It may be sad to hear, but thousands of people die ever year due to car accidents and even more get seriously injured. The following are the top 10 causes.
1. Badly Made Roads
Sometimes the roads aren’t built properly- they are either too bumpy or too old which is what makes them rocky and uneven. In some countries, the streets are practically full of pot holes and if there are no lights on the road at night, an accident cannot be avoided.
2. Careless and Fast Driving
Young people, that is, teenagers, tend to believe that traffic rules are meant to be ignored. Hence, they are constantly speeding through the streets and jumping red lights. What they don’t understand is traffic lights exist for a reason and when they zoom past at a red light, they will crash against a tree or another vehicle.
3. Experimentation
Children today are in a hurry to grow up and they think of driving as the ultimate milestone. He then takes out the car without any parental supervision and naturally, he does not know the first thing about it. One wrong move and he will find himself reversing in full speed and the rest as they say, is history.
4. Lack of Focus
Some drivers are easily distracted-they feel that nothing will happen in that one minute as they try to finish another task, but unfortunately, they are wrong. It is strongly recommended that you avoid rummaging through your bag or putting on your lipstick when you are in the drivers seat.
5. Drugs or Substances
Drugs like cocaine, LSD and marijuana tend to cause hallucinations and make everything look different. Therefore, driving under the influence may seem okay to some but it is a definite no-no. You will believe that the tree is on your left but it will actually be on your right and you will end up losing your license or worse, your life.
Popular throughout the world by the sheer volume of cars it produces and sells in almost all countries; Toyota majorly caters the car and Light Commercial Vehicle segment. With marques such as Daihatsu, Hino, Lexus, Scion and Toyota, this giant manufacturer produces cars of mass appeal, elegance and comfort. With stylish cars regularly churned from its basket it would be hard to beat it from its top position.
General Motors is a United States manufacturers and the second largest automaker in the world. This company has been ranked as the largest manufacturer of motors in the world though its share dwindled due to the financial crises and declaration of bankruptcy. Currently it is focusing on its core brands Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. Its biggest markets are North and South America and China; however it’s trying to put a foothold in other emerging markets like India, Germany, Spain, etc.
Ford Motor Co. introduced the revolutionary method of large-scale manufacturing of motor vehicles. It is the third largest manufacturer in the U.S behind Toyota and General Motors. The Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo are the brands under its automobile segment. With a majority of its market share in North America and the U.S, Ford Motors is rapidly expanding its foothold globally with its ‘Ford’ brand.
This Italian automotive major has a 20% stake in Chrysler since 2009 and its cars are best sellers in Brazil, Argentina and Poland. Its long list of ventures with local companies in India, China, France, Turkey, Russia and Pakistan has ensured that this company has made a mark on the auto industry. Fiat is constantly involved in R&D and its ‘Multiair’ engine won the ‘Best Engine of the Year 2010’ in the International Engine of the Year Awards for its innovative engine technology.
Renowned for manufacturing luxury and performance vehicles, this German company also owns the MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. It’s famous for its BMW 3
This Nascar racing driver has won a number of races through his career even though he wasn’t too popular with the public. He almost won the championship but because of unseen problems with the equipment and his car, his chances were ruined. However, he did win at least 2 dozen races which is pretty noteworthy!
Sebastian Vettel is a F1 racing driver who rose to fame after a series of failures in 2008. He proved himself when he raced through a variety of terrains and refused to get intimidated by those racers that were clearly much better than him. He passed through several hurdles successfully and knows what to do to reach the highest rung of the success ladder.
This racer takes part in the World Rally championship and has proven his mettle within a short period of time. According to speculations, he will be able to beat the rest once Seb Loeb decides that he is too old to race and hence, give way to this budding racer.
Another F1 racer, Kubica showed us what he is made of during the 2008 races. He did not leave any stone unturned and was very consistent as far as his performance was concerned. He won against such racers that are known to zoom past in their faster cars and proved that its all about the strategy and not the speed.
Scott Dixon has been a part of the IndyCar championship for a while now but has always underestimated his talent. All that changed when he won two races in a row in 2008. This young driver has a long way to go and may even get a chance to compete in F1 if he doesn’t let the fire die out.
This pick up truck came out in 2000 and has been a favorite ever since. The engine is state of the art and people say that it has a very American feel to it which is why it fills the country’s streets. It won a prestigious award in 2008 and the company’s manufacturing headquarters are located in Texas.
