Recent Puerto Rico Shipping News

Your source for the most up to date information from inside the PR car shipping industry.

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Signaling before changing lanes
Checking your blind spot
Wrapping up
 
turn-signal-puerto-rico

 

Signaling before changing lanes

When you drive on any road or highway that has multiple lanes there is a good possibility that you will need to change your lanes a few times. Depending on the amount of traffic around you and the speed that it is traveling, changing a lane can be fairly dangerous if not properly executed. Unfortunately, in Puerto Rico, other drivers in traffic can tend to drive pretty aggressively which can include speeding, tailgating and changing a lane themselves without warning. Thus, its exceptionally important that you change your lane in Puerto Rico with the correct technique and safety.

Making a safe lane change will always start with properly signaling. Obviously, if you intend to get into the lane to the right of you, activate your right turn signal and vice versa for changing lanes to the left. However, you also must signal with enough time to warn other driver’s of your intent.

To be safe, always activate your turn signal at least a hundred feet prior to changing your lane and keep it on until you have completed changing your lane. As we mentioned, some drivers in Puerto Rico might be a bit over-aggressive, so if you signal before changing lanes you might notice certain driver’s using that to speed ahead in the next lane so as to not let you in. Do your best to ignore them and then change lanes once they pass.
 

Checking your blind spot

Once you have signaled your intent to change lanes for at least a hundred feet, it will be time to change lanes if the coast is clear. For the most part, you will be able to use your rear and sideview mirrors for this. You also must check what is most often referred to as your blind spot first. When you are driving, your blind spot is an area that is both to one side of your car as well as a bit to the rear simultaneously. If there is a car driving in this position, you will not be able to see it with any of your mirrors. Thus, you will need to “check your blind spot.”

In order to check your blind spot when driving:

  1. Ensure the road ahead will allow you to check your blind spot – In order to check your blind spot, you will need to turn your head slightly over your shoulder. If there is a fast-approaching obstacle ahead, deal with that before checking your blind spot or changing lanes.
  2. Turn your head over your corresponding shoulder – If the coast is clear in front of you, then you can quickly turn your head about ninety to a hundred degrees of the way over the corresponding shoulder and see if there is another car in the lane that you are going to change into but slightly behind which will prevent you from safely changing lanes. Only keep your head turned for half a second as that is all the time you will need and any more time with your eyes off of the road could be dangerous.
  3. Change your lane if your blind spot is clear – If you have found that your blind spot is clear, and you have signaled for over a hundred feet, you may then change your lane.
  4. As you change your lane, be ready to react to a horn – When you are finally changing your lane, it is possible in the moment after you checked your blind spot and before you started changing lanes that someone crept into your blind spot. So, if you hear a car horn when you start changing lanes, quickly retreat into your former lane and then start the lane change process again.

 

Wrapping up

Changing your lane can be pretty treacherous at times. This is unfortunately the case most of the time in Puerto Rico due to routine over aggression of some drivers. So, you will want to make sure that you go by the book as much as you can both in terms of technique and safety when changing a lane in Puerto Rico. Always signal at least a hundred feet prior to beginning to change your lane and never forget to quickly check your blind spot before you change your lane. If you want a car shipped either to or from Puerto Rico, you can get a free instant quote online anytime

Posted in: Car shipment

Jump to section:
Turning and changing lanes
Hazard lights
Conclusion
 
turn-signal-puerto-rico

 

Turning and changing lanes

Your turn signals are not just an easy way for the police to pull you over and give you a ticket. They are a warning for other drivers that you will be maneuvering your car in one direction or the other. You might be turning in one direction; you might be changing a lane in a certain direction or you could even be parallel parking. Regardless, without this warning, other drivers will have much less time to react by slowing down or stopping which would allow you to complete your turn or lane change safely.

