Crossing over to the auto world. It can be a girl thing!

Our culture is littered with phrases such as "Boys will be boys" and "It's a girl thing," but what do those sayings actually mean? It's not uncommon to encounter hostility when attempting to disprove the innateness of gender, since gender has become so entwined in the social fabric of our society.  When someone oversteps the boundaries of "acceptable" gendered behavior, the response is, at best, mocking.  Growing up as the only child of a service member, I was always told, "All the fish are going one way. You, you my dear are going the other way."  My father, to this day even though I am 26, married, and a mother, still tells me that.

During the months that my father was home from overseas deployments (being that he was in the Coast Guard), we would get together and bond by turning wrenches and talking hot rod shop talk.  I was raised on the small island of Ketchikan, Alaska, where the only girl playmate away.  I attended a private Catholic school where I journeyed through grade school with the same 13 people for six years.  When I played, it was with the boys, or no one at all.  I learned to make bike ramps, create forts in the woods, fish, hunt, and most all the other "boy" things growing up.  It took a lot to become accepted in the neighborhood, because I was the only female, but I really feel that it was the being process in molding my character to be just that, different.

My family was re-stationed to Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1991, whenI was in the middle of my fourth-grade year.  My parents yet again, enrolled me in a private school, where I learned priceless lifelong virtues and values.  I was never the popular one, always on the outside of the girl's circle; they tolerated me and would talk to me, but they never accepted me in their clique.  I think it was due to the fact that I never really had been involved with girls growing up, so I wasn't really interested in them at that point either, or offended by them, for that matter.  I was never really into purple, pink, and bows, I liked my jeans, legos, and my Honda 125 three-wheeler.

Women in the Automotive Industry: Liz Pilibosian, General Motors Vehicle Chief Engineer of the 2008 Cadillac CTS

Liz began her GM career in 1982 as a project engineer at Pontiac Motor Division. Since then, she's worked on variety of technical projects including developing complex stress and vibration analysis models, hardware testing and validation, and evaulating underhood/underbody thermal validation, engine noise, and vibration on an assortment of vehicles, including Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Chevrolet Lumina, Pontiac Grand Prix, and Buick Regal.

Let's just say this woman understands what it means to shake, rattle, and roll!

Liz was the Lead Development Engineer on the Camaro/Firebird IV platform, Assistant Brand Manager-Product for the Trans Sport Montana models, and in 2004 was named Vehicle Chief Engineer of the 2008 Cadillac. She is now responsible for the engineering, development and validation of this vehicle as well as meeting global requirements for sales in multiple countries.

AskPatty: Can you tell me a little bit about your career and how you came to work in the auto industry?
Pilibosian: I began my early engineering work as a cooperative education student in college, as an engineering student during my work sessions, and a technician on second shift during school sessions with Bendix Corporation.  Growing up & living in the Detroit area coupled with my love for automobiles naturally attracted me to the automotive industry. General Motors was a perfect fit & I began my career at the Pontiac Motor Division as a computer aided design engineer.  As I continued my career within General Motors, I held positions in development (ride and handling, underhood and underbody thermal validation, windnoise, noise and vibration), marketing for Pontiac Motor Division, Manager for door systems, Director for Noise & Vibration and in my present position as Vehicle Chief Engineer for the new Cadillac CTS.

Actions Speak Louder than Words with Women Car Buyers

by Deborah Renshaw

Previously I outlined a few suggestions for dealerships to consider on how to improve their verbal communication skills with women buyers and create a better “buying” experience for women buyers. Communication can be verbal and non-verbal. Let’s look at some non-verbal ways to communicate with women effectively.

by Deborah Renshaw

Previously I outlined a few suggestions for dealerships to consider on how to improve their verbal communication skills with women buyers and create a better “buying” experience for women buyers. Communication can be verbal and non-verbal. Let’s look at some non-verbal ways to communicate with women effectively.

Car Buying Tips To Help with Your Holiday Season Car Purchase

With the Halloween right upon us, and Thanksgiving and the Christmas Holidays around the corner, we should give some thoughts on how to pick the right car to buy.  Many people know that no two drivers are the same, which is why we decided to get down to the fundamentals of shopping for a new car.  We all have needs and getting help along the way will save us lots of effort and make us better educated buyers.

