Recent Puerto Rico Shipping News

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Driving Straight
Other things your alignment does
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Driving Straight

Your car’s alignment is how your vehicle’s suspension system angles your wheels so that they are perfectly straight when the steering wheel is not turned at all. Having a proper alignment for your car will allow you to drive with ease without you constantly manipulating the steering wheel to ensure you are driving on a straight path. With the right alignment, you should be able to drive straight without your car listing to one side or the other while your hands are not on the steering wheel. That’s just theoretical though because you should always drive with both hands on the steering wheel. In reality, always ask your mechanic to check your alignment for you if you feel it is off.

You should also know when your alignment may be commonly thrown off. Your tires could become misaligned after a year or more since you last had them aligned, if you hit a bump in the road or curb particularly hard or right after you get one or more new tires. If you ever notice your steering is pulling to one side or the other, your alignment is off, and it is time to take your car into the mechanic. If you do need to get your car’s alignment repaired, it will cost about seventy-five dollars for two tires or about a hundred and fifty for four tires.
 

Other things your alignment does

Your alignment will offer several benefits other than just making driving straight completely easy. A correct alignment will also extend the life of your tires by decreasing drag and friction on them. This will directly translate into another benefit of a proper alignment, a much smoother overall ride. It will also help increase the gas mileage you will get because tires that drag more cause your engine to work harder thus it will use more fuel than necessary.
 

Wrapping up

Your vehicle’s alignment is very important. It will allow you to keep your car straight as you drive with the most amount of ease. It will also help you make your tires last longer, have a smoother ride and use less gas overall. If you feel like your steering wheel is pulling towards one side of the other and keeping your car going perfectly straight is difficult, it is likely time to get a new alignment. Thankfully it will not be too expensive to do so. Always try to avoid hitting road debris, curbs or large bumps in the road at higher speeds as doing so can throw your alignment off.

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Adjusting your seat for safety
Adjusting your seat for comfort
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Adjusting your seat for safety

When you are driving it is important that you are as comfortable as possible and that is definitely a reason to adjust your seat prior to starting your car. However, the ability to operate your car properly and optimal safety in a crash are even more important reasons to make sure that your seat is properly adjusted before you start driving.

You need to make sure that your seat is close enough to the pedals and steering wheel so that you can reach and operate them with ease. However, be sure that you are not so close that you are in unsafe proximity to the airbag in the case of an accident. As a typical rule of thumb, be sure that your chest is at least ten inches away from the steering wheel. If you cannot reach the pedals as a result of this, you can have pedal extensions installed in your vehicle.
 

Adjusting your seat for comfort

You also should adjust your seat in your car for comfort as well. If you do not, you will not only obviously need to deal with discomfort, but you will also possibly have to deal with resulting chronic physical issues such as back pain. When you are adjusting your seat to maximize comfort, do so to avoid any sort of poor posture like slumping down in your seat. Also, be sure that you are not too far away from the steering wheel or pedals to the point that you are overreaching to operate them. These things can be especially problematic if you will be driving for long periods of time.
 

Wrapping up

Adjusting your seat before you start driving is much more important than many people think. It can allow you to operate your car properly as well as prevent injury for the air bag in the case of a collision. Adjusting your seat will also prevent you from being uncomfortable as you drive. If you consistently drive with discomfort, it could lead to a chronic physical issue with your back or legs. If you are considering transporting a car to Puerto Rico at any time throughout the year, give us a call any time with any questions or for a free estimate at (904) 322-7644!

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Advantages of both
Disadvantages of both
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Advantages of both

When you park in a parking lot or a driveway, you have two choices: park with the front of your car facing out or park with the back of your car facing out. When you park with the front of your vehicle facing out it is known as “head-out” parking. When you do the opposite and the back of your car is facing out, it is known as “head-in” parking.

