Recent Puerto Rico Shipping News

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Car theft in Puerto Rico
Your options to protect yourself
Conclusion
 

Car theft in Puerto Rico

Car theft in Puerto Rico has dropped pretty dramatically over the last ten years. In 2009 there were about 190 cases per hundred thousand residents. In 2019, there were only about 122 cases of car theft per hundred thousand residents in Puerto Rico. That is a thirty six percent drop. That drop takes Puerto Rico from being in the middle of the pack in comparison to all US states to being in the bottom ten in terms of car theft by comparison.

Regardless, that does not mean that the possibility of having your car stolen is not ever present in Puerto Rico. That risk is obviously higher in more densely populated areas like cities such as San Juan. It is up to you to be proactive and to take steps to protect your car from theft in Puerto Rico. Keep in mind, if your car is stolen, you will only have about a fifty percent chance of having it recovered. If it is recovered, it might have already been stripped for some parts or have some damage. The best option is to not have your vehicle stolen in the first place.
 

Your options to protect yourself

In terms of protecting your car from being stolen, you have a bunch of options. If you really want to keep your vehicle safe, you should try and make use of as many as possible. First, there are simple and more obvious things such as always keeping your doors locked, not leaving keys in or anywhere near your car, keeping the windows closed when you are not in the car, parking in areas that are lit well, and making sure that your car alarm is always in working condition.

However, there are also options that will cost you some money but will go above and beyond in terms of protecting your car. These fall under the umbrella of car anti-theft technology. This includes immobilization systems as well as tracking systems. Companies such as LoJack offer multiple options in regards to tracking systems. An immobilization system will not allow the car to be started with anything other than the right key or key fob. A tracking system will obviously track your car in the event that it has been stolen.
 

Conclusion

Getting your car stolen in Puerto Rico is not as much of a possibility as it used to be. However, the possibility certainly still exists. You need to be proactive in order to protect your vehicle from theft in Puerto Rico or anywhere else for that matter. You have several options such as staying smart and doing things like parking in well-lit areas, getting an immobilization system and/or getting a tracking system like LoJack.

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Airbag 101
Why airbags are important in Puerto Rico
Conclusion
 

Airbag 101

Airbags are one of the most important safety features in any vehicle. If they are not working, your car will not pass an inspection and that is for good reason. Airbags are the last line of defense for you and your passengers when you get into an accident. Experts estimate that properly functioning airbags reduce fatalities in serious crashes by about thirty percent.

Your airbags are comprised of three primary parts. These parts are the bag, the sensor and the system that inflates the bag. These parts obviously work together instantly upon a severe enough collision. When you get into a bad enough crash there is a chemical reaction that occurs near the sensor. The sensor senses this and sends a signal to the bag to inflate. This all occurs to completion within less than one tenth of a second.
 

Why airbags are important in Puerto Rico

Airbags are critically important to your safety whenever you are driving and wherever you are driving. However, they do hold even more importance in areas where driving is typically more dangerous. This does include urban areas of Puerto Rico such as San Juan.

Unfortunately, driving in places like San Juan can be more difficult and treacherous than many other areas. Many drivers barely abide by the rules of the road and when they do not, they frequently do not get pulled over by the police. You will see some drivers in Puerto Rico completely disobeying red lights and stop signs, turning across multiple lanes of traffic, or parking in the middle of the road. With perpetual traffic hazards like those, the potential for an accident is higher which means you will need your airbags more than ever. If your airbag indicator light ever comes on, get your car to a mechanic immediately.
 

Conclusion

You should never drive your vehicle without properly functioning airbags. They are just too important for you and your passenger’s safety. In areas like San Juan, your airbags are more likely to be getting used so their already high importance increases. Always make sure that your mechanic gives all of your airbags a good once over when you take your vehicle in for service.

When you need a car, motorcycle or any other type of vehicle sent to or from the port at San Juan, you can always call the vehicle transports at Puerto Rico Car Transport at (904) 322-7644 for a free quote!