First, you need to know that buying and leasing are different
When you buy New, you pay for the entire cost of a vehicle, regardless of how many miles you drive it.  However, auto loan rates are usually a bit lower when you are buying a new car than when you buy a used car.  It is true in general, a new car requires less maintenance in first few years and most of the problems occurred within the original warranty coverage period will be covered by the car manufacturer.  In addition, you may decide to sell or trade the vehicle for its depreciated resale value.

When you buy Used, even if it is just a year old, you are avoiding the initial dramatic drop in value.  Many used cars come with warranty programs that are equal to what is offered with a new car.  Moreover, the used car market is a lot safer than it used to be.  With vehicle history reports as well as research and pricing services online, you can ensure that you are choosing a used car that is going to be a dream come true, not a lemon.

When you Lease, you pay for only a portion of a vehicle's cost, which is the part that you "use up" during the time you are driving it.  You are allowed to "rent" a new car for two to five years and have the option of not making a down payment, you pay sales tax only on your monthly payments (in most states), and you pay a financial rate, that is similar to the interest on a loan.  You may also be required to pay fees and possibly a security deposit that you do not pay when you buy.  At lease-end, you return the car and pay for any extra damages or mileage.  You can also buy the car or trade it for a new car at the end of your lease term.  With leasing, you pay less now, but more over time, for a car.  You also assume more financial risk than someone who buys a new or used car.

Whatever you choose make sure you have checked your pocketbook for what will work best for you. 

Blab About Your Car and Win Prizes!

Ask Patty is announcing CarBlabber. It's car reviews for women by women like you!
What does your car mean to you? Is your car sexy? Do you love or hate your car? Is your car a fashion statement or a pile of junk? We want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly about your car.

But before we even talk about what you can DO on CarBlabber, let’s talk about what you can WIN! Ask Patty is offering a lineup of amazing products as prizes to CarBlabber members (and signing up is totally free!). All you have to do is create a profile, review a car and add a photo to your review!

The grand prize is a Harvey’s seat belt bag valued at $224! The Harveys Carriage Large Satchel is so sophisticated and stylish! With enough room to carry your favorite novel, a makeup bag, and all other everyday essentials, this bag is a must have! The Carriage Large Satchel offers a convertible adjustable strap which is 42” when fully extended to make it even more versatile, and the bag comes lined with the Harveys signature material. The bag also comes with a drawstring storage bag and a Harveys Lucky Star key chain! Yowza! All that? Just for writing a review and adding some pictures? You bet your boots!

And that’s not all. We also have 12 – count them, TWELVE – CarMDs to give away too. The CarMD is a vehicle tester that can be used to monitor and maintain the health of your 1996 and newer car, light truck, minivan and/or SUV for the life of your vehicle. The red, yellow and green indicator lights help you instantly diagnose the health of your, your family's, even your neighbor's vehicles. It can help you to examine a used car before you buy, give your vehicle a clean bill of health before a road trip, and pre-“smog” test your car! It can tell you why your check engine light is on or let you get a second opinion on your mechanic’s report. This thing is so useful it’s ridiculous! I have one and have used it many times to help me out!

And it keeps going. We are giving away the Car Care Council’s official 56-page car care guide to the first 200 profiles with car reviews and photos. The guide covers nine major service occasions and 12 component groups of the vehicle, plus service interval recommendations, a maintenance log and much more. It’s the perfect size to fit into your glove box so you could have it with you whenever you need it! It would even fit inside a Harveys bag with your CarMD!

So what are waiting for? Do you want to know what you can do at CarBlabber?
    *Create a personal car profile
    *Write car reviews of any car you’ve ever owned or driven or heck, even seen!
    * Connect with other women who love or hate the same cars as you
    *Read reviews of cars written by women JUST like you before you buy your next car
    *Join car clubs online and find other car friends!
    *Create your own social network by founding a car club of your very own
    *Rate your cars and comment on others reviews

Why wouldn't you do it?! Ladies, we're talking about a free purse here! Wow!