There are distinct advantages to both. First, depending on which method of parking you choose, you will either save time while you park or while you pull out later on. If you park head-in, you will save time while you park. If you park head-out, you will save time when you pull out later.

Head-out parking also offers the advantage of more visibility and safety when you pull out. You will be able to easily see oncoming traffic and/or pedestrians without turning your head all the way over your shoulders. Head-in parking will offer the advantage of easier loading of things such as groceries.
 

Disadvantages of both

AS much as there are advantages to both head-in and head-out parking, there are also a few disadvantages to both. Head-in parking can put you at a disadvantage by making it much more difficult and potentially unsafe to back out. You will need to do so much more slowly, and you will need to constantly be checking over both shoulders when you do.

With head-out parking, sometimes you can be ticketed in certain parking lots. Always check and make sure that there are no signs in any lots that you park in that forbid head-out parking. Head-out parking will also mean you need to reverse into your spot or driveway which will take more time and could potentially hold up cars nearby. This can lead to impatience and high-tension behavior such as honking which can cause you anxiety as you maneuver your vehicle into the spot.
 

Wrapping up

There are clear advantages and disadvantages to both head-in and head-out parking. Overall, head-in parking will allow you to pull out of a spot more quickly and safely. Head-in parking will allow you to do the same when you initially pull into a spot or driveway. If you are parking head-out, check for signs first to make sure that parking that way is allowed. Regardless of the method of parking that you choose, always do so slowly and carefully.

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Why you should not follow
Keep a safe distance
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Why you should not follow

If you have ever driven behind a construction vehicle on the highway, you have likely noticed some sort of signage on the rear of the vehicle that said something along the lines of “Construction vehicle – Do not follow”. You are not alone if you find yourself wondering why exactly that is.

Well, there are actually a few reasons for this. The primary reason is that these vehicles are headed to construction sites. Construction sites are restricted sites which means non-construction workers are not allowed to enter them. These areas are also very dangerous due to the machinery being used as well as heavy and hazardous materials constantly being moved around. So, if you unwittingly follow a construction vehicle into a construction site, you are not only illicitly entering a restricted zone, but you are also putting yourself at great risk.

Construction vehicles also warn people not to follow them because they do not want people tailgating them or driving aggressively around them. There is a higher risk of other drivers doing this because many construction vehicles drive much slower than normal vehicles. Construction vehicles also have a very limited range of sight, so they have bigger blind spots and might not be able to see behind them very well either. If someone drives behind them, it makes it much easier for an accident to occur.
 

Keep a safe distance

Sometimes, when there is a high amount of traffic or you or on a road with only one lane or other lanes are closed, you will have no choice but to drive behind a construction vehicle. If this is the case, then you just need to be sure you stay aware that you can see slightly around and/or ahead of the construction vehicle so that you do not unknowingly enter a construction area. You can simply do this by keeping a safe distance. For the most part, a safe distance to drive behind a construction vehicle is considered one second for every approximate ten feet of length of the vehicle in front. If it is large and seems to be about forty feet long, that means you should have at least four seconds of distance between you and that construction vehicle.
 

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Always do whatever you can in order to avoid driving behind a construction vehicle. This does not include unsafely passing one, however. When you follow a construction vehicle, you risk entering a restricted construction area which can get you into trouble. Entering a construction area is also extremely unsafe. Driving behind a construction vehicle is also not a great idea because of the limited visibility the driver of that vehicle likely has. If you have no choice but to drive behind a construction vehicle, be sure you do so at a safe distance.

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Reckless driving statistics
Avoiding reckless drivers
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Reckless driving statistics

Reckless driving is when you drive with complete disregard for the safety of yourself and other drivers. This can include several different things. For example, if you are speeding and weaving in and out of multiple lanes of traffic without signaling, you can be ticketed or even arrested for reckless driving. Many instances of reckless driving are results of road rage but that is not always the case.

