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Many of us are happy to say goodbye to winter because that means that the warm weather is coming, aka no more snow! But just because we might not see any more snow doesn’t mean that driving in spring is any safer than driving in winter. I know many of you might be scratching your head questioning how that might be. Well, during the spring a lot more people are out an about, including walkers, children, motorist, and bikers. Making sure you stay attentive at all times is extremely important during the spring/summer months. Weather-wise, conditions can become slippery during spring months due to all of the rain that we get. With many many things to remember and keep an eye out for, we thought it would be a good idea to list them out and remind you what you should be checking for. So get yourself prepared to start driving in spring conditions again with our helpful tips below! Be On The Lookout For Potholes: Winter weather takes a big toll on our roadways, which leads to some pretty nasty potholes. If your speeding down the road and don’t slow down in time and hit a pothole, then chances are that your vehicle is gonna have some damage, serious damage. Damage can include a punctured tire, bent rim, suspension damage, poor alignment, and exhaust system damage. Slow Down For Spring Showers: Did you know that roads are most slippery when it first starts to rain? This is caused by the rainwater mixing with contaminants on the road, such as oil and grease. Make sure to increase your following distance to allow for proper braking. Watch For Animals On The Move: Animal activity is up when the weather starts getting nicer. That means keep an eye out and drive slow especially for animals like deer that are known to be out at dusk and dawn. Watch For Pedestrians: Similar to animals, people tend to be out and about more when the weather starts getting warmer. Whether that means there are more walkers, cyclists or kids play hopscotch. Be sure to slow down especially in residential neighborhoods and busy streets. Share The Road With Motorcycles: Spring is when the motorcycle riders come out, and because of their speed and size, they may come in and out of your blind spots quickly. Be sure to listen to the sound of their bike and take a few extra seconds before switching lanes. If you are following a motorcycle, remember to leave a good amount of space in between. Maintain Proper Tire Pressure: During the winter months, your tires lose air due to the cold temperatures, this cause your tire to be under-deflated. Vice-versa, warm weather will cause them to be over-inflated. Each situation can lead to increased wear and poor handling. Inspect Your Tires: Spring will bring the showers and when that happens making sure your tire tread is in shape is important to the quality of your driving. Just like snow, rain makes the road slippery and having good tires will make or break your driving experience. Remember to use easy tricks the penny test to check your tire tread and regularly check your tire pressure if your vehicle doesn’t display it for you. Pay Attention In Construction Zones: When the snow washes away and the spring days are here to stay, construction will start up again. One thing to keep in mind is that construction zones ask you to slow down for a reason, do it. Remember to... Be attentive. Construction workers and equipment may suddenly enter the roadway. Traffic patterns can change daily to accommodate the work being done. Understand and follow the signs Make safe lane changes. Solid lines in construction zones mean that you should stay in your lane. Slow down. Fines may be doubled in construction zones. In addition, slowing down can save a life Find Your Dream Volkswagen Here!

Whether you’re a new mommy or daddy or you’re a parent of serval kids, I think we can all agree that car seat safety should be a top priority when it comes to your child's safety. But the truth is many of us are installing our car seats wrong and it is a major issue for our children's safety. Even if some of us are properly installing children's car seat we’re running into other issues like putting the child forward-facing too soon or changing from a car seat to a booster seat too soon. To avoid these dangerous habits, check out the helpful tips below and be sure to really ready your child's car seat instruction manual. All car seats are a little bit different so making sure to keep the instruction booklet nearby is always a good idea! Most Common Mistakes: Loose Installation: Always read the manuals for the car seat, I know we all think we can figure things out without help but the truth is when it comes to safety you want to make sure you’re doing EVERYTHING correctly. Generally speaking there should be no more than 1” of movement at the belt path when you give it a firm shake. The wrong recline angle: Getting the recline angle just right on a rear-facing seat can be tricky, but it’s crucial. Babies have big, heavy heads and weak neck muscles: If the seat is too upright, your babe might end up chin to chest, which can interfere with breathing. Plus being reclined also protects your baby's spine in the case of a crash. More advanced seats now come with a built-in indicator that will tell you if you have installed it properly, but your seat doesn’t have that the rule is generally a 45-degree angle. Loose or poorly positioned straps: If you are a parent you have probably experienced a wailing child saying that their straps are too tight, which then you might have pulled over loosed them and then got some peace and quiet. I’ll be the first to tell you not to do that. Yes, the screaming is annoying, and their seat belt probably isn’t too tight, You shouldn’t be able to grip the strap at all; if you can, it’s too loose. Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level—any lower means the clip isn’t doing what it’s designed to do Moving to a forward-facing or booster seat too soon In each state, there are different requirements based upon height, weight, and age, but those are bare minimum requirements. As long as the child can comfortably remain seated rear-facing, they should remain that way because it is safer. Using the wrong seat for your kid or your car Your manual will be able to provide you with information about the height and weight your child should be at in the car seat you have. Every baby has different body types but it is a good reference point to go off. Using a second-hand car seat: Unless you know with 100% certainty that a seat has never been involved in even a minor fender-bender or that there are no missing or damaged parts, it’s best to avoid it. You might be saving a buck but it’s more important to save your child’s life. Check out these cars with great safety options