F-150 is the most popular model in this category and has remained on top as far as sales are concerned for 3 decades. According to analysts, these pick up trucks account for most of the profits made by the company recently.
This pick up truck was called Dodge Ram when it first came out and has sold massive volumes every since the beginning of the year. The design has changed as and when the market demands increased or decreased. It has won many awards over the years because it moves smoothly no matter what the nature of the terrain is.
This model became a part of the market 12 years back. The design is classic and the company has proved that they know what they are doing. Even though it is slightly bulky and heavy duty, it is aimed at a particular category of customers and needless to say, it is doing well.
This pick up truck is full size and massive, to say the least. It first came out in 2005 and was Honda’s first experiment with this line of vehicles. It is particularly popular this year in Canada and was received an award a year after it entered the market.
Just like a computer, cars have fans that work over time to make sure that you car does not come to a screeching halt every time the engine heats up. Most cars come equipped with mechanical fans and while they get the job done, they also take a lot of out of the car.
Similar to the mechanical fan, the regular pumps steal that power which should work towards moving the wheels faster. This is why you should go out and buy its electric counterpart and keep your car in sparkling condition till you decide to buy a new one!
We all know how horsepower is created- the air that is sucked in by the car’s engine travels till the fuel and creates the mixture. Naturally, if this amount can be enhanced, the horsepower will subsequently increase as well. Air Induction units do just that and the best part is that they tap into the fuel economy as well.
If the air induction unit des not appeal to you, you can always increase the capacity of your carburetor and add to the existing horsepower. This means that if you have a 4 barrel capacity, you should add to it and make it 6 barrel. Fortunately, many companies out there create state of the art carburetors because they understand that a small change could make all the difference.
Upgrading a carburetor will do the trick as well and this is possible if you transform it into a fuel injection. This performance car upgrade will increase the horsepower that your car runs on and keep the readings precise.
The Chevrolet Traverse has four doors and the ability to accommodate 8 passengers at the same time. The horsepower is great and the engine runs very smoothly. The speed requirements have been kept at par with that of a family which is why it doesn’t exactly go very fast. It costs about 28 thousand dollars.
The Ford Escape has four doors as well but can seat on 5 passengers in one go. It is available in 6 different designs and therefore, models. The car can reach a speed of about 28 mpg and 22 mpg when the driver is on the highway and the city respectively. The Ford Escape is for 19 thousand dollars.
Similar to the Ford Escape, this SUV allows 5 passengers to sit comfortably and exit through 4 different doors. It is available in 9 models and the most popular one is the Limited Auto series. For a price of about 18 thousand dollars, it is quite reasonable and the engine is very reliable.
A new model of the Honda CRV was introduced this year- it has 4 doors and can seat 5 people together. It comes along with a navigation system which is why it is slightly more expensive and will cost you about 25 thousand dollars.
The Chevrolet Equinox entered the market with 8 models in tow out of which the LTZ AWD is most sought after this year. One can fill in 2.4 liters of fuel and reach a speed of 32 mpg even when the terrain is steep. It will cost you about 28 thousand dollars.
This fraud is kick-started when a dishonest person approaches that industry which looks into the repair and maintenance of cars. He tells them that he would like to be associated with such an accident that will make sense or exist nowhere else but on legal documents and papers. Because insurance companies tend to involve themselves only when the claim is above and beyond 1000 dollars, these criminals get away with it.
The criminal will orchestrate a seemingly real hit and run accident and go running to your insurance company. You will have no choice but to pay up the required amount.
The swindler will run towards a car that is moving at a great speed and suddenly come to halt, that is, squat, in front of it. An involved individual will appear in his car out of no where and move adjacent to the victim’s who will then try to keep himself from having an accident. The worst part is that chiropractors and doctors are usually involved in such cases.
This criminal in this case will move towards you and force you to have an accident. This is usually done in such intersections that are confusing simply because they have too many lanes and turns. Therefore, when you are traveling on such a street, make sure a car doesn’t overtake you from your left and force you to collide into them.
This technique is usually carried out during that time of the day or year when nobody really drives about. This is because the criminals want to make sure that there are no eye witnesses around. The swindler will patiently wait at the mouth of the intersection and smash his car into a passing vehicle. They will then allow their own ‘witnesses’ to speak to the authorities and you will be in major trouble.