When you are turning, there are a few simple things to remember about the use of your turn signals:

  1. Be sure that you always signal at least a hundred feet before you stop to make your turn.
  2. Do not use your signal too far before your turn. Doing so will make some other drivers believe you have left it on in error, thus they will no longer think that you will be turning which will defeat the purpose of using the signal in the first place.
  3. Even when you are turning out of somewhere insignificant like a parking lot or driveway, be sure that you signal in the direction that you will be turning because it will help drivers on that road that you are turning onto know which direction that you plan on turning in.
  4. Make sure your turn signal is off once you have completed your turn and are driving straight forward.

When you are changing lanes, your turn signals are equally as important as when you are turning. There are some similarities between the use of your car’s blinkers when you are turning and when you are changing lanes but there are also significant differences too. One similarity is that you must signal at least a hundred feet before you start to change your lane. Another similarity is that you must ensure that your blinker is turned off when you have completed changing your lane.

However, one major difference between using your signals for turning versus changing lanes is that you will have to check your vehicle’s blind spot prior to completing the lane change. When you are turning, you will not need to worry about checking for traffic behind you, only oncoming traffic. Another difference is that you will not need to come to a complete stop, in fact you might not even need to slow down in order to change lanes.
 

Hazard lights

A vehicle’s hazard lights are when you press a button in your car that will simultaneously activate both turn signals so that drivers around you will know something is wrong and that you could stop soon without further warning if you have not already. Your hazard signals have very specific uses that are only for select emergency circumstances.

You should only use your vehicle’s hazard lights in the following circumstances:

  • When you are in a car accident
  • When your car breaks down or you are changing a tire
  • When you are pulled over by the police
  • When you are a part of a funeral procession

Your car’s hazard lights are not appropriate to use in the following circumstances:

  • When you are double parked
  • When you are parked in a loading zone
  • When you are blocking a driveway or freight entrance
  • When you want to slow down to see a street sign or look for parking

 

Conclusion

Your car’s turn signals, or blinkers as many people call them, are a very important part of the safety of driving. If you do not use them correctly or at all, other drivers around you will not have the proper notice that you plan to do something like changing lanes or turning. Your hazard lights are for completely different uses than your turn signals are. You should only use your hazard lights in emergency situations such as if your car breaks down or if you are pulled over by the police. Avoid using your hazard lights for non-important things like parking illegally as it will not help you avoid a ticket.

Posted in: Car shipment

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The advantage of parallel parking
Proper parallel parking technique
Wrapping up
 
parallel-parking-puerto-rico

 

The advantage of parallel parking

Parallel parking is used to when someone needs to park in a single tight space that is between two cars on a city or residential street. It works where driving forward into a space does not because parallel parking causes your car to angle away from the car in front of you as you park whereas driving forward into a spot angles the rear of your car into the car behind you as you park. Thus, parallel parking can allow you to easily put your car in a spot that is barely bigger than the length of your car. This is incredibly useful in highly populated areas such as San Juan where street parking can be very hard to come by.
 

Proper parallel parking technique

The level of precision that you execute the proper technique with when parallel parking can make or break your ability to complete the parking job. It can also be the difference between scratching or bumping the car in front of or behind you which you obviously want to avoid at all costs. So, when you are trying to quickly slide into a tight spot on the streets of San Juan, use the following technique to safely and efficiently complete parallel parking:

  1. Find a spot that is longer than the length of your vehicle
  2. Pull up even with the car that will be in front of you once you are finished parking. There should be about three feet in between the side of your car and the side of that car.
  3. Cut the wheel all the way to the right, put your car into reverse and slowly begin to reverse into the parking space.
  4. Once you are at the point where you can see the entirety of the car that will be behind you in your driver’s side mirror, cut the wheel straight and continue to slowly reverse.
  5. When you get to the point that you cannot see any of the right taillight of the car that will be in front of you because your passenger side mirror is blocking it, cut the wheel to the left and finish reversing into the space.
  6. If you glance the curb or are too close to the car in front or behind you instead of equidistant to both, adjust as needed.