No matter what season it is there is always one type of weather we run into and that's rain storms. It might be spring showers that bring may flowers, summer storms, fall storms that blow away the leaves, or winter storms that create sleet. Whatever it is rain is something we experience at every point of the year so we should know how to drive through it, right? In fact, sometimes rain is so bad that it causes flooding and although it is recommended not to drive during flooding, sometimes we just can’t control it. To learn some tips and tricks for driving during a flood keep reading! Driving in heavy rain: Turn your headlights on – the Highway Code says you must use them when visibility is seriously reduced Use fog lights if you like, but switch them off when visibility improves. Leave twice as much space between you and the car in front – it takes longer to stop in the wet. If your steering feels light due to hydroplaning, ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually. If you break down don't prop the bonnet open while you wait. Rain-soaked electrics can make it harder to start the engine. Driving during floods and standing water Try to avoid standing water if you can. Don't drive into flood water that’s moving or more than 4 inches deep. Let approaching cars pass first if you are unsure of the depth Drive slowly and steadily so you don’t make a bow wave. Test your brakes as soon as you can afterward. Water can have a damaging effect on brakes, make sure they are working properly before you continue to drive Fast-moving water is very powerful: if strong enough your car could be swept away. Find an alternate route if the water is moving too fast to pass through Watch out for: Look out for slip and trip hazards like curbs under the water. Manhole covers can get lifted and moved. Water levels can change quickly Need to repair your vehicle's damage? Do it here!

Imagine driving down the highway you see that up ahead you will be hit some traffic so you hit your brakes to slow down and nothing happens. Whether you’re going 65 miles per hour or 30 miles per hour it doesn’t matter this can be one of the scariest things you’ll ever face behind the wheel of your vehicle. I hope you never have to experience this situation, but let's face it life can throw us some curveballs and it’s better to be prepared than to not be. SO here are some tips that will help you get your car to stop in this scary situation. Don’t Panic: I know that sound kind of stupid but the truth is freaking out with only make the situation more dangerous. Stay focused and freak out after you’re safely out of your car. Take your foot off the gas pedal and turn off cruise control: The point in this situation is to de-accelerate so do not hit the accelerator! Cruise control should go off as soon as you touch the break but just to be sure, turn it off. Pay attention to how your brake pedal feels: If it’s soft and goes to the floor, you may have low fluid, a faulty master cylinder or problems with your drums or calipers. You may be able to rebuild some braking pressure by pumping the brakes If your brake pedal is hard and does not move, something in your brake system may have seized or you may have an obstruction under the pedal. Try to feel with your foot or look to see if you have something under the brake pedal. Pump your brakes; Pumping your brakes several times may rebuild enough pressure in the braking system for you to stop. This may take a while, so keep trying. Shift into low gear: Shifting into lower gears helps slow you by using your engine to slow the car. If you have an automatic transmission, downshift a gear at a time into low range. If you have a manual transmission, downshift a gear or two at a time. Use the emergency brake: Using the emergency brake can usually bring your car to a stop but it will take longer than usual to come to a stop because it only stops the rear wheels. Keep your eyes on the road and continue to steer. Pay attention to what’s in front of you, and maneuver to avoid heavy traffic, pedestrians, and dangerous obstacles Warn other drivers and pedestrians Turn your hazard lights on, and honk your horn to make others aware that there is a problem. If you have room on either side of you, steer sharply from side-to-side Turning creates friction, which slows your car naturally. If you do not have brakes, try turning sharply from left to right over and over to slow your car down Use your surroundings to slow the vehicle Do whatever you can to get under control. Use terrain to your advantage, Use guardrails to slow your vehicle, Use road friction to slow your vehicle, Small trees and shrubbery will slow your vehicle when all else fails. Look for a safe spot to pull over: The safest method is to look for bushy protrusions or shrubs and run it through the friction will significantly reduce car speed to a halt Let us check your brakes!