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Using your brakes safely
Advice to keep your brakes working well
Wrapping up
 

Using your brakes safely

Using your brakes safely seems like an odd concept because brakes are obviously there for your overall safety. However, there are much safer ways that you can go about using your brakes instead of instantly slamming on them all of the time. You should consider that using your brakes in the safest manner possible will always start with paying close attention while you are driving, keeping a safe distance from the cars in front of you and always driving in a defensive manner.

Easing into braking is the obvious and safest way to brake. It will prevent your car’s momentum coming to a sudden stop from jolting you, your passengers and any items in the car forward. When that happens with seatbelts on, it can still cause considerable injury to you or your passengers and damage the interior of your vehicle. If you and/or one of your passengers are not wearing their seatbelts, much more serious injuries, damage or even fatalities can occur.
 

Advice to keep your brakes working well

Slamming on your brakes and stop-and-go driving can really cause your brakes to wear quickly. In some cases, treating your brakes like this can even cause them instant damage. Yes, sometimes you cannot avoid these things but in many cases you can.

In order to keep you brakes working well and to extend their life as much as possible you should start coming to a stop before you even hit the brake. This means if you see an upcoming red light or stop sign, for example, you should take your foot off the acceleration several seconds before hitting the brake. You can also keep your brakes going by driving in a lower gear (if your car has a manual transmission) and taking your foot off the brake or only gently tapping it occasionally when you are descending a hill. Doing this will take a bunch of stress of the brake. Finally, you should do whatever you can to avoid situations where stop-and-go driving will be persistent. You can do this by checking the traffic before you head out or by using a driving app like Waze.
 

Wrapping up

Your vehicle’s brakes take a lot of punishment when you are driving on them regularly. They are designed to do so. But you can do a few things to minimize the wear, tear and overall damage to them. This includes planning trips to avoid high volumes of traffic, driving down a hill in the right gear and using your brakes gently. Always drive defensively and give yourself enough space from the vehicle in front of you in order to be able to use your brakes in the safest fashion.

Remember, if you need any type of vehicle moved to or from Puerto Rico, whether it’s a motorcycle, truck, RV or anything else, you can always call us for an instant and free quote at (904) 322-7644!

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Puerto Rico’s potential for rain
Why high-quality wipers are so important
Conclusion
 

Puerto Rico’s potential for rain

On average, Puerto Rico gets about five inches of rain a month every year. However, that varies in several ways. First, some months have more average rainfall than others do. Also, some areas have much more rainfall than others. The rainy season in Puerto Rico falls from April until November. Rain will fall outside of these months but is very infrequent unless you are in a place like El Yunque rainforest.

In terms of the areas where the most rainfall occurs, you have El Yunque, Magueyes Island and Pico del Este that all see much higher averages of rain than the rest of Puerto Rico. In areas like San Juan, you will see the typical five to seven inches or so per month. Either way, you need to be ready and equipped with reliable windshield wipers at all times in Puerto Rico. This is because driving with any less visibility in Puerto Rico where driving is already tougher than normal is just not an option.
 

Why high-quality wipers are so important

In terms of your windshield wipers, you should not settle for run-of-the-mill blades. Getting premium high-quality wiper blades for your car has numerous advantages. One such advantage is that the blades will last much longer and will do an overall better job at keeping your windshield rain and streak free. Another advantage is that they are built for the heaviest rain whereas cheaper blades might labor a bit in bad storms after being used for some time.

However, many people agree that the original wiper blades that your car has from its manufacturer will be the absolute best bet for your car. They are made to fit your specific type of car and your specific type only. The thing is that those wiper blades will likely only have a life of about six months. After that, if you can get them replaced with another pair of the exact same blades, do so but it will likely be the most expensive option because getting parts straight from the dealer can be pricey. That is why you should consider a high-quality replacement instead.
 

