seats.Like the superior parts that goes into every Volkswagen car, Parts Train maintain the tradition of bringing in only highest quality VW Parts from fuel tanks, mirrors, suspension, body panels, fog lights, radiator support, electrical parts, lights, windshields and more. [PRWEB May 15, 2005]