Go to: www.askpatty.com/carblabber and register now! 
(It’s 100% free) … go on, do it now…we you know you want to blab about your car!

Related Link: http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/9/emw552890.htm

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hybrid Cars... But Were Afraid To Ask, Part One

One of our young readers sent us the following questions about hybrid vehicles, saying "I am 13 years old and I had a few questions for you about my hybrid car project:
1. What is the top selling hybrid car?
2. Why are hybrid cars better than normal cars?
3. What are the benefits of a Hybrid car?
4. How does a hybrid car work?
5. What is the average cost of a hybrid car/sedan?
6. About how much would you spend on gas in a month using a hybrid car?
7. What city sells the most hybrid cars?
8. How long does a battery in a hybrid car last? "

While I was researching her term paper, it occurred to me that she shouldn't be the only person to benefit from this research, so here is what we learned.

Where Can I Blab About My Car? CarBlabber on AskPatty.com!

Is your car sexy? What does your car mean to you? Do you love or hate your car? Is your car a fashion statement or a pile of junk? Ask Patty has just launched our new beta version social network for women to blog about their cars. That’s right. We want you to tell us all about your car and any car you’ve ever owned. You can tell us all the good, bad, and the ugly – we want to hear it all on CarBlabber.

And we are launching our CarBlabber Beta version of this ultra special, incredibly fun social network during the BlogHer conference in Chicago for all you lovely and talented blogging women. Register now to become a member of this unique social network about YOUR cars.

So what can you do at CarBlabber?
    *Create a personal car profile
    *Write car reviews of any car you’ve ever owned or driven or heck, even seen!
    * Connect with other women who love or hate the same cars as you
    *Read reviews of cars written by women JUST like you before you buy your next car
    *Join car clubs online and find other car friends!
    *Create your own social network by founding a car club of your very own
    *Rate your cars and comment on others reviews

Basically it’s about sharing and connecting in ways you can’t do anywhere else. Learn from other women like you what turns them on and turns them off about their cars. And share your own story.

Oh, and did we forget to mention that we will be giving away some goodies to some of you women who create profiles and reviews? Hmmm, well stay tuned to see what rewards you just might earn (check out the picture to the left). And trust us, they’re GOOD.

Go to: www.askpatty.com/carblabber and register now! 
(It’s 100% free) … go on, do it now…we you know you want to blab about your car!

Who is Ask Patty?

Patty is a Mom, Daughter, Wife, Niece, Grandmother and Auntie. Patty is young, old, married, single, an experienced driver, a new driver, a race car driver , a hot rod driver, a classic car driver, a mini van driver, a truck driver, a luxury car driver, an SUV driver, a disabled  driver, a carpool driver, a stay at home Mom, a female executive. She is gay , straight and comes in all the sizes, shapes and colors of the rainbow...Patty is YOU, ME and US : Women Car Buyers!  Patty influences 85% of all vehicles purchased in the US and buys more than 50% of all new , 48% of used cars and 40% of all trucks sold in the U.S.

Patty holds the 'car keys' to significant and considerable revenue generating muscle power at new and used car dealerships in the US, to say the least. The stakes are high for those car and truck dealerships, who can attract, sell, retain and keep 'Patty" loyal to to their products, services and  brands.

Patty is smart, strong and confident. Patty knows she has tremendous purchasing power and understands how valuable her checkbook is to a salesperson. Patty wants respect for spending her hard earned dollars on vehicle purchases, maintenance and repairs. Patty wants to be looked in the eye and told the truth. Patty wants to be in control of the buying process and not be manipulated or lied to. Patty does not want to be a lead, a sales process or a four square. Patty wants a relationship built on trust with car dealerships.

Car Buying Advice That is NOT About the Car!

by Erica Sietsma - Corporate Training Specialist - Mile One
If you are like a lot of women, who are about to embark on the nerve-racking and somewhat intimidating journey of purchasing a new vehicle, I know you have begun researching the best way to go about your adventure; otherwise, you would not be on Ask Patty!  Also, I know you will come across a number very good articles with great advice on research and research and shopping and more shopping.  So, I will not touch on ANY of those pieces, and will let others do that for me.  What I want to talk about is your "journey," your buying experience, if you will, and how your attitude and actions affect other people - yes, I said people. 