Car seats aren’t as easy as you remember, but they’re pretty self-explanatory, right? Wrong! Actually more people than ever are making big mistakes when it comes to fastening the seat belt on their little ones. But it’s not their fault these car seats are getting safer but SO much more confusing! So whether you’re a babysitter, an expecting parent, a new parent, or an expert parent I’ve got the do’s and don’ts of car seats The child is turned face-forward too early Babies must ride facing the rear until they are at least 1 year old and weight 20 pounds - Experts recommend waiting even longer but it is up to the parent Some parents don’t like facing the baby to the rear because they have trouble seeing the baby’s face, but it is important that the child doesn’t face forward in case of a crash. A solution is to get get a childproof mirror to hang on the backseat headrest to see the baby. The seat isn't installed tightly enough Most people don’t know how tight they should be pulling the safety belt, the answer is as tight as possible. When you jiggle the area where the safety belt is pulled through, the chair should not move more than 1 inch in any direction! Harness straps are too loose A big mistake is not tightening the harness straps enough, this because they don’t want to make it too tight or uncomfortable for the child. The correct way is the straps should be tightened so that the slack can’t be pinched between an adult’s thumb and forefinger. This ensures that the child won’t slip too far down in the seat and that the child won’t fall out. Infant seat angled incorrectly The seat must be reclined no more than a 45-degree angle, just enough so the child doesn't flop forward but if he/she is positioned anymore than that they could be thrown out between the straps headfirst. Harness straps are in wrong slots When the child is facing the rear position, the straps should be in slots at or just below the shoulder. If the child is old enough to be facing forward, the straps should come through the uppermost slots. Harness retainer clip is out of place The clip should always be at the child’s armpit level. The locking clip is out of place If needed, it should be positioned no more than an inch from the safety-belt latch. The safety belt isn't in locked mode. This information will be provided to you in the owner’s manual of your car, determine what type of belts you have and follow the directions regarding how they must be used with a child-safety restraint. No matter how new or old you are at caring for a child, the end goal is to protect them. Do just that next time you use the car seat. If your car seat remains in your car take a minute to make sure that it is correctly installed to ensure the best safety possible. Check out a new VW for your family!

It is very easy to become distracted while we are cruising down the road, sunroof open, and music up. We are enjoying the spring air that is finally here. But it is important to remember to keep our full attention on the road, distracted driving is impaired driving. Distractions range from cell phones to music to other passengers. Using a phone while driving is distracting and unless you are hands-free, you should not be picking up your device even if you’re at a stoplight. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10% of all fatal car crashes and 15% of all injury crashes were caused by distracted drivers. 99% of drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 were distracted at the time of the accident. This is a problem for anyone who gets behind the wheel of a car, especially young teens just learning to drive. Did you know that when you are driving and trying to focus on your phone the reaction time slows by 33%? That is a huge difference when in a split second it could mean life or death. Responding to one single text message distracts a driver for roughly five seconds, that is long enough to travel the distance of a football field if your speed is 55 mph, or over. Sobering statistics: 94% of teenagers acknowledge that texting while driving is dangerous. 11 teenagers die every single day as a result of texting while driving. One out of every four car accidents in the US is caused by texting while driving. Cellphone use is highest amongst 16-24 year old drivers. There has been an increase in technologies like Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay to assist drivers and decrease the amount of distracted drivers that are on the road. If your vehicle is equipped with these be sure to fully connect before pulling out onto the open road and remember to leave your device alone. Volkswagen Keeps You Safe