Conclusion

Wherever you driver, your windshield wipers are something that you will need to be able to rely on so be sure that yours are in good working order. If they are not, get them replaced and do not go for the cheapest option when you do. The original manufacturer blades will be the best option for your car but those only have a shelf life of about six months and getting another pair of those from the dealer will be the costliest option. Instead, you should consider getting a high-end replacement from an auto store.

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Weather and road conditions in Puerto Rico
Keeping your vehicle clean
Final word
 

Weather and road conditions in Puerto Rico

The weather in Puerto Rico can get really wet, really quickly. On top of that, the roads have sand dirt and gravel in no short supply. Between these two factors, it is easy for your car to get dirty quickly while you are driving in Puerto Rico.

When it comes to the weather, two things will contribute to your car getting dirty, rain and salt air. Rain will do most of the heavy lifting in terms of making your vehicle dirty. Rainwater contains things like pollen dust and various other types of dirt that were light enough to evaporate into the air with moisture. Salt air is when salt from the ocean gets picked up by the air and blows onto your vehicle with the wind.

The dirt and sand that is on the road can kick up and stick to your vehicle as you drive. As we said, that is in no short supply, especially on city roads where the volume of traffic is much higher. So, you will need to make an on-going effort in order to keep your car clean when you are frequently driving it in Puerto Rico.
 

Keeping your vehicle clean

Keeping your ride clean in Puerto Rico, especially when you are driving around in places like San Juan will be a continuous process, but it does not need to be difficult. Obviously, you will need to take your vehicle to a car wash on a semi-regular basis. We suggest at least once a month if not twice.

You should also get your car waxed at least a few times a year. You can easily do this when you are getting your car washed for an additional charge. On top of the washes and waxes, you should get your car detailed once or twice each year. Getting your car detailed is an extremely thorough cleaning of every inch of your vehicle’s exterior that will cost twice or more than a typical wash. Doing this will ensure any spots that got missed throughout the year will be taken care of. Finally, you should do everything in your power to try and keep your car covered when it is not being driven. This could be a garage, car cover or even a good spot in reliable shade
 

Final word

Keeping your vehicle clean and looking nice in Puerto Rico can be a difficult task sometimes. But, with some extra effort and a few simple steps, you will be able to do it. Just be sure that you stay vigilant about getting your car washed, waxed and detailed on a regular basis.

If you need your car shipped to or from Puerto Rico, give us a call whenever you need to at (904) 322-7644. Just be sure that your car is clean before your driver arrives to pick it up as they will need to conduct a thorough visual inspection of the car for pre-existing damage when they arrive.

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Steering basics
The importance of steering performance in Puerto Rico
Wrapping up
 

Steering basics

Being able to steer properly and easily is obviously critically important to being able to drive at all, never mind safely. However, high performance of your car’s steering system will allow you to turn your wheels with precision which is extremely important as well.

A lot of people think that their vehicle’s steering system is just their steering wheel and the wheels of the vehicle itself, but it is actually comprised of much more than that. The steering system also includes joints, links, shock absorbers, struts and more. You need to keep all of these in good working order. So, be sure you have your mechanic do a quick check of your steering system anytime that you take your car in for service. If you ever have any difficulty steering or with your car’s alignment, take your car in for service immediately.
 

The importance of steering performance in Puerto Rico

Being able to drive safely and without incident hinges heavily on your ability to steer and precisely control your wheels as you manipulate them. This is even more important in a place like Puerto Rico because of the potential danger related to the typical flow and behavior of traffic here.

In Puerto Rico, there is a sizeable number of drivers who will regularly drive very aggressively and sometimes even carelessly. This is due to the lack of traffic law enforcement. You will see people weaving in and out of lanes without warning or any sort of signal, going through red lights, making abrupt turns across several lanes and more. You must be completely focused on the road and your car must be functioning completely fine which obviously includes the steering. If someone suddenly stops or cuts in front of you, which is a distinct possibility, you need to be able to turn to avoid hitting them if you cannot brake in time.
 