As a sales trainer in the automotive industry, the number one frustration of our sales team is how mean customers have become. A majority of our customers come in with huge attitudes and treat our team like....well, I can't say it on here, this is a family friendly blog. However, it breaks my heart to hear my sales team's frustrations because I care about their feelings; they are my family, my friends and my team. 

July Podcast: eBay Motors: Tackling The World's Largest Online Marketplace

   

eBay Motors: Tackling The World's Largest Online Marketplace Sarah Draley is the Vice President of Marketing and Acquisitions at Rocket City Automotive Group, Inc. In 2002, eBay Motors invited Sarah Draley to jump start their “Dealer Assistant” program in the Chicago market. Since then, she has assisted hundreds of dealerships throughout the United States sell vehicles on eBay Motors. In early 2007, her second company, SODAauctions.com, was acquired by the Rocket City Automotive Group, Inc. (RCAU), holding company for CompleteAuto.com. Ms. Draley joined the RocketCity team as Vice President of Marketing and Acquisitions. Sarah has earned the reputation as an expert on how to buy and sell on eBay Motors. She provides extensive training to dealerships and private parties on how to approach the “world’s largest online marketplace” with confidence and success. Her podcast will give you tips on how to buy, sell, and traverse the online vehicle auction world. Her tips will help you buy smartly, sell your vehicle safely and gain eBay Motors savvy! You can visit Complete Auto at www.CompleteAuto.com You can see Sarah Draley's full bio here .

50 Expert Auto Women Give Car Tips and Advice on AskPatty.com

AskPatty.com is dedicated to serving automotive the needs of women. Our advisory panel of 50 expert automotive women cover every aspect of the auto industry and can answer  All your car or truck questions 24 hours -  7 days a week !

Visit our FAQ section and search the latest questions and answers, search the Q and A  and learn more about each of our expert women here:

The Ask Patty panel of  50 automotive expert women hold leadership roles in the automotive industry as woman owners of new and used car dealerships, hold various roles at car dealerships as technicians, mechanics, finance managers car sales and service managers. There are also car DYI experts , NASCAR and car racing experts,  tire experts, car after-market accessories experts, custom car experts, car safety and car care experts and much much more. They cover the entire gamut for you on car tips and advice and are here to help you 24/7 with your automotive related questions.

We offer women advice and so much more and encourage women to listen to our expert advice  Womanar podcasts and send for a FREE Car Care Guide from the Car Care Council, www.carcare.org. as consumers interviewed agreed that they would trust information from a credible third party like the Car Care Council. The 56-page guide covers nine major service occasions and 12 component groups of the vehicle, plus service interval recommendations, a maintenance log and much more.

You can also sign up FREE for an Ask Patty MyCarPage to get organized about car care and set up automatic email service appointment reminders based on the manufactures suggested service intervals on your exact make, model and year vehicle. Ask Patty's MyCarPage helps women with many more helpful features like where to buy gas at the best price to help you save money on fuel costs.

Interested in an automotive career?  Jody DeVere, president of Ask Patty is also the president of the Women's Automotive Association International and serves on the board of the Car Care Council Women's Board, she encourages women to seek careers in the automotive as there is a high demand to hire women in all aspects of the automotive industry, especially at car dealerships in car sales and service.  The Women's Automotive Association International has scholarships available to women as well as the Car Care Council Women's Board to help women who need education and training. Ask the us how you can start your career or find a job in the automotive industry today via email at info@askpatty.com.

