Ford's 10 New Year's Resolutions To Help You Drive Smarter, Safer In 2011

• Ford is offering a list of 10 New Year’s safety resolutions and tips so you are ready to start 2011 right where you want to be – safe and in control in the driver’s seat
• Today’s vehicles are filled with features and technologies to help keep you safer – knowing how to use them properly can make you a better driver
• Some features can help minimize injuries in crashes while others can help you avoid dangerous situations all together. MIT researchers say reducing stress can help us all be better drivers

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 30, 2010 – New Year’s resolutions often revolve around healthy activities, which is why Ford Motor Company is offering 10 ways to help you drive safer in 2011.

Here are our resolutions designed to help make you a smarter, safer driver in the New Year:

1. Click it – even when you’re not worried about a ticket. Always buckle that safety belt – no exceptions. In 2009 alone, the use of safety belts in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 12,700 lives in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Isn’t that statistic alone worth taking that extra two seconds to click on the belt when you travel – and make sure your passengers do, too? In case you do forget, however, you can bet your vehicle’s safety belt reminder systems won’t. Ford’s own BeltMinder™ system has been credited by NHTSA for increasing the buckle-up rate, based on a study done by Ford and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showing that safety belt usage increased five percent among drivers in vehicles with BeltMinder.

2. Keep your eyes on the road ― not on your cell phone. Avoid unnecessary distractions. According to a 100-car study conducted by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, driver inattention that may involve looking away from the road for more than a few seconds is a factor in nearly 80 percent of accidents. That means no texting – no message is that important!

3. Read a good book – like your owners’ manual. You know the one; it’s been languishing in your glove compartment. Reading through it will give you some valuable safety information and could even save you some money. For instance, Ford owners might be surprised to find out they don’t need those oil changes every 3,000 miles like they used to. Many new Ford models allow 10,000 miles between oil changes.

4. Scrape that ice, ice baby! On wintry mornings, don’t be one of those people trying to negotiate the roads peering through a tiny hole of visibility in the windshield. That’s just plain dangerous. Leave an additional 5-10 minutes of time in the morning to scrape the snow and ice from your car and give your defroster a chance to do its job.

5. Find out how technology is working to keep you safer. Today’s vehicles are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that can help keep you safer – but it always helps if drivers better understand these features. Take your anti-lock-brake system, for example. Many of us grew up being told to pump the brakes when we hit a patch of ice. That’s not the right technique with four-wheel ABS technology. With ABS, pumping the brakes turns the anti-lock brake system on and off, which decreases braking efficiency and increases your stopping distance. ABS pumps the brakes automatically at a much faster rate than you could do it manually and allows better steering control.

6. Learn how to parallel park – or buy a car that does it for you. Many of us dread the experience of learning to parallel park. Even after years of driving, some still hesitate, faced with the prospect of blocking traffic while negotiating our way into a street-side space. Ford collaborated on a nine-month research project with the MIT New England University Transportation Center that evaluated stressful driving activities – and parallel parking ranked highest. So let this year be the year you master the art of parallel parking – or let technology help. Ford is equipping more vehicles with its innovative Active Park Assist technology – even the new Focus, making it the first vehicle in its class with this new technology. The system uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to position the vehicle for parallel parking, calculate the optimal steering angle and quickly steer the vehicle into a parking spot. It eliminates much of the stress. And MIT researchers say reducing stress can make us better drivers.

7. Listen to your mother – sit up straight. Make sure your seat and headrest are adjusted correctly in your vehicle to give you the optimum support. Your legs shouldn’t be overstretched to reach the pedals; you should be able to glance up and out at your mirrors with ease.

8. Check your pressure on all four tires – and the spare. Don’t confuse the “maximum tire pressure” written on the sidewall of the tire with the “recommended tire pressure” provided by the manufacturer – that’s found in that handy owner’s manual you’ve resolved to read and on a sticker conveniently located on the driver’s side door jamb. Also, show your spare you care by storing it in the trunk, where it will return the favor by getting you out of a jam should one of your tires spring a leak.

9. Take a cue from the Boy Scouts ― Be Prepared. You never know what cold weather will bring, so make sure you’re carrying the essentials in case you get stuck or stranded. We recommend your list include water, blankets, granola bars or beef jerky, a few road flares, a good flashlight (and extra batteries), jumper cables, and a bag of kitty litter for traction if you’re stuck in snow.

10. 4, 3, 2 … If you’re counting down to the New Year – stop right here. Remember the two-second rule. The vehicle in front of you should be passing a road marker two seconds before you to assure you’re not tailgating. Some drivers’ manuals even recommend a three-second rule. Remember, the New Year’s goal is to get acquainted with YOUR car, not the one in front of you!