Wrapping up

People generally tend to take their steering systems for granted. The vast majority of drivers are obviously aware of how important their steering is, they just are not aware of how complex the steering system is or how steering performance varies. Any time your car goes in for service, be sure that the steering system gets checked and rep[aired if need be.

If you are heading to or from Puerto Rico and would like to take your car along with you, feel free to give us a call today for a free quote or with any questions that you might have at (904) 322-7644.

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What kinds of specialty vehicles can you ship to Puerto Rico
Advice for shipping a specialty vehicle
Conclusion
 

What kinds of specialty vehicles can you ship to Puerto Rico

Believe it or not, you can ship pretty much any specialty vehicle to Puerto Rico. This includes trucks, SUVs, vans, motorcycles, trailers, RVs, heavy equipment and more. Regardless of what type of vehicle you are shipping, doing so will not be too difficult at all. There will be differences in the preparation for some of these vehicles such as heavy equipment, for example, but your car shipping company will handle the vast majority of the stress throughout the shipping process.

The main differences between specialty vehicle shipping to Puerto Rico and regular car shipping to Puerto Rico will be booking and transit time. In terms of booking, you should make sure you book your shipment even further in advance than normal for a specialty vehicle. Normally, we would say book at least a month before your desired pickup date. For specialty vehicles, you should book at least six weeks ahead of your desired pickup date. This is because if a special type of carrier is required for your specialty vehicle, it will take more time to find one that is available.

When it comes to transit time, shipping non-typical vehicles will take longer because carriers have less availability and tend to be larger. Thus, they travel a bit slower. When it comes to shipping a specialty vehicle to Puerto Rico, you should expect it to take at a few extra days than typical car shipping would.
 

Advice for shipping a specialty vehicle

As we mentioned above, booking early will be critical to your specialty vehicle shipment’s success and timely delivery. However, there are a few other things that you can do in order to make sure your shipment goes as smoothly as possible.

If you have a larger vehicle like an RV or tractor that you are shipping, you should plan on spending some extra time cleaning it before your vehicle is picked up for shipping. Having the vehicle clean is a requirement for shipping so that your auto transport driver can check the vehicle for preexisting damage. As these vehicles are larger, it will obviously take more time to get it clean.

You should also consider the fact that specialty vehicle shipping will cost a little more than regular vehicle shipping. If you are unsure if you will be able to afford the shipment, be sure you start getting quotes at least two months before you need the specialty vehicle shipped.
 

Conclusion

Shipping a specialty vehicle to Puerto Rico has a few fundamental differences from regular car shipping. These differences include the need to book a little earlier, slightly high expense, and moderately longer transit times. Other than that, your car shipping company will take care of whatever specialty vehicle you need shipped to Puerto Rico with ease. Call Puerto Rico Car Transport today for a free quote at (904) 322-7644.

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How long you can expect your shipment to take
Ways you can get around while you wait
Wrapping up
 

How long you can expect your shipment to take

The amount of time that it will take to ship your car to the port in San Juan, Puerto Rico will depend primarily on where you are shipping the vehicle from. If you are shipping from Los Angeles it will take approximately two weeks. If you are shipping from Miami it will take about a week and if you are shipping from New York it will take approximately two or three weeks.

However, these are approximations, your particular transit time could take more or less time depending on several additional factors. These include weather, demand, traffic and more. Unfortunately, these are much more unpredictable. So, take your estimated transit time with a grain of salt. If it is about two weeks, expect you could be without your vehicle for three weeks.
 

Ways you can get around while you wait

The good thing is that you will have a bunch of options in terms of getting around while you wait for your car to arrive at the port. The simplest of which will be walking if you plan on staying within the city limits of an area like San Juan. However, that is also the least convenient option. There are regular taxis in Puerto Rico that you will be able to flag down or call.