Meet Some of the Ask Patty Automotive Expert Women:

Deborah Renshaw-Parker NASCAR Professional Driver Deborah Renshaw Racing		Karen Payton Vice President On Wheels, Inc.
Kathy Gilbert Director of Sales and Business Development ADP Dealer Services Division		Burnam Eubank Dealer Principal Palmetto Jaguar
Danna “Daytona” Dayton President/CEO Daytona & Friends Global Enterprises, Inc.		Gayle Clark President Motor City Sales & Services, Inc.
Mary Aichlmayr Managing Editor Tire Review Magazine		Amy Mattinat Owner and Author Automotive Experts LLC
Lori Johnson Owner and Instructor Ladies Start Your Engines		Glenda Gill Executive Director Rainbow/Push Los Angeles Bureau
Erica Sietsma Corporate Training Specialist Atlantic Automotive Group		Lorraine Schultz Founder/CEO Women's Automotive Association International
Debbie Lee President Professional Car Care		Kim Borcherding President Borcherding Pontiac Buick GMC
Jenny Trostel President and Owner Saab of Baltimore		Heather Conary Founding Partner ID Communications, a division of Illumination Design
Bernice Sanders Aftermarket Sales Director Primedia Consumer Automotive Group		Kim Walker Owner and Marketing Director Peak Automotive
Susan Givens Vice President Systems Marketing, Inc.		Joy Sherman Owner Ms.Motorcars.com
Elizabeth Daniels Owner and General Manager Daniels Chevyland		Marnie Kramer Owner and Creator EverythingCarz.com
Wendy Engelberg Founder and Director of Operations AutoVisuals.com		Maura Schreier-Fleming Owner Best@Selling
Shelly Irwin LoCascio Dealer Principal Irwin Lincoln Mercury Mazda		Becky Chernek President and Founder Chernek Consulting Incorporated
Sandi Baker Business Manager Right Honda		Dana Schaeffer Director of Business Development Chop Shop Customs
Amy Plant-Lowe Owner Plant's Auto Service		Suzanne Grego Technician City of Philadelphia Fleet Management
Lauren Fix President The Car Coach®		Kimberly McPherson Assistant Controller Right Honda
Diane Anderson Marketing Manager Family Buick Mitsubishi		Sarah Draley VP of Marketing and Acquisitions Rocket City Automotive Group, Inc.

Car Buying for Women Made Easy

by Maura Schreier-Fleming
Do you ever wonder why some customers are happier with their automotive purchases than other customers are? You may think they work with better salespeople. That may be part of it. They’re also better customers. As a sales professional who works with thousands of customers, I can tell you that the best customers buy the best products. If you want to buy your best car, here’s how you to make it happen.   

Know what you’re looking for.
What kind of customer are you?  You may be a family of campers and your weekend activities include loading up your vehicle to the roof with camping gear. You could also be the queen of carpools and spend most of your waking hours behind the wheel of a car chauffeuring the under five Teletubbies set. Then there are commuters who need a comfortable ride that’s easy on the wallet. Each one of these customers would be delighted with very different purchases.  Your sales professional is there to help you identify the vehicle that will be the best match for you. You can help your salesperson by knowing what you need. So before you go to your dealer, think about how you want to use your car. Be prepared to tell your salesperson what your particular requirements are.  You’ll be even more helpful if you can prioritize what’s most important to you, too.

Do your homework.
Great salespeople know all about the vehicles they sell. They can tell you technical specs like which vehicles have the most horsepower. They can also tell you which colors you can choose from for the interior. So why not get a general idea about what you will be looking at by going to the websites of the car manufacturers that you’re interested in before you go to the dealer? Surf around and see what the manufacturer has to say about the car.  What if you don’t have a manufacturer in mind? Go to more websites and start a checklist of the characteristics of the vehicles so you can begin to compare vehicles. The options selections might steer you to one manufacturer over another. 

Introducing the Newest Ask Patty Expert Panel Members

Ask Patty has added three more excellent automotive women to our expert panel! Meet them here:

Amy Plant-Lowe grew up in the automotive industry with her dad and four brothers. Amy started working at the family shop, Plat's Auto Service, in 1989 as the receptionist answering phones and greeting customers. She quickly moved into the Service Advisor position. In 2001 her father retired and Amy and her brother Spencer became owners. Amy's responsibilities include Business Development, Marketing, Training and Customer Relations. It is her goal to build knowledge with her customers on vehicle maintenance, educate the public on the questions that you must ask when having your vehicle worked on and teach women how to develop a relationship with their mechanic.

