Summer Storms and Staying Safe

The rain doesn't ever seem to go away during the summer and although it's usually only a light drizzle, big summer storms can cause floods, damage, power outages, and more. You can't avoid the rain, but you can take the necessary precautions to make sure you and your family stay safe! Don't let the storms ruin your summer.

Hazards present during and after a summer storm:

• Lightning associated with thunderstorms generates a variety of fire hazards. The power of lightning's electrical charge and intense heat can electrocute on contact, splitting trees and causing fires.
• Pools of water and even appliances can be electrically charged so never swim during a storm, and use all household appliances with caution. 
• Appliances that have been exposed to water can short and become a fire hazard.
• Assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged. This includes cable TV feeds.
• Be aware of and avoid downed utility lines. Report downed or damaged power lines to the utility company or emergency services.
• Have a licensed electrician check your home for damage.
• Before storms hit, unplug electrical appliances such as TVs, VCRs, microwave ovens, stereos and computers. Disconnect cables to your TV antenna, satellite dish or cable service. 
• If anyone in your household suffers an electric shock, call 911 or your local emergency medical service immediately. Even minor shocks can cause life-threatening conditions hours later, so it is important to seek medical attention. 
• If someone in your home depends on life-support equipment, move the individual to a safe facility to avoid the risk of an extended power outage. You also should have a back-up plan, such as a portable oxygen supply. Health care equipment suppliers can suggest preparations for such emergencies. 
• During the storm, stay away from windows, where flying debris can cause injury. Do not use the phone or run water during lightning storms. Do not stand in water. 
• Always use a flashlight - not a candle - for emergency lighting.

If a power outage is likely to last longer than a few hours, then those customers affected by the outage should follow these additional tips:

• Turn off your range, toaster oven, iron or other item that could cause a fire if you aren't home when the power comes back on. 
• Turn off your air conditioner and water heater to prevent system overloads when power is restored. These two appliances are big users of electricity, especially after they have been off for a while. Turn them on about 30 minutes after power has been restored.

Driving in the rain:

• Slow down! It takes longer to stop or adjust in wet weather.
• Stay toward the middle lanes - water tends to pool in the outside lanes.
• Maintain proper following distance.
• Drive in the tracks of a car ahead of you.
• Don't follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. 
• Be more alert when driving in wet or slippery conditions. Watch out for brake lights in front of you.
• Avoid using your brakes; if possible, take your foot off the accelerator to slow down.
• Turn your headlights on even in a light rain, or in gloomy, foggy or overcast conditions. Not only do they help you see the road, but they'll help other drivers see you. 
• Avoid off-road driving: it's hard to judge the actual depth of puddles and you can easily become stuck, even in an SUV.
• Never drive beyond the limits of visibility. At night rainy roads become especially treacherous. In rainy conditions pedestrians, livestock, and wildlife are extremely hard to spot and even harder to avoid.
• Never drive through moving water if you can't see the ground through it; your car could be swept off the road.
• When driving through a puddle of uncertain depth, go slow. If it's deeper than the bottom of your doors, turn around and find another route. Deep water can cause serious damage to a modern car's electrical system.
• If possible, stay off the road during heavy thunderstorms. Large flashes of lightning can temporarily blind and disorient drivers, and the accompanying high winds and heavy rain can create deadly driving conditions.

Fun things to do during a storm:

•  Learn to crochet or knit or cross-stitch.
• Paint something.
• Draw something.
•  Sculpt something.
•  Build a model ship, airplane, or rocket.
• Create and organize new photo albums.
• Create a scrapbook.
•  Hang some photographs on your walls.
• Take up sewing or craft a new sewing project.
•  Find some old white clothes and give them a tie-dye face lift.
• Write a song.
• Play an instrument
• Begin writing a novel
• Play a board game
• Read a book or magazine
• Put together a jigsaw puzzle
•  Play cards
• Do a crossword puzzle
• Play 20 Questions
• Play I Spy

Kia Cadenza: The New Face of Luxury

Our new model, the Kia Cadenza, has been a long time coming, and we couldn't be more excited. As Kia's first luxury vehicle, it hit the market with a bang. It's affordable prices, beautiful interior and exterior, and competitiveness within the luxury car market have all caught the eye of buyers and critics alike.

The 2014 Cadenza includes: 

• 3.3L Vx6 engine 
• Automatic transmission 
• Up to 19 cty/28 hwy mpg 
• Navigation System 
• Bluetooth 
• iPod input 
• Satellite radio 
• Side/Curtain Airbags 
• Stability Control 
• Traction Control 

Edmunds.com raves about the Cadenza saying, "The front-wheel-drive Cadenza is longer and wider than the Optima and essentially shares its platform with cousin Hyundai's Azera. As such, it packs a 3.3-liter V6 with 293 horsepower along with a six-speed automatic. Kia tweaked the steering and suspension to give it a more sporting personality than its relative. But this is still more a luxury cruiser than a sport sedan. And as we'd now expect from Kia, the Cadenza offers a wealth of standard and optional high-end features along with sharp styling that manages to make it stand apart from the crowd without looking strange."

If you want more features, Kia offers Premium and Technology packages:

• The Premium Package adds a panoramic sunroof, adaptive high-intensity-discharge headlights, a 7-inch screen in the instrument cluster, premium leather upholstery, heated front and rear outboard seats, a ventilated driver's seat with an extendable cushion and memory feature, a power-adjustable heated steering wheel, and a power rear sunshade. 

• With the Technology Package, the Cadenza comes with 19-inch wheels instead of 18-inch rims, an electric parking brake, adaptive cruise control with full-stop capability, a "water-repellant" windshield, a blind spot warning system, and a lane departure warning system.