Reckless driving is extremely dangerous and is an easy way to get yourself or another motorist seriously injured or even killed. Each year in Puerto Rico, reckless driving causes needless fatalities. In each year from 2016 to 2018 almost one hundred people died from speeding related accidents. Puerto Rican law enforcement issued over a hundred thousand tickets for speeding, on average, in each year from 2015 through 2019. Reckless driving means increased speed and that means increased chances of a deadly accident. For example, when you increase your speed from sixty miles per hour to eighty miles per hour, you actually quadruple your chances of getting into a fatal car accident.
 

Avoiding reckless drivers

You obviously never want to drive recklessly yourself. Never speed, make aggressive maneuvers or make any maneuvers such as changing lanes without signaling. However, you will inevitably encounter other reckless drivers out on the road in Puerto Rico. When you do encounter a reckless driver, you will want to do everything in your power to avoid them and their unnecessary aggression.

When you notice someone driving aggressively the first thing you should do is to keep as much of a distance as possible. Get out of the same lane or even pull over and let them pass you by. You can also turn off of that road and take a different route altogether. If you do pull over, you can also choose to call the police and report that driver if you happened to get their license plate number. Finally, always make sure you drive correctly and that you do not inadvertently do anything like cut someone off that would potentially set off “road rage” because that is the most frequent cause of reckless driving.
 

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Reckless driving is one of the most dangerous and senseless things that someone can do behind the wheel of a car. It is a complete lack of regard for the safety of yourself and all other drivers out on the road. Reckless driving is unfortunately quite prevalent in Puerto Rico. If you find yourself driving near someone who seems to be driving recklessly, do whatever you can to put as much space between them and you including changing lanes or even pulling over.

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How to maintain control of your car
How to maximize visibility
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How to maintain control of your car

Driving on wet roads in Puerto Rico is an ever-present possibility because of the risk of significant rain throughout the year in various areas on the island. As a result, you must be prepared to drive safely in these conditions at all times. Driving safely on wet roads will begin with maintaining control of your vehicle to avoid things like accidentally hydroplaning.

Maintaining control of your car as you drive on wet roads will begin with ensuring you have the right tires. All-weather tires will be your best option as they are also very well suited for driving in dry conditions. These tires will give you more grip and traction on the road which will help you stop quickly if need be as well as avoid any sliding as you maneuver your wheels.

Never drive through an accumulation of water on the road that looks like it might be more than a few inches deep because doing so can cause your car to stall. You must also drive more cautiously in order to keep best control of your vehicle on slick roads. This will include slowing down and maneuvering more gradually. For example, when you need to come to a stop on a wet road in Puerto Rico, start braking sooner and do so slowly. Finally, give the driver in front of you twice as much space as you normally would. This is just in case you do need to stop suddenly.
 

How to maximize visibility

Driving safely on a wet road will also entail being able to see everything clearly. So, if it is currently raining, make sure that your windshield wipers are turned on and at an appropriate speed. Also be sure that your windshield and all other windows are always completely clean. A dirty window can make it much harder to see especially in inclement weather conditions. Also, always be sure to have your headlights on when you are driving on a wet road. Your headlights will help illuminate the roads most clearly as well as simultaneously make your own vehicle most visible to other drivers.

Wrapping up

Driving on a wet road in Puerto Rico will be much less treacherous when you do so cautiously and safely. Get reliable all-weather tires, slow down, maneuver your car more gradually, and never drive through high accumulations of water. You must also ensure that your visibility is at its highest. Keep your windshield and windows clean at all times, keep your headlights on at all times and use your windshield wipers at an appropriate speed when driving in rainy conditions.

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Using your wipers
Replacing your wipers
 

Using your wipers

Being able to correctly use your windshield wipers in the rain, whether it is light or heavy, can make the difference between a smooth ride through bad weather or getting into an accident as a result of it. As a driver, you must be prepared to know what speed to set your wipers to, when to use wiper fluid and much more.