Amy is an ASE Certified Service Advisor. She currently writes a monthly newsletter and has a column in Boulder Women's Magazine.

Kim Borcherding has had her roots planted in the automobile industry for over 25 years both for General Motors and her late father who owned a dealership, Borcherding Pontiac Buick GMC. Kim returned to Cincinnati where her late husband continued to build the culture known as "The Borcherding Thing". The Borcherding Family Name has been a recognized automobile brand in the Cincinnati market for the past forty years. In her 6th year as President, Kim Borcherding, is the third generation leadership.

Kim is active in charities that serve health needs that have impacted her life. Kim serves on several automobile industry boards. Most importantly, she has a young daughter who always reminds her to view the world with faith and through the eyes of a child.

Burnam Eubank graduated from Duke University in 1986 and soon came to work in many different positions in the family Ford dealership. In 1991 she completed the National Automobile Dealers Association Dealer Candidate Academy and in 1995 was awarded the Jaguar franchise, Palmetto Jaguar,  in Charleston, SC.

Burnam is a past president of the Trident New Car Dealers Association, past member of the Jaguar Business Operations Council, past member of the Trident Hospital Board and is currently serving on the Ford Credit Advisory Board. In 2002 she was named the Jaguar Clubs of North America Dealer of the Year and has received the prestigious Pride of Jaguar many different times. Burnam's Clumber Spaniel, Winston, spends time at her store and wants everyone to know that they are not only "female friendly" but also "pet friendly"!

In their automotive advisory roles, Plant-Lowe, Borcherding, and Eubank will respond to questions from consumer women on automotive related topics via the website. The Ask Patty interactive advice blog launched May 22, 2006.

Meet Some of Our Ask Patty Dealership Expert Automotive Women

Ask Patty wants to introduce you to some of our expert women! These special gals are all a part of a dealership in some way or another. Some of these women own dealerships and some work there (and they are Female Friendly to boot!). Either way, they are a great asset to Ask Patty and to you! They faithfully answer questions from all of our women readers!

Shelly Irwin LoCascio - Dealer Principal Irwin Lincoln Mercury Mazda
Shelly is the Dealer Principal of Irwin Lincoln Mercury Mazda in Freehold, NJ. Irwin is a family owned business that has been serving Central Jersey for 47 Years!! Her philosophy of always having the welcome mat out is a driving force at the dealership as well as Irwin’s Mission Statement: We strive to exceed our customer’s expectations.
This year Shelly’s team of professionals is boasting Mazda’s Gold Cup & Lincoln Mercury’s Presidents Award for Customer Satisfaction. This comes as no surprise since Shelly has strict rules requiring all customers (whether sales or service) be treated honestly, fairly & with great respect.

Kim Borcherding - President Borcherding Pontiac Buick GMC
The Borcherding Family Name has been a recognized automobile brand in the Cincinnati market for the past forty years. In her 6th year as President, Kim Borcherding, is the third generation leadership. We continue to outperform our same make competitors because of the great value we add to our products with exceptional customer service given by one of the most professional and dedicated teams of leaders in the marketplace.
For over 25 years, I have had my roots planted in the automobile industry both for General Motors and my late father who owned a dealership. I returned to Cincinnati where my late husband, who was also my mentor, continued to build the culture known as “The Borcherding Thing”.

Jenny Trostel - President and Owner Saab of Baltimore
Jenny Trostel grew up in Delaware. She graduated from Claymont High School and Goldey Beacom College with a B.A. in Accounting. When she was learning to drive, her father said “if you are going to drive them, you need to know how to fix them.” Jenny spent a summer working on cars and working in the family business. After college, Jenny worked in banking for many years.
In May, 1999, Jenny opened Hunt Valley Saab with 2 business partners. In October, 2004, Jenny purchased the ownership from her 2 partners with the help of General Motors’ Women’s Retail Initiative and Motors Holding. In March 2006, the business changed its name to Saab of Baltimore. Jenny is the Principal Owner of Saab of Baltimore.

