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Show 10 Price, Utah Thursday, May e, 20, 1971 California Survey Reveals Toll of Repairable Defects The accident report teat terie. Male Driver Age 49, Car ran off freeway rolled down embankment. Weather clear. Pavement dry. D.O4. ( Dead on drrival.) To those who read about the single car accident In the next mornings paper, that accident may have looked like another case of a drunk losing control of his car. But the California Highway Patrol wasnt satisfied with the explanation. They studied the victim and his car as part of their Investigation of the relationship between mechanical defects and single car highway fatalities. A blood alcohol test showed he had not been drinking. A thorough check of the car showed the following: The power steering belt and fan belt were loose. The fan hub was loose on the water pump shaft, the right front lower ball joint shank failed at the edge of the right support arm. This caused the suspension at the right front wheel to fail. Thus the driver lost control of his car and left the freeway, causing the fatal accident. This case was but one in a detailed study of 409 fatal single vehicle accidents where 29 of the vehicles involved had one or more mechanical defects. Two out of three of these defects either caused the accident or contributed to It. In 6.4 of the accidents investigated, a mechanical deficiency was directly re- Are You In As Good Shape As Your Car Should Do? Its one thing to get your car in good condition for that vacation trip. Its equally important to make sure both physically and menyou are in good condition for those long hours behind die wheel. tally The following are suggestions on making sure your trip will be a safe one as well as a pleasant one: If yon ore tired, stop driving. Pace yourself t apply common sense. Eat lightly to avoid sluggishness. Dont rely on drugs or pills to prevent drowsiness. Keep something handy to chew. Light snacks help keep you alert. a If you are driving alone, talk, sing, whistle or play the radio. This also keeps you alert. Never drive more than three hours without stopping for a stretch or a cup of coffee. e Avoid driving at a constant speed. By varying your rate of travel slightly, you can help combat highway hypnosis. Keep at least one window or vent open for a steady flow of fresh air. FOR THE ROAD Rely on reflectorized road markings for visual clues. Use shoulder lines to keep to the right of roady roads. way, specially on e Keep glancing across the road surface between center and shoulder lines to keep eyes alert and functioning properly. Dont focus your vision on a single light or line ahead. This tires eyes. e Drive slower at night to compensate for darkness. two-wa- Front Wheels That Wander Like Dog That Wont Heel Have you ever watched the owner of a poorly trained pup trying to walk his dog on a leash? By the end of the stroll, they both are exhausted: the master from continually trying to pull his errant pooch back on the track, and the dog from tugging the other way and having walked at least twice the distance his master covered. After a few sessions in a good obedience course, the pup heels comfortably and an evenings outing becomes a relaxing time for both. This Is not unlike the case of the car with faulty wheel alignment. The front wheels want to head for the gutter, while the rest of the car (under Its drivers Influence) tries to go straight ahead. Tire Obedience School By the end of a long day on the road, the driver Is worn out and so are the wandering tires. They have been literally dragged sideways back on track every Inch of the way. Obedience training for wheels, of course, is accom- plished in an alignment shop. A trained technician checks them for accuracy of toe-icamber, caster and the other geometric factors that make the car steer and handle properly. Part of this project is a close examination of all the linkage and suspension parts involved in the steering and a guard rail and struck a bridge abutment. The driver was killed. Make sure your car Is In top condition before leaving on your trip. parts cannot alignment. be kept in If you're looking for other reason to quit smoking, consider your driving safety. Tobacco smoke leaves a dulling film on the Inside of your windshield. The result an- reduced visibility and is stronger glare. If you do smoke, periodically clean the Inside of the windshield with a solution of water and vinegar to wash away tobacco film. Free Listing lilt of loured for Canada the WITH OUR SPECIAL CAR CARE SERVICE ENGINE Well check condition and adjustment of ignition and carburetion systems and tune if necessary. steering, which does a lot of the struggling for you, you COOLING SYSTEM We'll make sure coolant is at proper level and that the cap, hoses and connections are tight LIGHTS We'll make sure all lights are burning properly and correctly aimed. Think WIPERS . . . We'll check arm and blade condition and windshield washer fune-u- p! tank We'll check pressure, tread and general condition. dangerous automotive pollutants can go completely unnoticed. BRAKES tune-u- p new Play it safe. Ask for our dean-ai- r spark plugs and other basic tune-u- p items your car may need, plus recommended pollution control services once a year ot eyery 10,000 miles. Crest 66 Service Dicks 66 Service H fluid level. TIRES Your car may not be smoking. But it could be polluting. Thats because many of the most In addreu In Camping, co Champion Spark Plug Company of Canada, Box 910, Wlndior 12, Ontario. In SUMMERTIME If your car has power We'll check fluid level, linings, cylinders, adjustment. LUBRICATION Ron Cook, Mgr. 610 East Main Well check engine transmission and power steering oil. Lubricate chassis, change oil and filter if needed. comp- the United Statd and Canada li now available, free. To receive one, tend a stamped envelope tos Camping, co Champion Spark Mwg Company, P. O. Box 910, Toledo, Ohio 43601. . Information FUN TIME see that water is at the proper level. For Camping A START THE We'll check for full power and Gives Sources ing r BATTERY Before it happens SMOKE SCREEN Unlike the educated pup, your car needs a refresher course every six months In the form of an alignment checkup and, if necessary, adjustment. Tire Life Reduced ar flaws. gas, too. suspension system. Loose Another accident reported by the California researchers involved a vehicle whose engine locked up when, at high speed on a freeway, a connecting rod broke. The vehicle went out of control, hit study disclosed 172 faulty mechanical systems In 119 vehicles. The most commonly observed problems were in braking systems, accounting for 35 of all defects found. Next were steering system defects at 26, with tires ranking third at 21. Additional factors, lumped together as miscellaneous (lighting, shock absorbers, exhaust systems, windshield wipers and others) accounted for 18. Nearly all reported defects were attributed to wear and lack of maintenance rather than design and assembly two-ye- steering wheel keeps you going straight ahead. But your tires know the difference. You may be reducing the life of your tires by 20 or 30 percent just trying to pull them back on course. Their increased resistance will cause your car to use more n, sponsible. The may be unaware of misalign- ment. One finger on the 15 North Main HELPER 7 Phillips Main Service 102 West Main 637-987- 2 OIL CITY West Highway Price Utah |