To ensure the safety of vehicle occupants, seat belts must be worn at all times. During collisions, seat belts keep passengers from moving around in the car. They also keep drivers in place, preventing loss of control of the vehicle. Most importantly, seat belts keep passengers inside the vehicle during a collision, rather than being thrown out through the windshield or door onto the pavement.

In order for seat belts to work, they must be worn correctly. The same goes for child seats, which should be installed correctly.

Proper use of seat belt

• Buckle the seat belt, making sure that the latch clicks firmly into place.
• If your vehicle has an adjustable shoulder belt anchorage, make sure that it fits snugly across your chest and over the shoulder.
• Seat belts should be worn and properly adjusted as described in the owner’s manual.
• When installing child passenger restraints, follow manufacturer’s instructions at all times.

Common types of seat belt misuse

• Placing the lap belt across the abdomen, instead of low across the hips can result in serious injuries to the abdominal organs.
• Placing the shoulder belt underneath the arm allows excessive forward motion of the head and chest. This can result in injury from bodily contact with the vehicle interior.
• Wearing the lap belt or shoulder belt loosely can result in bodily impact with the vehicle interior. This may also cause the vehicle occupant to slip under the lap belt. As a result, the force will be applied to the abdomen, instead of the pelvis.

Not all seat belts are alike; make sure to familiarize yourself on how to use them properly before driving off. This could be the five minutes that could save your life.

Sources:

http://www.canadian-health-network.ca/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1001975&pagename=CHN-RCS%2FCHNResource%2FFAQCHNResourceTemplate&lang=En&c=CHNResource

http://www.gov.ns.ca/tran/highwayops/seatbelt.asp

http://www.carsp.ca/belt_use.htm

Next time you see an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) cruiser on 407 ETR,Mounted on its roof. It’s a device that has recently completed a successful pilot program and is to be used as a new toll enforcement tool on 407 ETR to reduce toll evasion.

The new device is a mobile transponder reader that: About a year ago, the OPP began piloting the mobile transponder reader on 407 ETR and have now completed their testing. When operated, the mobile transponder reader allows the OPP officer to detect whether a vehicle is driving on 407 ETR with a valid transponder. The pilot program focused on testing the device for accuracy, its reliability and suitability for toll enforcement purposes, health and safety of the OPP officer, and to ensure that the device wouldn’t interfere with other cruiser equipment. “The pilot program was very successful,” said OPP Staff Sergeant Ed Hickey, 407 Detachment, Highway Safety Division. “The officers involved in the testing of the mobile transponder reader were pleased with the results, as far as its accuracy and reliability. The officers have been trained and are ready to use this new enforcement tool.

The device allows theofficers to safely enforce sections of the Highway Traffic Act with respect to toll highways, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said Staff Sergeant Hickey. “The mobile transponder reader will allow for more effective toll highway violation enforcement, and it also has the ability to detect whether a transponder has been reported stolen,” said Imad Nassereddine, 407 ETR’s Chief Traffic Operations Officer. “At 407 ETR, we are always looking for advancements in tolling technology and are happy that the OPP is bringing toll enforcement along the highway to a new level.

“407 ETR is a state-of-the-art electronic toll highway, so it makes sense to have enforcement tools to match,” added Nassereddine. Consists of three components: 1. An antenna which is mounted on the right side of the OPP cruiser and points to the right; 2. The reader, which is a small box located in the trunk of the cruiser; and 3. A display unit which is mounted inside the cruiser.

Avec le retour du beau temps, de plus en plus de gens se rendront au travail ou se promèneront en vélo. Les cyclistes ont les mêmes droits et responsabilités que les automobilistes par rapport à la route. Tout automobiliste doit être conscient que les cyclistes sont vulnérables car ils sont moins visibles et moins protégés que tout autre utilisateur de la route. Soyez à l’affût de tout ce qui vous entoure en tout temps, particulièrement dans les cartiers résidentiels où les enfants circulent en vélo. [Read the rest of this entry...]

With the return of warmer weather, more people will be riding bicycles either to work or for recreation. Cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists do on the road. One thing motorists have to remember is that cyclists are vulnerable as they are less visible and less protected than other road users. Be observant of your driving surroundings at all times, especially in residential areas where children may be riding their bicycles. [Read the rest of this entry...]

L’année 2008 s’est déroulée tel que nous l’avions prédit, alors que le prix des véhicules usagés a chuté à un niveau non connu depuis cinq ans. La parité du dollar, la saturation du marché, le prix du carburant et, évidemment, la situation économique ont été les facteurs prédominants.

L’année 2009 a repris agréablement au cours du premier trimestre, grâce au volume limité de marchandise usagée. Il y a une pénurie de véhicules disponibles pour location pour deux raisons. Premièrement, les locataires optent pour l’extension plutôt que de subir les pertes significatives associées au remplacement et, deuxièmement, les contraintes sur le crédit ont empêché les fournisseurs de pouvoir remplacer les véhicules au rythme qu’ils auraient voulu. [Read the rest of this entry...]

2008 went just as we predicted with used vehicle prices dipping down consistently to a mark we have not seen in five years. Dollar parity, market saturation, fuel prices and of course economic conditions were the contributing factors.

2009 has rebounded nicely in the first quarter due to a low volume of used product. Lease vehicles are in short supply for a couple of reasons. One, lessees have chosen to extend as opposed to replace to avoid large disposal losses and two, credit constraints have restricted the ability of the suppliers to replace vehicles as quickly as they would like. [Read the rest of this entry...]