"Parents are encouraged to put makeup on their children instead of masks, and to outfit them in brightly coloured, reflective clothing ? it's the best way to ensure that kids can see and be seen."Alliance Tire Professionals and the Canada Safety Council encourage parents to have an open dialogue with their children about the importance of road safety. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as the kids hit the streets:

• Teach little ones the definition of "medians," "intersections" and "pedestrians." It will help them to understand the world of traffic around them.
• Ensure children know the different traffic signals and when it is safe for them to cross. For example, at a traffic light, make sure they look both ways to make sure all cars have stopped before crossing.
• Kids are naturally fascinated with emergency vehicles. Teach them how the lights and sounds are meant to warn drivers and pedestrians, and not to cross the street if a police car, ambulance or fire truck is approaching.
• School buses also have red flashing lights. Let kids see how drivers must stop when school bus lights flash, and show them when it is safe for them to get on and off the bus.

  Always accompany young children to the bus stop, and don't let older kids arrive at the stop too early ? they may be tempted to wander.

• Remember: the best teacher is your own good example! Obey all traffic signals, and don't jaywalk.

But beware of state troopers just waiting for an "arrest me red" entry on their ticket issuing track record. Before You Fall In Love . . . Before you step into that showroom and fall in love, consider the following practicalities: 1) How much do you want to spend? $20,000? $30,000? Or more? 2) What's the tradeoff between performance (power) and gas mileage? Higher performance usually equals less gas mileage.

Does the vehicle use premium gas? Right now, the difference between premium and regular is 20 cents per gallon. At 20 miles per gallon and 15,000 miles per year, the cost differential is $150. 3) What about reliability? Some upscale models cost considerably more to maintain and have a higher incidence of repair costs. Would you appreciate paying $125 just to diagnose the problem when the check engine light comes on? Or paying $70 for an oil change? 4) In a climate where snow and ice are winter realities, do you want to drive it year round? Or store it over the winter? A rear wheel drive sports car is impractical for winter driving. A front, all-wheel, or 4-wheel drive sport car can be driven in snow and ice, if you use all-season tires.

If the little devil comes with performance tires, you will want to buy all-season tires (and possibly rims) for winter driving. Add another $1500 to the price of the car for the right tires and rims. Do Your Homework . . .

5) Once you've decided price, performance, gas mileage, reliability, and practicality for all-season driving, get on the Internet. Here you can compare models and pricing and read reviews. Google "buying a new car" or "new car prices" and several sites will pop up. Another source is Consumer Report (the new car issue) where your criteria will be easy to find. Red dots are good.

Black dots are not. Most American car dealers consider this issue of Consumer Report a nightmare because it favors foreign car models, especially Asian cars. However, as explained in the newest version of this report, American car manufacturers are catching up. 6) Find out what you should pay before stepping into a showroom. Dealers will offer below invoice prices even on some sports cars because of rebates, dealer incentives, and dealer returns when they make a sale.

7) Remember the incidentals. Yes, you have to pay to transport the vehicle from the manufacturer. Yes, you have to pay for options. And remember the sales (and sometimes luxury) tax. The Driving Experience .

. . 8) Unless you have driven the exact model and year you want to purchase, step into the showroom and test drive the car. Driving the previous year's model is unacceptable. If the dealer lures you into his web and asks you to test drive an earlier model, RUN out of the show room.

You're wasting your time. 9) Pick at least 2 different road types for test driving. The winding, hilly road is one road type. Road hugging capabilities are tested here. If the car is standard, smooth-shifting is another test.

A car that cuts back after you release the clutch is NOT smooth shifting. The highway is another road type. Make sure power is sufficient to handle entrance ramps and merging with traffic. If you get an instant response at highway speeds, the car is a possible winner. Closing the Deal .

. . 10) If you like the car, get the dealer's best quote. Then, find at least one other dealer to give you another quote ON THE SAME CAR. If you don't like the car in the test drive, you probably won't like the car ? ever.

Move on to the next model. 11) When you decide on a car, call your insurance company and find out what the vehicle will cost per year. And don't choke on your coffee when you hear the amount ? you can shop around. 12) Estimate how much the real estate taxes will be on the car, especially if it's a high-priced model. This could be another financial shocker! As you can see, sports car buying is a process.