 

Wrapping up

If you are unable to parallel park and frequently drive in a highly populated area like San Juan, it will take you exponentially longer and/or cost you more to finally find a space that you can pull directly forward into. Parallel parking not only allows you to pull into extremely tight spaces on the street, it helps you prevent causing damage to another vehicle as you park. If you need a car transported to or from Puerto Rico at any point throughout the year, Puerto Rico Car Transport always has you covered and can answer any questions or get you a quick quote by calling (904) 322-7644!

Posted in: Car shipment

Jump to section:
Your rear-view mirror
Your side-view mirrors
Wrapping up
 
car-mirror-in-puerto-rico

 

Your rear-view mirror

Almost all drivers are taught that the first thing you should do upon entering your vehicle to go for a drive is to adjust your mirrors so that you have both a clear and full view behind your car and to each side of it. This is because it could take a possible valuable moment to adjust them when you are driving which can be the difference between getting into an accident or not. So, whenever you get into your car, the first thing you should do is to check and adjust your rearview mirror.

Your rearview mirror is used so that you can see what is behind you which is primarily useful when you are going to be backing up or changing lanes. You will want to make sure that your rear-view mirror is angled so that you have a full view of the road behind you and not of the roof of your car or of your rear passenger seats. When you are adjusting your rear-view mirror, ensure that you are sitting in your normal position with your regular driving posture. The overall goal will be to be able to take a quick look at this mirror, without turning your head, in order to instantly assess the situation directly behind your vehicle.
 

Your side-view mirrors

Your car’s side view mirrors are also quite crucial to your ability to drive and maneuver with complete safety. These mirrors allow you to see what is behind your car but to the left or right. Your sideview mirrors allow you to change lanes or perform maneuvers like parallel parking with much more ease than if you did not have them.

However, you will still need to check over your shoulder because these mirrors allow for what is known as a “blind spot” on each side. A blind spot is an area on either side of your car and slightly to the rear where another vehicle, pedestrian or obstacle can be in very close proximity without you being able to see it in any mirror. Over eighty thousand car accidents happen in the United States each year directly because of someone’s failure to check their blind spot correctly according to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Association.

Another reason to not rely solely on your side-view mirrors is because they allow objects such as other cars to be closer than they actually appear. This can give you the dangerous illusion of having enough room to do something like change your lane when you actually do not.

Once you have checked and adjusted your rearview mirror, you should do the same with each of your sideview mirrors. You should ensure that both your right and left sideview mirrors give you a clear view of the road or area to the corresponding side of your vehicle. You should see a little bit of your own car with an even view on the horizon on both sides.
 

Wrapping up

Your car’s mirrors make life much easier and safer when you are driving. They will help you avoid putting a strain on your neck by having to constantly turn your head. Your mirrors will also provide you with quick and easy views of the road that you otherwise would not have had which directly increases overall safety in a very big way. All you need to do is to remember to properly adjust your mirrors each and every time that you get into your car. You must also ensure that you always turn your head to check your blind spot each time you do something like change lanes.

Posted in: Car shipment

Jump to section:
Puerto Rico’s Highways
Staying safe on the highway
Wrapping up
 
puerto-rican-highway

 

Puerto Rico’s Highways

Puerto Rico has several highways as you might expect and there are both similarities and differences between them and the highways in the United States. They help motorists across the island navigate between the northern coast and the southern coast and to all points in between. In Puerto Rico, the highways all have speed limits that fall between fifty and sixty-five miles per hour which is pretty similar to some US states such as New York.

True highways in Puerto Rico breakdown three ways:

  • Expressways – These highways allow for mostly unimpeded access by traffic. “Unimpeded access” means there are no traffic lights, railroad crossings, tolls or other things that routinely slow/stop traffic.
  • Freeways – These highways allow for completely unimpeded access by traffic.
  • Autopistas (toll roads) – These highways are freeways that have unimpeded access with the exception of tolls. Thus, they cannot be considered “freeways.”

