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Brakes and other Safety Tips

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Vehicle Safety: Tires
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More on Automotive Safety...

Brake Pads
Brakes are one of the most important safety features on your vehicle. It is important to inspect your brakes once a year. Most brakes will signal they need service by screeching, scraping or metallic noises. Because most of the cars weight is in the front, brake pads wear quicker than brake shoes. If you hear these warning signs have your vehicle checked, your safety may depend upon them.

Rumble Strips

VDOT's award winning use of "milled" rumble strips, the jarring indentations
on the shoulders of highways that awaken drowsy motorists when they begin to
veer off the pavement, has reduced deaths on Virginia's interstate highways
in astounding percentages. A key advantage of the milled pattern over
traditionally used "rolled" strips is that it can be carved into a highway
shoulder anytime, not just during construction. Milled strips are also more
effective than rolled strips because they are louder (three times louder)
and they create more vibration (twelve times more). Vibration has shown to
be better than noise for waking sleeping drivers.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has estimated that the percentage
of "run off" accidents, accidents where drivers have run off the road due to
drowsiness or being inattentive to driving has dropped 51.5%.


(Source:  Virginia Department of Transportation)

Transportation Directorate

Virginia Wing, Civil Air Patrol

United States Air Force Auxiliary