Do you need to do all this stuff? Nope, you don't. But consider the financial sticker shock when you're paying an extraordinary amount for maintenance, repairs, gas, insurance, and taxes! Just for that Autobahnesque experience!.

Furthermore, during braking, a crucial component of road safety, winter tires do provide superior results when compared to All Season tires.Consequently, any driver concerned with vehicle safety will have good winter tires installed on their vehicle" during the cold weather season.Toyo Tire Canada designs Cold Weather Tires for Canadian winters. This is probably why they are considered one of the top winter tire manufacturers. "We design our tires for varied and severe Canadian winters,"says Bridgman, "and as a result we are able to provide a superior performing and unique product for Canadian drivers. Using award- winning state of the art super computer design technology we have an edge on competitor's products".Many summer and all season tires start to lose their tread compound flexibility as the ambient temperature drops. Bridgman states that with the current increasing trend for vehicles to come equipped with performance tires right from the factory, it is even more important to consider "Cold Weather Tires" for winter driving.One of the primary design criteria for a performance tire is to provide improved handling through better braking, cornering and acceleration capabilities in dry or rainy conditions.

Although it's virtually impossible to achieve the same results in winter conditions, to enhance the cold weather driving experience of your performance vehicle you need a dedicated winter tire."We have been led to believe that all season tires are suitable for all conditions," says Bridgman. "However your best option for those cold, icy, slushy, wet winter days is a full set of four Cold Weather Tires and a dose of common sense driving. For more information on Toyo "Cold Weather Tires" got to www.toyocanada.com.- News Canada.

Make sure you check the antifreeze when it's cool. Opening a hot radiator can be a dangerous thing. 2. Check the air pressure in your tires. As the air gets cooler pressure drops in your tires. Maintaining your tire pressures will reward you with higher gas mileage and longer tire life.

3. Make sure you have the following items in your car.

• Ice Scraper
• Salt or sand for traction
• Blanket in case you are stranded and need to keep warm
• Good first aid kit (not just for winter)
• Road flares

6. Check your tires for wear. Make sure you have plenty of tread left to get you through the snow. Nothing is worse than 3" of snow and bald tires..

Built to favor fuel economy over luxurious touring or sporty auto crossing, the Goodyear tires roll quietly down the road and generate 0.76 g of sideways stick in the corners and 0.89 g in a straight line under braking.To draw attention to the increasing performance capabilities of today's hybrid vehicles a specially designed Prius set a hybrid vehicle land speed record at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, topping 130 miles per hour.I t must be noted that Prius used unique 26-inch front and 25-inch rear Goodyear Eagle race tires to accomplish the high speed mark. Goodyear tires are original equipment on many vehicles from Cadillac, Chrysler, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hummer, Infiniti, Jeep, Isuzu, Lexus, Acura, Mazda, Mercury, Chevrolet, Nissan, Land Rover and Toyota. The Prius-Goodyear connection also has worked well in an application far different from what drivers of the hybrid car will experience on normal streets and highways.At Partstrain, we carry Toyota Prius aftermarket parts and Toyota Prius performance parts to service all of our customers needs. Just click on http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/TOYOTA to browse on all our top of the line Toyota Prius parts. All our Toyota Prius auto parts are new and guaranteed to fit.

We offer only the highest quality Toyota Prius replacement parts available. Our Toyota Prius auto parts are engineered to meet or exceed OEM specifications..

The plaintiffs allege that further investigation revealed that Ford had suggested underinflating the tires to conceal the Explorer's rollover problems. In deciding to certify the class, the court found that it is extremely important to avoid inconsistent decisions where a course of conduct by one defendant affecting hundreds of thousands of plaintiffs is at issue. Accordingly, the court ruled that determining all of the claims in one forum will result in a uniform decision applicable to members of the class and that substantial benefits will accrue to both the litigants and the court from this process. The court directed the parties to propose a form of notice that would be sent to potential class members notifying them of the court's decision. The case is entitled In Re Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Cases I & II, Judicial Counsel Coordinated Proceedings, NOS.

4266 and 4270, pending in the Superior Court of California for the County of Sacramento. Ford's internal documents indicate that Ford ignored its engineers' advice that the Explorer SUV needed design revisions to prevent rollover accidents and fatal injuries, according to a Bloomberg news article of February 2, 2005. In 2004, Ford lost 2 Explorer rollover cases at trial, including a verdict in San Diego of $150 million, after reduction by the trial judge, and a $5.3 million verdict in Fort Myers, Florida. In addition to the California class action case, there are about two dozen trials claiming defects in Explorers that are set to take place this year. About Green WellingAlong with co-counsel, Green Welling LLP represents the named plaintiff in the lead action of the California Ford Explorer cases.