On top of that, there is also the option of getting a rental car. Unfortunately, ride shares are far and few in Puerto Rico with Uber not operating there. If you are in the San Juan area, you could take Tren Urbano which is a limited subway line. You can also always try carpooling with some friends or family.
 

Wrapping up

It will take some time for your car to ship to Puerto Rico. In fact, in almost all cases it will take over two weeks. While your car is shipping there, you will need some way of getting around. You can walk, take a taxi, take the subway (if you are in the San Juan area), rent a car or carpool. When you need your car shipped to Puerto Rico, do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions that you have or for a free quote by calling (904) 322-7644!

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The risk of an accident in Puerto Rico
How wearing a seatbelt will keep you safe
Wrapping up
 

The risk of an accident in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has some pretty dangerous driving conditions at times. This is more often the case in the highly populated areas such as San Juan. The primary issue is that on top of a lot of traffic, there are a lot of drivers who do not follow or only loosely follow them. You really cannot blame them though; the traffic laws are poorly enforced thus people tend not to follow them.

You will often see people turning suddenly without signaling and across several lanes. You will also see people make sudden stops, frequently speed and drive very aggressively. It is because of these things that the risk of getting into an accident is more prevalent in Puerto Rico than it is in many places. So, you need to do everything in your power to protect yourself in case you get into an accident and that starts with wearing your seatbelt.
 

How wearing a seatbelt will keep you safe

With other motorists making such sudden and frequent stops in Puerto Rico, you need to make sure that you use your seatbelt each and every time you drive. Even if you do not get into an accident, seat belts can prevent major injury that could occur from stopping short in an effort to avoid an accident. You also must make sure that any of your passengers always wear their seatbelts.

The fact of the matter is that seatbelts save lives. Statistics show that almost fifty percent of people killed in the US in 2017 in car crashes were not using seatbelts. You must also look at the fact that from 1975 through 2020, seatbelts have saved nearly 400,000 lives.
 

Wrapping up

It is incredibly important to always wear a seatbelt no matter where you are. The risk you are taking by not wearing a seatbelt in a place like Puerto Rico is even higher than normal. Even if you do not get into an accident, not wearing your seatbelt can be a very dangerous and costly decision to make especially in a highly populated area like San Juan. If you have anything wrong with your seatbelt like it will not buckle, you must get that fixed immediately. Finally, always be sure that your passengers are wearing seatbelts as well.

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How a car’s grille will help in warm climates
Caring for your car grille
Final Word
 

How a car’s grille will help in warm climates

Most cars have grilles. Yes, they do serve a bit of an aesthetic purpose, but they also have a much more practical purpose. They allow a much better airflow in the engine which helps the components such as the radiator perform better and last longer.

Consider that your car’s radiator overheating can be a big issue. The grille allows much better airflow over the radiator to both cool it and better ventilate heat that it is emitting while you are driving the car. This is obviously much more important in hot climates such as Puerto Rico’s.

Some cars have grilles in other locations or do not have them at all. This is because some cars, based on their design and specifications, require the additional cooling else where such as near the brakes. Whether these cars have the grille else where or not at all, they are designed with extra protection and cooling in the engine for the radiator as a result. Regardless, these cars are still pretty rare these days.
 

Caring for your car grille

There is not much that you need to do in order to care for your car grille. You just need to make sure that the grille is clean and clear of any debris or dirt. If the grille is blocked, then the airflow obviously will be as well which defeats the purpose of the grille. You also need to be sure that any damage or bends in the grille gets repaired as quickly as possible for the same reason that you need to keep it clean.
 

Final Word

Your car grille is more important than the vast majority of people are aware of. It increases air flow in the engine which really helps keep the radiator cool and working. This is particularly important in Puerto Rico where the weather is almost always hot, and your radiator is at a considerably higher risk of overheating. Always be sure to keep the grille clean and that if there is any damage to it that you get it repaired as soon as possible. If you need to ship a vehicle to or from Puerto Rico , call us at (904) 322-7644 for a free instant quote today!