Starting with their most obvious use, your wipers will allow you to see as you drive throw the rain or snow. You should always use your wipers at an appropriate speed. If you constantly use them at a maximum speed, you can risk burning out their motor. For example, if you are just driving through an intermittent drizzle, only use your windshield wipers at a low operating speed.

Your wipers can also be used to help clear pre-defrosted ice and frost off your windshield as well as dirt and debris. However, this is where many people tend to misuse their wipers. If you are clearing frost/ice off your windshield, you should run your defrosters for a bit as well as do your best to scrape off what you can manually with an ice scraper. Running your wipers on ice or frost which has not been at least partially defrosted and scrapped can damage them. If you are using your windshield wipers to clear dirt off of your windshield, be sure to do so in conjunction with your wiper fluid.

Never run your wipers on a dry windshield as a general rule off thumb. Finally, always shut your wipers off before you turn off your car. If not, they will run on a dry windshield when you turn your car back on and that can damage the wiper blades as well as your windshield.
 

Replacing your wipers

You should replace your wipers at least once per year. In many cases, it will be more frequently than once per year. It will come down to the amount of use that they have gotten. You will know when it is time to replace your windshield wipers when there are streaks left when they are operating, if there are unusual sounds coming from them or if you can see that not enough contact is being made with your windshield.

In terms of how to replace your windshield wipers, start by purchasing the correct replacements. You can easily do so by visiting an auto store such as Pep Boys and telling an employee your car make, model and year. After that, you want to get your wipers in position at their apex by turning your car on, turning your wipers on and then shutting the car off when the wipers are at their highest point. From there you can follow the instructions that came with the wipers. You can also follow vehicle and/or wiper brand specific instructional videos on YouTube for more in-depth instruction if you feel it is necessary.
 

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Checking your blind spot
The danger of your blind spot
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Checking your blind spot

Anytime that you are out driving in Puerto Rico, and you are turning, entering a highway via on-ramp or changing lanes, you must always check your blind spot first. Doing so will ensure that you do not get into an accident with a vehicle that is not visible to you in your mirrors due to it being in your blind spot. Your “blind spot” is the area to either side of your car where another car can be where it will not be visible in either your rearview or sideview mirrors. This area is to the side of your car but also slightly behind your car.

In order to check your blind spot, you should check all of your mirrors first. After that, you can easily check your blind spot by turning your head over the should of the direction that you are merging towards quickly to see if there are any cars in close proximity but simultaneously out of view of your mirror. If you are checking your blind spot to your right, you should do a quick check of the “5 O’clock” position. If you are checking your blind spot to your left, you should do a quick check of the “7 O’clock” position.
 

The danger of your blind spot

If you fail to check your blind spot prior to merging onto a highway or into another lane, it has the potential to be absolutely disastrous. You can end up moving over right into another vehicle. If you do so quickly enough major damage, injury and even fatality can be the result.

This is because the uneven and offset alignment of the two vehicles could cause one or both of the cars to lose control and or “fishtail” if they collide. This can lead to one or both vehicles flipping over and/or colliding with additional vehicles. Be sure that you always check your blind spot before merging in order to avoid this at all costs.
 

Wrapping up

Checking your blind spot prior to merging into another lane or onto a highway from an on-ramp is critically important to your safety and the safety of all other drivers that are around you. Even if you thoroughly check both your rearview and sideview mirrors, a car that is in your blind spot will not be visible. That is why you must quickly turn your head over your shoulder in the direction that you are merging and check your blind spot prior to merging. If you need any type of vehicle shipped to Puerto Rico or from Puerto Rico, give us a call anytime at (904) 322-7644 with any questions or for a free quote!

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What engine coolant does
How to keep an eye on your coolant
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What engine coolant does

Engine coolant, otherwise known as anti-freeze, is the fluid that gets pumped though all areas of your engine during extreme cold and hot temperatures while your car is running in order to maintain a proper operating temperature for your engine. Engine coolant also helps prevent corrosion in your engine.

