April 2014 - Greater Cincinnati Automobile Dealers Association

Now that’s love – auto style

Having a passion for something can be an amazing thing; and this spring the passion that a, now deceased, Ohio man had for his 1936 Ford car collection will be unmasked for all to see.  Emery Ward Jr., of Sandusky, Ohio, had a passion for collecting and working on his cars, but not just any car.  He really loved 1936 Fords.  According to his son, Emery Ward III, a 1936 Ford was the first car his dad ever drove, so that’s what he collected.  As it turns out, he restored each one of the vehicles himself.  Emery Ward Jr. passed away in 2007, having acquired about two dozen 1936 Fords of every shape and stripe, and they remained locked away in a barn in Sandusky, Ohio, near the shores of Lake Erie. Until now, that is.  This year, on May 16 and May 17, Wards 1936 Ford collection will be auctioned off at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Sandusky (Vellequette, 2014).  Click here for more.

 

 

Vellequette, L. (2014, April 19). Ohio man’s collection of ’36 Fords going to auction. Automotive News. Retrieved April 25, 2014, from http://www.autonews.com/article/20140419/BLOG06/140419766/ohio-mans-collection-of-36-fords-going-to-auction

Our Four Legged Sweethearts – is your pet traveling safely?

For many American families, having a dog is important.  They’re loyal; and also known as “Man’s best friend”, so who wouldn’t want to make that addition to their family.  It’s very common that every so often, families pack everyone into the car and out to spend some fun family time together.  Of course we don’t leave our dogs out of this family fun; we do our best to treat them like they completely belong.  The thing is, so many pet owners get excited to take their dog for a drive, watching it as it enjoys sticking its head out of the window and wagging its tongue, that they forget all the rules about safe traveling. 

We wouldn’t put ourselves or our kids in a vehicle with the intentions of driving it, while standing up, not being strapped in, and we probably wouldn’t spend the entire car ride, or even a fraction of it with our head dangling out of the window, just because we know that you never know what could happen.  In an article titled “Traveling Safely with & Choosing the Right Vehicle for your 4 Legged Cargo” by Linda Sharp, she states that, “when you bring home a pet, you have taken on the role of care taker.”  So, it’s up to you to make sure that your pet is safely and completely secure when you decide to take em’ for a drive. 

It’s important to make sure that when traveling, pets are kept secure, not only for their welfare and ours, but also for the other drivers on the roads.  “All dogs, large and small, should learn to ride politely in their cars.”  The list of safety hazards that can result from having an unrestrained canine in a moving vehicle should not be taken lightly (Sharp).

Having an unrestrained dog in a vehicle, no matter what their size is, is a distraction.  “Unfortunately 98% of dogs do not travel properly restrained in a moving vehicle.  Like cell phones, texting, eating, etc., unrestrained dogs are a distraction and driver distraction causes more accidents than any other issue.  Besides being a distraction, there are other hazards.  An unrestrained dog can fall, or jump out of an open window, or the back of a truck.  Speaking of windows, you really shouldn’t let your dog stick his head out of the window, because it can lead to eye infections, or an injury from striking objects or other random flying objects.  Another reason that dogs should not be loose in moving vehicles is, because if an accident were to occur, the dog could be frightened, escape the vehicle, and end up run over by another vehicle, or could become lost trying to leave the accident (Sharp).  In all, there are a lot of hazards that come along with unrestrained traveling pets.  We’re not saying that those awesome car rides with your best friend must come to an end; we just want you to take the initiative to make sure that your dog, or pet is traveling safely. 

It’s important to restrict your dog’s movement inside the vehicle.  There are a few things that you can do to make sure that your dog is secure.  Many dog owners use the dog’s crate as a safety restraint.  However, to truly be safe, the crate must be fastened securely in the back of the vehicle.  (Front seat air bags aren’t good for pets, so the best place for them is the back seat).  Another great safety restraint for dogs are canine seat belts.  When the “fasten your seatbelt” sign lights up, you should be reminded, that applies to your dog as well.  Some dogs aren’t good with seat belts, typically smaller dogs, and those who like to chew through things like that (Sharp).  A crate would be better for these dogs.  It’s even been recommended by some to get your dog accustomed to lying flat in the back while riding in the car.  Many dogs happen to like this position.

In all, riding in the back seat (or “way back” of your car) with a harness and securely fastened seat belt, this – or a securely fastened crate, is the safest mode of car travel for your dog (Sharp).  Hopefully this information has been helpful, and may you and your family have safe and happy travels!

 

Sharp, Linda. “TRAVELING SAFELY WITH & CHOOSING THE RIGHT VEHICLE FOR YOUR 4 LEGGED CARGO.” 3. Print.

Donate Life

Eighteen people die each day waiting for an organ; and for this reason, people of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors (“Donate Life”). Donate Life Ohio is a coalition of the state’s organ, eye and tissue recovery agencies dedicated to educating Ohioans about the need for organ, eye and tissue donation and motivating them to join the Ohio Donor Registry (“About Us”). You should be an organ donor, because it gives you the power to donate life.

Organ donors have the power to donate life in a number of ways. The organs that are donated to patients give those patients a chance for a more healthy and normal life with their friends, family and community. Last year, approximately 8,000 deceased donors made possible for nearly 23,000 organ transplants. In addition, there were more than 6,000 transplants from living donors. More than 42,000 sight-restoring corneal transplants were performed in the U.S. last year; and each year, approximately 30,000 tissue donors save and heal lives (“Donate Life”).

Getting more donors, donations, and saving lives is the goal for Donate Life Ohio; but sadly, the need for donors outweighs the actual number of donors. You becoming an organ donor, could someday be the reason that someone else is able to live a happy and healthy life. Cornea recipient, Wonn tells Donate Life Ohio, “Many days my vision was so poor, when I looked at my children, all I could see was a huge blur. Now, each day is truly special and I never take the gift of having my sight restored for granted (“Donate Life”).  Will you be a hero? Click here for more details on other ways that you can help support Donate Life Ohio.

 

 

 

 

 

Donate Life Ohio. You Have the Power to Donate Life. N.p.: Donate Life Ohio, 2014. Print.

“About Us.” Donatelifeohio. Ohio Department of Health, 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

Distracted driving- do we need a stronger message?

You can never stress the importance of safe driving enough.  According to a 2014 article on Autonews.com, author Ursula Zerilli states that, “Distracted driving caused 3,328 fatal crashes and 421,000 injury crashes in the United States in 2012, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The government definition of distracted driving includes activities such as eating, talking or adjusting the radio, but a total of 415 people died in crashes that cited use of cellphones as distractions in 2012. Data for 2013 aren’t yet available” (Zerilli).

As a result of the soaring number of tragedies being caused by distracted drivers, a commercial hoping to promote safe driving will be airing this month; courtesy of The U.S. Department of Transportation’s advertising campaign to combat distracted driving.  The commercial shows a semitrailer smashing into the side of a car carrying three young adults, most likely teens.  The accident is a result of distracted driving.  U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, “This campaign puts distracted driving on par with our efforts to fight drunk driving or to encourage seat belt use” (Zerilli).  Police departments in certain states are really helping to crack down as well, giving out more and more tickets to people driving and using their cell phone.  Take a look here for more information.

 

Source:

Zerilli, Ursula. “Automotive News.” Autonews. Crain Communications, Inc., 4 Apr 2014. Web. 4 Apr 2014.