HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

This Saturday is Halloween and soon your neighborhood will be overflowing with children. As the kids are running from house to house filling their bags with candy we have to remember it's our job to make sure they all get home safely. Most kids are more concerned with their costumes and candy then looking both ways before crossing the street and this raises some big safety concerns. A study conducted by the Center for Disease Control from 1975 to 1996 found that the number of deaths among young pedestrians (ages 5-14) is four times higher on Halloween evening then any other evening of the year. Make sure you and your kids understand how important safety is.

Here are a few tips for the adults and kids:
1. Know when your neighborhood is holding Halloween activities.
2. Don't use a cell phone while driving through neighborhoods. Pay extra attention to the side of the road while driving.
3. Stay well below the posted speed limit during trick-or-treating hours.
4. Do not pass other vehicles that have stopped in the roadway. Other vehicles could be dropping off childeren.
5. Be alert when driving through intersections. Children could be crossing the street and not paying attention.
6. Never assume a pedestrian approaching the roadway will yield to your vehicle. Children may not see your vehicle approaching or may not be familiar with crossing roadways.
7. Make sure other drivers can see you. If you're driving a group of children, but you're staying in the running vehicle at the curb, be sure to put on your hazard lights to alert other motorists.
8. Make sure other drivers can see the children. Give the children flashlights and glow sticks or use reflective tape on their costumes.
9. Be sure your children know how to cross a street. Instruct children to look both ways before crossing the street and to cross only at corners or crosswalks.
10. Have a Happy Halloween!!!

How Do I Know When It's Time To Change My Brakes?

Is it time for brakes? If you're not sure then ask yourself a few simple questions. Has it been a long time since I last had them checked out? Do I drive my car a lot? Am I an aggressive driver? Do I slam on my brakes often? Do I hear any strange squeaking noises when I use my brakes? If the answer to any of these questions is yes then I recommend to have them looked at as soon as possible by a professional mechanic.

How long should my brakes last? Most people asking this question expect an answer that tells them how many miles they can drive before it's time to change them. Unfortunately it's not that simple. Brakes are a big safety issue and if they don't feel right or they are noisy don't put off having a mechanic check them out because you think you didn't get a certain amount of miles out of them. Consider these questions when making a decision on having your brakes checked or replaced.

• How much do I use my car? Is it my daily driver? If yes, how far do I drive everyday? How far do I drive to and from work? Is it a hobby car? Do I only drive it on weekends?
• Did I add any performance enhancing parts to my car? If you did it's a smart idea to make sure that the brakes are all at an equal caliber. When adding these parts it's a good idea to replace the brakes to complement the increased power.
• When was the last time I had my brake pads and rotors replaced? How about the brake fluid? When was the last time I had the brake lines checked? Brake fluid and brake lines are part of the brake system and should also be checked.

A lot of different things factor into the wearing of your brakes. If you are just not sure if it's time to replace them then bring it to an auto repair shop to have a professional mechanic look at them.

Eurasian Service Center
8501-2B Tyco Road
Vienna, VA 22182
703-893-3045
www.eurasianservicecenter.com