The following is a list of all major highways in Puerto Rico:

  • Expreso Kennedy
  • Roberto Sánchez Vilella
  • Expreso Río Hondo
  • Baldorioty de Castro
  • Santiago de los Caballeros
  • Expreso Las Américas
  • Expreso Rafael Martínez Nadal
  • Autopista José de Diego
  • Expreso Román Baldorioty de Castro
  • Expreso Cruz Ortiz Stella
  • Autopista Luis A. Ferré
  • Autopista Dr. José Celso Barbosa
  • Avenida Dionisio Casillas
  • Autopista Roberto Sánchez Vilella
  • Expreso El Caño

 

Staying safe on the highway

Highway driving is always more dangerous than driving on residential streets because of the increased speed limits and lack of traffic lights and stop signs. However, in Puerto Rico driving on the highway can be even more dangerous than normal. This is primarily because traffic enforcement by police in Puerto Rico is much more lenient than it is in the United States or most other places. Police in Puerto Rico often do not pull drivers over for any minor offenses and will even let some more major offenses slide as well. For example, much fewer people use their signals, especially changing lanes and almost none of them will end up being pulled over for it. Speeding is also much more prevalent in Puerto Rico.

So, you will want to drive on Puerto Rico’s highways with as much focus and caution as possible. You are more likely to have another driver change lanes in front of you without notice and a higher number of drivers will be traveling above the posted speed limit.

A few ways you can stay safe while driving on a highway in Puerto Rico are:

  • Stay out of the left lane – Much like in the United States, the furthest left lane is reserved for vehicles that are constantly passing vehicles in the lane to the right of it. This is what makes it the “fast lane.” To avoid a speeding motorist tailgating you, stay in the middle or right lanes.
  • Take extreme caution when switching lanes – Be sure that you always to a clear but quick look to check your blind spot before you change lanes. Always put your corresponding signal on for at least three seconds prior to changing your lane on a Puerto Rican highway.
  • Leave a lot of space in front of you – As we mentioned, many motorists in Puerto Rico can suddenly change lanes without warning or signaling. If you leave enough space between you and the car in front of you, this will minimize the impact when someone does this.
  • Stay focused but cool – Always pay full attention to driving in Puerto Rico. Do not use your phone or let yourself become otherwise distracted. If someone else near you is driving aggressively or recklessly, remain calm and do your best to distance yourself.

 

Wrapping up

If you find yourself driving in Puerto Rico for more than a couple of days, you will certainly end up driving on the highways there. Similar to the United States, the highways almost always have no traffic lights, stop signs, pedestrian crossings or anything else that routinely stops traffic for certain intervals. These highways may have tolls though. Although the posted speed limits in Puerto Rico are quite moderate in comparison to other countries, many drivers disobey them and drive much faster. With considerably more lax traffic enforcement, drivers in Puerto Rico can also do things like change lanes without signaling. Always drive on Puerto Rico’s highways with complete focus and a high level of caution.

Posted in: Car shipment

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When to consider getting your car painted
The overall cost and effect on resale value
Wrapping up
 
car-paint-puerto-rico

 

When to consider getting your car painted

Most people have never even considered getting a vehicle painted. However, sometimes it can give new life to the aesthetic of your car. Typically, having rusted, peeling and/or faded paint on an older car is the most common reason people choose to get a paint job for their vehicle. The more you let these issues with your car’s paint go the worse they will get as time goes on and the further your car’s overall value will fall.