Green Welling, a national class action law firm based in San Francisco, California, represents plaintiffs in product liability cases like the Ford Explorer litigation, as well as plaintiffs in consumer and financial actions, securities lawsuits, derivative cases and antitrust actions. If you wish to discuss this action with us or have any questions concerning a potential class action, please contact Robert Green or Jenelle Welling by email at e-mail protected from spam bots or visit our website at www.classcounsel.com..

Road Hazard warranties are one of the best values, yet one of the most misunderstood benefits. Let's start off by expalining exactly what is a Road Hazard warranties and how does it save me money?Most Road Hazard warranties are set up to protect you, from paying full price, even if you happen to get a flat or even destroy a tire beyond repair. If you are fortunate enough to have purchased the warranty, you will only pay for the amount of tread that you used prior to the needed replacement. (This is called pro-rated).Here is an example. Let's say your tire is 1/2 way worn at the time of the flat.

With tires averaging $100 each, your replacement cost would only be $50.00. Much better than full price, yes? Definitely - great value.Typically, Road Hazard warranties will cover things like nails, glass, metal, stones etc. and almost anything else that could puncture or damage a tire. Some Road Hazrd packages provide a nationwide coverage, which are great for people who are traveling, or vacationing, because you now have peace of mind knowing that you are protected while away from your local area. In addition, many Road Hazard warranties offer other benefits like free rotations and free balancing (check where you purchase your tires for all the details).

Regular maintenance is the best way to extend the life of your tire and get as many miles as possible for your investment.Next time you are ready to purchase tires, ask your tire dealer for the road hazard warranty. You'll be glad you did..

Bad e-book cover, slow website loads, advertising to people who would never buy, and other problems. But I think I've repaired the flats and the slow leaks. I hope.Here's my first online flat tire. When I first published my e-book on the Internet in November of 2003, my e-book cover was running at a loss. As I remember, I was making a dollar for every 3 dollars I spent on advertising.

What was the flat tire? Please take a look at my original e-book cover. It's below. It was horrible.http://www.theworldsshortestexcelbook.com/HorribleBookCover.jpgActually, my website didn't have a flat tire; it was more like a car wreck. But if you looked at my e-book cover on the link shown above, I definitely had an online flat tire. (There's a reason why I earned only passing grades in art classes).

I went cheap on the e-book cover and built my own. I took a fishing photo of myself and put it on a book cover. Not only did I have a flat tire, I had slashed all my tires with a knife, to save pennies.Then I found Vaughan Davidson at http://killercovers.com/covers and he did a professional e-book cover for me. Visit my new e-book cover shown below.http://www.theworldsshortestexcelbook.com/BookC.gifI think I changed the e-book cover in mid-December 2003, turned off my Google advertising, and took a holiday break. It was nice being away from email for a change.

When I checked my email on January 2, 2004, I had sold 3 e-books.Using Excel to measure my conversion rates, my conversion rate during late 2003 was about .003. I was selling 3 books for every 1000 visitors. That was selling at a loss. After my new e-book cover from http://killercovers.com/covers and a week of web page changes, my e-book conversion rate rocketed to .009. A 300% increase.

A profit.So keep a good lookout for the flat tires and slow leaks of online marketing. Using Excel to track your online marketing successes (or not so great successes) would be a great idea.Copyright 2004 Richard Kraneis.

Another popular golfer, Fuzzy Zoeller, also has joined the company recently as an investor.The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will manufacture the tires in the most popular SUV and pickup truck sizes, covering 70 percent of the identified target audience. Additional tire sizes are planned to meet the projected demand.The tires will be available as replacement offerings through distributors and tire retailers. In some cases, they also will be available as new vehicle purchase "changeovers," with All Sports Tire using some car dealer showroom displays to help promote the sales of new SUVs and pickups.Market research indicates a substantial segment of fans are passionate enough to purchase the collegiate tires, even if they still have useful tread remaining on their existing tires."We believe there are plenty of loyal fans who will want these new tires on their vehicles in time for the fall football season and the many football stadium tailgate gatherings," Kopplin said.With college basketball just as fiercely supported on many campuses, the sales potential appears strong, according to All Sports Tire projections. Further, when factoring in the constant influx of new students at any university, coupled with the ever-increasing alumni numbers, the future looks bright for collegiate tires. Additionally, Internet sales will likely play a key future role, making the tires available nationwide to alumni and fans, no matter where they are located.