If you were to operate your vehicle without anti-freeze or without the right amount, your engine components could overheat or freeze (depending on the outside temperature) and this would prevent them from working. In certain cases, the damage that occurs can be so severe that you might need to replace these parts which could prove extremely costly. Why spend hundreds on repairs and parts when a bottle of coolant would only have cost you about ten dollars and a few minutes of your time in the first place?
 

How to keep an eye on your coolant

Checking that you have enough engine coolant in your vehicle is quite easy. You will just need to open the hood of your car and then locate your radiator. Once you do, you should see a clear plastic container. You will be able to see the coolant level through the clear plastic. If it is low, you should obviously add more coolant. Before you do, check out the remaining coolant. If it is clear or rust colored or has noticeable particles in it, take your car to your mechanic and tell them.

To add more coolant, you can take off the cap, add the coolant to the maximum fill line and then securely put the cap back on. Be sure that you are using the correct coolant before you do add any more. You can find this information in your owner’s manual, or you can simply ask your mechanic the next time that you see them.
 

Wrapping up

Your engine coolant is extremely important to the overall health and longevity of your vehicle’s engine and its parts. It regulates the temperature of the engine during more extreme external weather temperatures so that engine components do not freeze, overheat and/or corrode. You should be sure to check your engine coolant level at least once each month. If you notice discoloration of the remaining coolant, take your car into the mechanic. If all is well and the level is low, fill your coolant reservoir to the max fill line with the correct type of coolant.

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The increased risk of an accident when speeding
Speed limits in Puerto Rico
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The increased risk of an accident when speeding

Speeding is incredibly dangerous, and it is unfortunately a common issue in Puerto Rico. When you drive over the speed limit, you are at a considerably higher risk of getting into an accident because you will have less time to react, and it will simultaneously take you more time to come to a complete stop or slow down. It is no wonder why speeding is responsible for so many accidents and against the law.

The numbers about speeding do not lie. More people died in speeding related crashes in Puerto Rico in 2019 than any other traffic related cause. That includes deaths caused by drunk driving or by not wearing a seat belt. Speeding also accounted for nearly a third of all traffic related fatalities that year. In 2019, there were almost twenty-five thousand speeding tickets issued in Puerto Rico and that is with the infamous lenient traffic enforcement in Puerto Rico.

In fact, the lenient traffic enforcement can possibly be seen as contributing to the continued prevalence of speeding in Puerto Rico. In a survey, forty nine percent of people said it was “highly unlikely” that they would get a ticket if speeding in Puerto Rico whereas only thirty seven percent had ever even heard of anyone even getting a speeding ticket in Puerto Rico.
 

Speed limits in Puerto Rico

Obviously, you should always obey the speed limit no matter where you are driving However, that is especially true in Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, the speed limits are typically twenty-five miles per hour on city streets, forty-five miles per hour on country roads and sixty-five miles per hour on the highways. Watch out for school zones as the speed limit will only be fifteen miles per hour on school days while school is in session.

As we mentioned above, police in Puerto Rico are not very strict in terms of enforcing the speed limits. This means you will likely have a ten to fifteen mile per hour buffer. So, in the city roads like San Juan, you may be able to drive forty miles per hour without being ticketed, even if the police see you driving that fast. However, that is not guaranteed and, much more importantly, puts you and the cars around you at a great risk of getting into an accident. For example, the distance you need to brake when you are driving a hundred miles per hour versus only seventy is doubled.
 

Wrapping up

Speeding is incredibly irresponsible and puts you, your passengers, your car and anyone else on the road at risk of being involved in a serious accident. Speeding causes a lot of fatalities each and every year. In Puerto Rico, speeding happens more frequently and with more impunity with most places because police do not enforce speed limits as strictly as they do in other places such as the US. Always obey the speed limit in Puerto Rico, no matter where you are driving.