There are several important things to consider when you are thinking about getting a new paint job for your car:

  1. Old paint and damage must be removed – In order for the new paint to look its very best, the old paint must be removed. If not, the new paint will not end up with a clean and smooth look to it. The same goes for any scratches or dents. These must be repaired before new paint can be applied.
  2. Getting your car painted will take several days – As we mentioned, the old paint must come off first and old damage must be repaired before the new paint can be put on. Thus, it can take between three days and a week for a new paint job to be properly completed.
  3. A good paint job can last over a decade – Believe it or not a new paint job can last between ten and fifteen years. So, if you think you might sell your car a few years down the road, you can definitely get a new paint job, enjoy it for a few years and then still sell it with some additional value.

 

The overall cost and effect on resale value

Some people tend to mistake getting a new professional paint job for a car with haphazardly spray painting a car. There is a world of difference between the two. As we mentioned, when you get a professional paint job the old paint gets removed and any existing cosmetic damage on surfaces where new paint will be applied will be repaired. With a quick and unofficial spray paint job, someone will just spray new paint over the old paint and damage. Not only will it be clear that that is what was done because of the sloppy and haphazard looking work but doing so could actually make damage like scratches or dents become much more noticeable.

Any quick spray paint jobs will surely decrease the overall value of the vehicle. However, getting an official by-the-book paint job for a vehicle can surely increase the value. At the very least it will not decrease it. This is because the existing exterior cosmetic damage gets repaired, and your car has a much newer and attractive overall appearance.
 

Wrapping up

There are several huge benefits to getting a new paint job for a vehicle. It will make your car stand out, look several years newer and it will likely increase the resale value of your car a bit. However, that is only if you spend the right amount of money and get an official new paint job. Do not try to cut a corner and get your car quickly spray painted. It will look sloppy, enhance how noticeable existing damage is and will surely decrease the value of the vehicle.

Posted in: Car shipment

Jump to section:
How long can you drive with a donut on?
Donut storage tips
Wrapping up
 
driving-on-a-donut-in-puerto-rico

 

How long can you drive with a donut on?

Almost all drivers have suffered at least one flat tire in their lives. It is a tremendous inconvenience that will cost you both some time and money. That is where a donut tire comes in handy. If you ever find yourself with a flat, you can simply replace that tire with the donut and be on your way.

A donut tire, or a spare tire as many people call them, is a tire that that is smaller than typical tires. It is intended for emergency use only and is more easily stored in your car than a traditional tire. You will not be able to drive on a donut for very long. It is not meant as a permanent replacement for a normal tire but a temporary fix in order to allow you to get to an auto or tire shop. It is recommended that you only drive on a donut for less than seventy-five miles or fewer than three days, whichever comes first.

Otherwise, these tires can wear extremely quickly as they typically have almost no tread to them. The fact that they have little, or no tread also increases the chances of you being involved in an accident of some sort. Treads help you grip the road which enables smooth and precise maneuvering and braking. This means on a donut, braking and maneuvering like steering will become more difficult.
 

Donut storage tips

Storing your donut should be quite easy. They are manufactured smaller in order to be able to be easily stored as we mentioned above. There is likely a space made specifically for a donut in your car somewhere. The most common place for this is in the trunk. However, you can check your owner’s manual to see exactly where your donut is located or can be stored.

It is a good decision to keep an actual extra tire in your car, thus you can skip the extra step of getting a new tire if you ever get a flat. However, you will need to check the available storage space in your vehicle to see if a new full-size tire can be stored there. If you do not, you might end up eating a considerable amount of trunk space with the extra tire. It will also likely get the interior of your trunk pretty dirty.
 

Wrapping up

A donut is a special tire that is there just in case you end up with a single flat tire. It is only to be used as a temporary replacement until you can get the original tire patched/repaired or until you can purchase a new or used tire to replace the original. Never use a donut for driving more than seventy-five miles or for driving for more than three straight days. Whether you have to ship a car to Puerto Rico or to the United States from Puerto Rico, the car shipping professionals at Puerto Rico Car Transport will always be able to get your vehicle there with ease! Call us today for an instant free quote at (904) 322-7644.