Internet sales are available through the www.selecttire.com website.All Sports Tire has received official licensing approval by the Collegiate Licensing Company, and will have tires available in May for the first two schools ? the University of Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles. Collegiate tires for the Georgia Bulldogs, Tennessee Volunteers and Alabama Crimson Tide will follow, with plans to expand to specific tires for the top 30 college teams as the program grows."The early reaction is great. My first sales contact was Barron Tire, a large distributor in Florida, and they gave us an immediate order for 5,000 tires," said Kopplin. He said discussions are being held to possibly sell the tires through Goodyear retail outlets, as well."This is an exciting concept, and we are pleased to be involved in the manufacturing of these unique tires," said Jon Rich, Goodyear's president of North American Tire. "We have the technology that allows us to take this to different steps, perhaps even to build the images of school mascots into the tires, along with the team names."The ideas for future development of the sports-minded tires are almost without limits.

Palmer has only one request: "Be sure you make tires for my Wake Forest University Demon Deacons!"For more information, contact:All Sports Tire Company Management TeamTom Kopplin, Chairman and CEO Robert J. Wheelock, President Gene O'Baker, Chief Financial Officer Robert N. McChesney, Chief Operating Officer/National Sales All Sports Tire Company, LLC7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd.Suite 365 Phillips PlaceOrlando, FL 328191-866-357-2110www.allsportstire.com.

This situation can also cause tire wear and a pull to one direction in the front end. Caster measures the relationship of the left and right wheels to each other. If one wheel is farther forward or back from the other wheel, then there is a caster problem. Caster will usually not cause a pull or tire wear, and this problem is commonly found on wrecked vehicles. So what causes shimmy and shakes in the front end? The biggest culprit is an out-of-balance or out-of-round tire.

As the tread on the tire wears, it will need to be re-balanced to evenly distribute the weight of the tire and the wheel. To do this, small lead weight is attached to the outside of the wheel and a machine is used to spin the tire and wheel to check balance. Tires should be balanced and rotated every 12,000 miles (approximately every four oil changes) to ensure even tire wear and extend tread life. Out-of-round means the tire has worn unevenly and cannot be balanced. An out-of-round tire will have to be replaced.

I have even seen new tires that were out-of-round due to a manufacturing defect. Hitting a curb or large pot hole can cause the wheel weights to come off, and sometimes the weights sling off the wheel at high speed if they were not installed properly. Out-of-round or out-of-balance will not cause a pull in the front end, but will definitely cause shakes and shimmies. If you can drive out of a shake or shimmy by varying the speed of the car, it is a good clue that you have an out-of-balance problem. A simple way to check tire balance: if the shimmy is present at one speed, but better or not present at a different speed, then a balance problem is likely.

An out-of-round tire or a bent wheel will usually produce a wobble or shimmy at all speeds, and replacement of the tire or wheel is usually the cure. Regular tire rotation is the best way to extend the life of a tire. Ask your mechanic which way to rotate the tires depending on how the tread is wearing. Crossing tires in an "X" pattern is usually the standard way to rotate most tires, but moving the front tires to the back in some cases is recommended to place the best tires on the front. The majority of the stopping power of the vehicle comes from the front brakes, so the best tires should stay on the front for safety.

Caution: Some tires are "directional" and must stay on one side of the vehicle, due to the fact that the tire was made for the tread to only travel in one direction.A vibration or shaking that is felt in the steering wheel only when the brakes are applied is not a front end alignment problem, but a brake problem. Have the brakes inspected and make sure to tell your mechanic about the shaking that you feel in the steering wheel when you apply the brakes. This vibration may not be felt by the mechanic on a quick test drive around the block, so be specific. During this brake inspection, it would also be a great time to rotate the tires since you are already paying the labor to remove the wheels.I have developed a quick and easy to use maintenance schedule that can help keep you up-to-date on the items mentioned above. These schedules are free for you to view and print outhttp://www.trustmymechanic.com.