Elizabeth Daniels - Owner and General Manager Daniels Chevyland
Elizabeth is a fourth-generation owner of Daniels Chevyland. She did not inherit the dealership, but rather earned her place in it. She began her career in the automotive business in 1985 as a service cashier and worked her way through the various departments, including finance. She eventually became the marketing director and later worked alongside her father as general manager. As Owner and General Manager since 1999, Elizabeth has served her dealership with leadership and guidance. Elizabeth holds numerous affiliations within the community and the industry at large. Her wealth of experience and unique insight as a woman business owner has afforded her the opportunity to serve in various capacities.

Preventing Vehicle Rollovers

by Amy Mattinat 
Vehicle Rollovers have to be one of the scariest accidents to see or experience.  It starts off so innocently. The vehicle ever-so-slightly coasts onto the shoulder and the first thing that comes to mind is to steer that vehicle back on the road, or maybe apply the brakes. It seems like the right thing to do, but the next thing you know the vehicle is off the road rolling over and over in a nightmare scenario.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
1. Vehicle rollovers account for nearly1/3 of the roughly 43,000 deaths that occur each year from passenger-vehicle crashes
2. Nearly 85% of all rollover-related fatalities are the result of single-vehicle crashes.
3. Over 90% of the vehicles in fatal, single-vehicle rollover crashes were involved in routine driving maneuvers (going straight or negotiating a curve) at the time of the crash.

Here are some important tips to prevent vehicle rollovers:
• Slow Down! The first thing you want to do is take your foot off the accelerator and allow the vehicle to slow down gradually. Overcorrecting the steering is what causes many drivers to lose control, which can force the vehicle to slide sideways and roll over. According to NHTSA, Fatal rollover crashes are speed-related more often than fatal non-rollover crashes. Some 40% of fatal rollover crashes involved excessive speeding . Additionally, nearly ¾ of fatal rollovers took place where the posted speed limit was 55 miles per hour or higher.

• Don’t Panic! Think “black ice” and this may help you to resist panicking.  Do not slam on the brakes. You want to ever-so-lightly apply the brakes using very soft application until you bring the vehicle to a safe speed or a complete stop. Once you have reduced to a safer speed, slowly and gently steer the vehicle back onto the road surface.

• Buckle Up! It is imperative that everyone has on a safety belt!  Rollovers are multifaceted, brutal and ugly. Statistics prove that wearing a safety belt has the greatest effect on reducing the chance of fatality—occupants are 75% less likely to be killed in a rollover crash if they are wearing their safety belt!

Girl Scouts, Start Your Engines!

by Lori Johnson
Since I started my business, I’ve had to do very little advertising. Once the word was out that I was teaching an automotive class for women, I was getting contacted at least once a week from people inquiring about the class. I’ve taught for dealerships, independent shops, adult education centers and even private businesses, but the call from the Girl Scouts has been the most interesting.

In March of 2007 I received an e-mail from Bev Redd from the Girl Scouts of Freedom Valley, just outside of Philadelphia.

She explained to me that the Girl Scouts now offered a Car Care badge. In the past they had asked one of the fathers to come and teach the girls about car maintenance, and then she read an article about my business of teaching women automotive maintenance and thought about what a great opportunity it would be for a female to teach this badge. I was intrigued to say the least. I sure don’t remember working on cars when I was in the girl scouts! Bev felt that having a female technician would also show the girls the career opportunities available for women in the automotive field.

Bev sent me the tasks that the girls needed to accomplish in order to earn their badge. She has a group of juniors that range from 4^th-6^th grade. I was excited to see that it required them to check fluid levels, learn how to use an owners manual, check tire pressure, learn about career opportunities in the automotive field, learn what needed to be recycled and ways automobiles could help save the environment.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hybrid Cars... But Were Afraid To Ask, Part Two

One of our young readers sent us the following questions about hybrid vehicles, saying "I am 13 years old and I had a few questions for you about my hybrid car project:
1. What is the top selling hybrid car?
2. Why are hybrid cars better than normal cars?
3. What are the benefits of a Hybrid car?
4. How does a hybrid car work?
5. What is the