We're very impressed with the Kia Cadenza, and so many others are too! It is quickly bringing a competitive, more affordable edge to the luxury car market. Are you impressed? Come in to test drive one TODAY (you will even automatically be entered to win a 2013 Kia Soul). And remember, next week for the 4th of July, all invoices are in the window! No haggle, no hassle, just rock bottom prices on Optimas, Rios, Souls, Sorentos, Sportages, and even Cadenzas!

Arrive Alive

I bet you never would have guessed that...

• One in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime
• Almost every 90 seconds, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash
• In 2011, 9,878 people died in drunk driving crashes - one every 53 minutes
• An average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before first arrest
• Drunk driving costs each adult in this country almost $500 per year
• Drunk driving costs the United States $132 billion a year
• 50 to 75 percent of convicted drunk drivers continue to drive on a suspended license
• In 2010, 211 children were killed in drunk driving crashes. Out of those 211 deaths, 131 (62 percent) were riding with the drunk driver
• In fatal crashes in 2010, the highest percentage of drunk drivers was for drivers ages 21 to 24 (34 percent), followed by ages 25 to 34 (30 percent) and 35 to 44 (25 percent)
• About one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol are repeat offenders
• The average person metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour. Only time will sober a person up. Drinking strong coffee, exercising or taking a cold shower will not help
• Buzzed driving IS drunk driving
• 90% of all drunk driving happens after drinking with family, friends, and coworkers. There is almost always somebody around who could be part of the solution. Don't let drunk driving happen right in front of you
• Drunk driving is responsible for approximately 27 deaths in the United States every day. That's 9855 preventable deaths every year

Prevent it...

• Take the SoberDriver's Pledge. Make a personal commitment to avoid driving drunk as well as to prevent drunk driving by helping others
• Call a cab
• Designate a driver
• Ask someone else to take you home
• Hide keys. Don't be afraid to take someone's car keys. If the person gets angry, it's probably proof you're doing the right thing

Keep Yourself (and Others!) Safe...

Law enforcement officials say there are several signs associated with drunk driving:

• Making wide turns
• Weaving, swerving, drifting, or straddling the center line
• Almost striking an object or vehicle
• Driving on the wrong side of the road
• Driving at a very slow speed
• Stopping without cause
• Braking erratically
• Responding slowly to traffic signals
• Turning abruptly or illegally
• Driving after dark with headlights off

Keeping these things in mind can help you avoid a dangerous situation. If you spot what you think is an impaired driver, keep a safe distance and call 9-1-1. Do not attempt to stop the vehicle yourself.

We love our Kia family and we want you to arrive alive every time! 

5 Tips to Keep Your Car Driving Smoothly This Summer

1. Check Your Tires
Before hitting the road this summer, you can take several simple precautions to keep your family safe and save money at the pump. Did you know that under-inflated, over-inflated, worn down or misaligned tire can be extremely dangerous, particularly in hot summer weather? Use the penny trick to see if you still have enough tread on your tires. Stick a penny in the tread, and if Lincoln's head disappears, you're good. If your tires are not up to par, come in to see us and we will get you rolling in a new, SAFE set of tires.

2. Change Oil and Oil Filter
Is the summer heat making you thirsty? Your car could use a drink, too. Oil keeps hardworking engine parts running clean, smooth and cool. Most owners’ manuals suggest that you change your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles (12,070 kilometers). Most of us do a lot of heavy driving during the summer when an engine is more likely to overheat so check your oil before you head out on that road trip with the family. To check your oil, let your car run for a few minutes, then park it on a level surface and shut off the engine. Open the hood and locate the oil dipstick. You're looking for two things: the level of oil and how the oil looks. If you're low on oil, you can either add another quart or change the oil completely. The oil should look brownish yellow and clean on the stick. If the oil is a dark color or there's a lot of dirt and grime in it, then you definitely need an oil change and oil filter replacement.

3. Check Hoses and Belts
The hoses connected to the radiator help pump coolant to and from the engine block, and the belts run the fan that helps cool the system further. If the hoses crack or the belts snap, the radiator will quickly overheat, leaving you stranded. Check hoses for cracks, leaks and loose connections. Hoses should be firm, never soft and malleable. The most vulnerable parts of the hose are those nearest to clamps where the hose connects to the radiator or the engine. Belts can also be visually checked for cracks and damage. Take note if the belt looks excessively slick or smooth. Remove the belt to make sure that the material hasn't started separating into different layers.

4. Check Your Brakes
Your brakes are the single most important safety feature on your car. Don't put yourself or your family at risk this summer by riding around on worn down or faulty brakes.Brakes need to be replaced when the lining on your brake pad or brake shoe is worn down. You can have your brake linings checked at any normal service shop or at a brake specialist.

 

Here are some signs that your brakes need to be checked:

• Your brake pedal becomes very soft and mushy
• Your brake pedal is very hard and resistant
• Your brake pedal rests too low or too high
• Indication or warning lights on the dashboard
• Loud and constant scraping and grinding sounds coming from the brakes

5. Check The Cooler and Radiator
The summertime is tough on cooling systems. Sitting in traffic on a hot day is one of the quickest ways to overheat your car. This is because there's no air flowing across the engine to help keep it cool. Check under the hood and make sure that your coolant levels are fine. The general rule is to flush your radiator and add new coolant at least every two years. Flushing the radiator is done with a special chemical that cleans debris and build-up on the inside of the radiator. For summer driving, coolant should be added as a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water. You can even buy premixed coolant so you don't have to bother with the measurements. If you see a small puddle of coolant under your car when it's been parked for a while, then you have a coolant leak. Take it to the service station as soon as you can to get your system checked out.