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Jump to section:
Legal considerations
Customizations
Wrapping up
 
puerto rico license plates

 

Yet another thing the United States and Puerto Rico have in common is having to drive with a valid license plate attached to your car so that it is clearly visible. If you drive your car without a license plate, or an expired one, expect to get pulled over and get an expensive ticket or two. The three most common license plate violations and the corresponding fines in Puerto Rico are:

  • Unreadable license plate – minimum $100 fine
  • Driving with another vehicle’s plate – minimum $1,000 fine
  • Driving without a license plate – (often just enforced for the rear of the vehicle) minimum $100 fine
  • Altering a license plate – minimum $100 fine

So, you cannot drive with someone else’s license plate, whether they gave you permission or not. You cannot alter your plate, so this means you cannot paint it, draw on it or put decals/stickers on it. Your license plate must also be readable so you cannot have a tinted visor over it and your tag lights must be working so that it will be readable at night. These fines are all dependent upon the fact that you are an actual licensed driver with an insured and registered (up to date “marbete”) vehicle. If not, there will be additional fines and/or possible arrest.

If you need a new license plate in Puerto Rico you will have to go to the Department of Transportation and Public Works (Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas) which is often abbreviated as DTOP. The DTOP is the Puerto Rican version of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Make sure your car has been registered before you do this, otherwise you will be unable to get your plates. Once you have been approved for your plates you will be given temporary tags and then you will get your actual license plates via the mail about a week or two later.

In certain situations, the police may even choose to remove your license plate so that you will not be able to drive your car anywhere without being pulled over again. Having an expired inspection sticker or not having an inspection at all is an example of an offense where police in Puerto Rico can do this. In addition, you will receive fines and you will be without your plate for several days until you are able to pick it up.
 

Customizations

There are several different types of special license plates that are legal to drive with in Puerto Rico. However, not everyone can choose any plate. For example, only handicapped people can have a handicapped plate. Regardless, there are several types of non-standard license plates that you could see or possibly get yourself in Puerto Rico. They are:

  • Personalized – Much like you often see in the United States, these are regular license plates with a customized message as the six characters on the plate rather than a typical license plate number.
  • Government – Government plates in Puerto Rico have unique designs, list the title of the particular government official and often only have three numbers instead of six numbers or characters.
  • Historical/Antique – Historical and antique license plates in Puerto Rico are only given to cars that are actual historical/antique vehicles and have that status officially registered. These plates are also have unique designs and typically pay homage to the particular style of car that they are affixed to.
  • Handicapped – Handicapped plates and parking works the same in Puerto Rico as it does in the United States, if you do not have a handicapped plate or placard, you cannot use a handicapped space. If you have both either, you may use a handicapped space.

 

Wrapping up

Your license plate is obviously a tremendously important part of being able to drive legally in Puerto Rico. You must always have one affixed to the appropriate places on the front and the back of your vehicle. On top of that, they must be your plates, you cannot alter them, and they must always be completely visible. There are several types of non-standard license plates in Puerto Rico including government, historical or antique, and handicapped plates.

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Jump to section:
Keeping a safe distance
Other precautions
Wrapping up
 
motorcycle-in-puerto-rico

 

Keeping a safe distance

Driving correctly and safely around motorcycles is extremely important because of the potential for damage both to the bike and rider being exponentially worse than if you hit a typical passenger car. Even what would be a low-speed fender bender could cause a catastrophic injury to the motorcycle rider if they fall from their bike the right way.

Obviously, it is always quite important to keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle driving in front of you. However, with the increased risk of serious injury associated with getting into an accident with a motorcycle you must increase that distance. Also, motorcycles tend to travel at higher speeds than more orthodox vehicles. This means they will have less reaction time thus increasing the likelihood they might stop short in front of you. Motorcycle riders also tend not to brake in order to decrease speed but rather they shift gears in order to slow down more gradually because braking too hard or suddenly could put them at risk of being thrown from their bike. What this means for someone driving behind them is that they might be reducing speed without ever having their brake lights on.