After the winter we’ve had, there are bound to be potholes lurking around every corner. This week, we’re dedicating our blog to those sneaky creatures of despair and what you as a driver can do to stay safe when you encounter one (or ten). So, potholes are formed from water getting into cracks in the pavement and then freezing. When water freezes, it expands, which pushes the pavement apart and weakens it. When vehicles drive over these weak spots, the pavement crumbles under the pressure. Annnnddd then a pothole forms, here and ready to ruin countless lives. How to avoid potholes? Avoid puddles on the road. Unless you can see that it’s just a thin layer of water, try to drive around the puddles. Water is great at hiding potholes’ sizes and depths until you hit them and learn the truth. If you do hit a pothole, well. Try to approach the situation slowly if you know driving through the pothole is inevitable. If you hit a deep pothole, or hit any pothole at a speed, or a combination of the both, make sure that your vehicle is okay afterward by pulling over when it’s safe to do so and inspecting the exterior of your vehicle and tires for damage. The pothole could have blown a tire or thrown off your alignment, both things that need to get fixed ASAP. After you encounter a pothole? Call your local DOT or DPW and let them know about it. It doesn’t matter if someone else has already reported the pothole. More reports are more motivation to get the situation fixed! Take A Peek At Our Tire Selection

When you’re driving, one inevitability no matter where you’re going is construction. Whether it’s just a stray traffic cone or a full-blown work zone, you need to stay safe. Check out our failproof tips for driving safely and obeying the law in a construction area! First, expect the unexpected. Never assume that everyone is going to follow the rules or drive safely. This is why YOU should follow the rules and drive as safely as you have ever driven in your entire life. Always pay attention. Not only will it help you to drive more safely if you do, but it’ll also help you notice signs, flaggers, and more. Pay attention specifically to the signs, because they’ll tell you speed limits and upcoming work areas. Flaggers are just as important as signs, though - if you ignore a flagger, you could face the same ticket that you’d get for ignoring a sign. Merge as soon as you can instead of waiting until the last minute. Not only is waiting rude, especially if you use the closing lane to speed past others, but it can hold up traffic and you risk getting into an accident. If you see that the speed limit is being reduced, slow down immediately. If you’re going 60mph, you’re moving about 88 feet per second. If you see a sign that says there’s a work zone in 1,500 feet, you’ll get to that work zone in about 17 seconds. So, go slow! Tailgating is always a no-no. Does this even need to be said? Stay far away from the person in front of you. Space is safe! Always stay in the center of your lane. This is part of paying attention - when you are focused, you won’t swerve in and out of your lane. If you can’t stay in your lane, you’re likely to hit cones, barriers, and even workers. The work zone is not over until you see a sign that says it is. Even if there’s no work happening, you’re still subject to speed limits and fines until you see the sign that says the work zone has ended. Safety First In A New VW

Do you chronically drive your car when the fuel gauge says that you have little to no gas? If you answered yes, you need to break that habit immediately. Bro. Listen. Look at me. This is a problem and I’m here to help you overcome it, just like that time that you helped me when my mom accidentally washed my snapback in the washing machine. Okay? First, let me tell you the bad things that come from driving with an empty tank. I can’t believe I have to say this to you. You know better, bro. You do. So first you can wear out your fuel pump. If you don’t have enough gas then the pump starts pumping air. This is because gas acts as a coolant for the fuel pump motor. The air makes heat and then the pump wears out and breaks and then I have to loan you like a hundred bucks. Not cool, man. Secondly is that the gauge is not accurate. Like, it’s close? But the thing is that it’s more of an approximation than anything. So like, don’t trust it all the way. My dad said not to let your tank ever get below three-quarters empty. I feel like that’s a solid plan, right? Just start doing that. I got you! The last thing is that there’s all kinds of gunk and stuff in the bottom of everyone’s gas tank. Even yours, bro! But when you’re mad low on gas then all that sediment gets stirred up and then goes through all your pipes and hoses and such and will make you need to get a flush. Like, a full engine flush. And because I’ve hypothetically already loaned you a hundo, you’ll have to ask your dad for money. Again. Don’t stoop that low, bro! I got your back. Bros for life. Fuel Up Less With An Electric Car