The first recall, on November 2, 2009, was to correct a possible incursion of an incorrect or out-of-place front driver’s side floor mat into the foot pedal well. The second recall, on January 21, 2010, was because of a possible mechanical sticking of the accelerator pedal causing unintended acceleration. As of January 28, 2010, Toyota had announced recalls of approximately 5.2 million vehicles for the pedal entrapment/floor mat problem, and an additional 2.3 million vehicles for the accelerator pedal problem. Approximately 1.7 million vehicles are subject to both.
In 1971, General Motors recalled 15 models that were built during the 1960s and continued production till 1970. They also recalled a few Chevrolet Bel Airs. These models were problematic because the motor mount had separated which could make the engine move upwards. This would have a negative impact on the throttle linkage which could case the vehicle to accelerate suddenly. About 6.7 million vehicles were recalled.
During the first half 1981, General Motors recalled a few sedans and a number of other models that were launched in 70s till the better half of the 80s. The problem was that the control arm and rear axle could lose control causing the vehicle swerve out of control. 5.8 million vehicles were singled out.
In 2005, Ford recalled those Ford Expeditions that were released from 1997 till 2002. In addition to that, they also felt the need to recall certain models of pickup trucks. They did so because the cruise control overheated and had to be deactivated immediately. This was the largest recall made by Ford and a similar one was made in 2009. About 4.5 million vehicles were affected.
As has already been mentioned, Ford had to recall more vehicles in 2009. This included Explorers that were first launched in 1995 and were popular till 2002. They also recalled 14 trucks- pickups and otherwise. The problem was the same as mentioned above and minivans and SUVs were affected as well. Ford had to recall about 4.5 million vehicles this time too because the switch could burst into flames even when the car was not being used.
This car has sold 32 million units till date and bags the number one spot on this list. The style is unbeatable, the price is affordable and it is reliable and trustworthy. According to statistics, the company sells this car every 40 seconds. Even though the design has changed consistently over the years, it has remained a favorite among the regulars.
The car was initially known as “Project 176” and was launched in 1994. It replaced the Fiat Uno and received a number of awards during 1995. It gained instant popularity due to its clean-cut look and gave companies like Volkswagen and Opel a run for their money.
This car replaced the above-mentioned Beetle and was also known as the “Rabbit”. The engineering is above-average, the price is low and the car is nothing if not dependable. It has sold 25 million units till date.
This car is said to be a “People’s Car” and was funded by Hitler very aggressively. Production began in 1938 and ended in 1979. This car was very popular during the post-war period. It was durable, powerful and very comfortable. The Beetle sold 2.3 million units.
The Ford Escort was introduced in 1967 and production was stopped in 2003. This “world car” was visually appealing and low-priced. The car gained immense popularity all over the world fairly fast. The sales were estimated at 20 million units.
It is the most widely used police Interceptor in North America. The V8 engine, rear-wheel drive and body-to-frame chassis makes it suitable for the job. Easily the most recognizable police car, it combines raw power and strength to chase down and ram the cars of fleeing suspects.
This mid-size executive car with its status and price is widely used by Diplomatic Protection Group. The 3.0l diesel engine gives it a high-performance compared to the civilian versions. The Germans use it in both sedan and station wagon designs. Along with its cousins in the previous series, it finds use among the forces in the Low Countries, France and UK.
Product of precise Japanese technology, this 4WD jeep can be seen all over the world serving with various law enforcement agencies, from Japan itself to third-world countries. It is the simple outlook, easy maintenance and cost that make it the first choice for many budget-restrained countries wanting a good vehicle for its forces. It has been in duty since the earliest of its model.
It is the high-performance version of the Lancer since 1992. Its 2.0L engine gives more than 300 horsepower. This large-engine sedan has been chosen by the forces of UK, Malaysia and Australia. It is ideal for sustained car chases and patrols because of its endurance.
Alfa Romeos stand for quality and that’s what the Italians want from their cruisers too. The ‘Gazella’ as all Italian carabinieri cars are called, heavily modified for the task is roaming the highways of the country. With newer generations of vehicles being inducted by the various agencies in Italy this one has been in service since 2006. It is pleasant to look at and not easy to shake off.