These things won’t be an issue if you have the correct distance between you and them. It is recommended that you keep at least four seconds of space between you and them. To calculate this, all you need to do is pick a road marking that the motorcyclist travels over/past. As soon as they are at that point, start counting. If it takes less than four seconds for you to reach the same marking, you are too close.
 

Other precautions

Beyond keeping a safe distance when driving behind a motorcycle, you should also take a few other simple precautions when driving with motorcycles in your proximity on the road. You should pay extra close attention to your blind spots if you are going to change lanes or turn anywhere near a motorcycle as they are much smaller than regular cars and can be much harder to see. Be sure to always signal with the proper amount of time before performing a lane change because some motorcyclists will unsafely ride in between lanes. If you suddenly change lanes and a nearby rider is doing this the result could be a disaster.

Finally, make sure that you give even more distance in front of you than four seconds if you are driving on a rough road, near a construction zone or in bad weather. A motorcyclist faces much more uncertainty if they hit a pothole or a deep puddle than the driver of a traditional car does. Thus, they tend to make quick maneuvers to avoid such obstacles rather than driving over/through them. Giving them even more space will allow them the latitude to do so.
 

Wrapping up

In conclusion, driving near any motorcycles out on the road could possibly create an unsafe situation for yourself and anyone else in your car but it poses much more risk for the motorcyclists themselves. Unfortunately, some motorcycle riders put themselves in a bad position with unsafe driving habits like traveling at unsafe speeds and riding in between lanes. The upside is that you can minimize the potential effect these driving habits have on safety by choosing to drive even more cautiously than normal around motorcycles. This includes putting more distance between you and them as well as always using proper signaling.

Posted in: Car shipment

Jump to section:
How idling increases pollution
How to avoid idling
Wrapping up
 
car-idling-puerto-rico

 

How idling increases pollution

Whenever you run a non-electric car’s engine, you are contributing to harmful pollution. If it is a pure gas run engine, it leads to the most pollution created by any type of engine. It is fine to drive whatever type of car you have whenever you need to. However, letting your car run while it is parked for any reason is an unnecessary contribution to the pollution of the earth’s atmosphere. This ends up hurting the environment and our health simultaneously.

To put things in a clearer perspective, every time that your car burns through a gallon of gas, it produces approximately twenty pounds of greenhouse gasses. This means that if you idle your car through just one gallon of gas per week, for the year you will be producing just over a thousand pounds of greenhouse gasses.
 

How to avoid idling

If the motivation for environmental safety and your health isn’t enough, consider that you are also needlessly burning through gas when you idle your vehicle’s engine so it can end up costing you quite a bit of money. So, if you want to avoid idling your car’s engine, there are several ways you can do so. This is especially true in Puerto Rico where you will never have the temptation to “warm up” your car in cold weather.

The first way for you to avoid idling your engine is to shut your engine off when you are stopped for twenty seconds or more unless you are currently in traffic. You can also do your best to merge your trips together which would result in less overall use of your car and less temptation to leave it idling. If you have passengers in your car and they do not want to sit in a hot parked car while you run into the store, ask them to come in with you rather than sitting in the car with the air conditioning on. Finally, you can always leave a reminder on your dashboard such as a post-it note which will ensure you do not forget to shut off your engine.
 

Wrapping up

When you idle your car’s engine you are doing completely avoidable yet irreversible damage to the environment and possibly even your health. It is quite important that you do whatever you can in order to avoid idling your vehicle’s engine. You can make this easier by combining the trips you take with your car, ensuring that you always shut your engine off after being stopped for twenty seconds plus, you can leave a reminder on your dash board near the ignition to shut your engine off and you can encourage passengers to leave your car with you when you need to run an errand. If you ever need to ship a vehicle to or from the port at San Juan, visit our homepage for a free instant quote!

Posted in: Car shipment