Your windshield wipers are going to come in more and more handy as the winter grows closer and closer. Here are some tips and tricks on knowing when to replace your windshield wipers, and what are some signs that you should look out for. Look at your blades for: Broken frames Metal corrosion Visible cracks, missing chunks, and rips in the rubber part of the wiper Make sure the wiper is flexible and doesn’t crack when you flex it Check for rounded edges on the rubber part - they should be crisp and square to work properly Things that can break down your wipers: Sun due to UV light and ozone Oil from other cars and the road, especially exhaust Sand, rocks, dust, and other road debris carried in the wind Acid rain and saltwater If your wiper does any of these things, it’s time for a change: Streaking, which is from a hard, cracked wiper. Make sure the streaks aren’t due to tree sap or something else caught between the blade and your windshield. Skipping, which comes from curvature that stems from lack of use Bent frames, which make your wipers virtually useless Your wipers should be changed about every year at least, and you should check them at least once every six months. Whenever you’re at a gas station, use some of the windshield cleaning stuff and a paper towel to wipe down your blades. Remember - your wipers are instrumental in helping you see. Get the right size and the right type for the season and you should be good to go! Service On Everything Else For Less

When you’re entering the parking lot, you know that you’re going into that whole experience expecting fury, rage, annoyance, anger… you get the picture. Right? Is that just me? Well, thank goodness for this blog, because I am about to spring some crazy knowledge on you - if you have manners in the parking lot, you won’t be angry while in the parking lot. Yeah. I mean, just by having you read this won’t guarantee by any means that everyone else in the world will automatically know how to have parking lot manners, but you can tell all of your friends and maybe that’ll start a global movement. Anyway, whether you’re a pedestrian or a driver, make sure you learn these rules and you’ll have a much easier time of it in any parking lot you ever enter! First, you should make sure you park straight in the parking space and center your vehicle. If your vehicle is crooked, it’s harder for not only you but the drivers on either side of your car to get in and out of their own vehicles. You’re also more prone to scratches, scrapes, and other people being really annoyed with you (even though they won’t say anything out loud to you). Don’t take up more than one space. If you have a newer car and don’t want to scratch the paint, park further out where there are fewer cars. If taking up two spaces is just the result of a poor parking job, just pull out and straighten out. Another thing to remember is that if you’re driving a larger vehicle (i.e. a truck), a lot of parking spaces are measured out for smaller vehicles that are narrower than yours. If you find this to be the case, your best bet is to park farther out so that you have the space you need. You should take turns waiting for a parking spot. Stealing spots can lead to accidents in the parking lot. You will find another open spot, and you’ll be safer for your patience. When you’re a pedestrian, make your intentions clear. Don’t walk down the middle of the aisle, and make sure you stay on one side of the aisle. Let the cars driving around the lot know where you are and what you plan on doing, so they have one less thing to worry about and so you don’t put yourself at risk of being hit. If someone is driving a super quiet car, you might not be able to hear them (looking at you, electric car people). Perfectly Parking Spot Sized Cars

Remember defensive driving? It seems like a very distant memory from the time when you were in Driver’s Ed as a fresh 16-year-old, getting your license for the first time so you could drive to school. Or something. I don’t know, that’s why I was in Driver’s Ed! Anyway, we all learned about this concept and, if you’re like me, promptly forgot all about it. But, and I am sure they were telling us this the whole time anyway, defensive driving really means that you’re much safer on the road. Yeah, I know. Surprising! So, here are our favorite tips and tricks for defensive driving! First, focus on being safe. Not on your music, your passengers, or even on getting to your destination as quickly as HUMANLY possible. When we focus on other things we compromise our safety and the safety of those around us. This involves not tailgating, wearing your seatbelt, and keeping your eyes on the road. PAY ATTENTION PLEASE. Can we say this enough? No. Your eyes should always be on the road, looking for anything that could present a potential threat to your safety. Deer, other drivers, pedestrians… the list goes on, and you always need to be watching. Constant vigilance! Tailgating is always a bad thing to do - and it’s illegal as well so get THAT idea right out of your pretty little head! If someone is not moving fast enough for you (remember that the speed limit is a thing that exists) then wait until you can safely pass them. This does not involve tailgating them until that time comes! Keeping your distance means that you’re staying safe. Your #1 priority is the road in front of you. You should… wait for it… PAY ATTENTION. Paying attention can save your life. No cellphone. No music. No games. If you’re driving without a front seat passenger (aka copilot), make sure that everything is set to go before you put the key into the ignition so that you won’t have to deal with it while you’re driving. Use your Bluetooth, your hands-free headphones, or anything else that can keep you safe. And take a deep breath! You got this! Get Your Vehicle Tuned Up With These Specials