In the rear-view mirror, you see your daughter’s anxious smile from the car seat in back. Dressed in her ballet outfit, you wonder to yourself how anyone could be so incredibly precious. Though your eyes were off the road for just a moment, that’s all it took; In that instance, a car has missed the red light and pulled into your path. Before you’re fully conscious of what has happened, your foot

What kind of winter will we have here in Northern Illinois and McHenry County? Some are predicting a harsh winter this year – bitter cold and lots of snow. Hopefully, they’re wrong. But, what if they’re right? Are you prepared? Is your vehicle prepared? Preparation starts with having the right clothes and making arrangements for snow removal – either a good shovel and strong back, a snow blower

Good vision is a nice thing to have when you drive. It’s extremely helpful in avoiding accidents. With good vision, it’s easier to notice potential problems while you drive. With impaired vision, your awareness is diminished.A child runs into the road after a ball. Do you see the child in time to stop or swerve away? A truck at an intersection runs a red light into your path. Will you recognize

There’s something about cruising on the open road – a kind of freedom you feel as the mile markers go by, local radio stations fade in and then fade out as they’re replaced by other local stations that track your route as the aural equivalent of mile markers. Whether you’re headed north, south, east or west – sometimes, it’s just great to get away. And, when you get back, folks will ask

You’re driving down the road somewhere in Illinois, maybe even Ringwood, Illinois, and you suddenly notice an amber light in the dashboard is burning brightly. Upon closer examination, you notice that it reads: Check Engine. No, you don’t have to panic. Depending on how your vehicle is otherwise operating, you may not even have to pull to the side of the road and call a tow truck to bring

A streaky wiper blade is, at the very least, an annoyance in the summer. In the winter, it’s potentially far more dangerous. And this is the time of year to make sure that you have a set of wipers in your car that will provide a clear view of the road ahead.“Of all your senses, when you’re driving, none is more important than your vision,” said Denny Norton, owner of Ringwood based Performance

Maybe you don’t exactly love you car’s engine. You may start the car and start driving while hardly considering your engine at all. But, if your engine stops doing what it’s expected to do, you may develop strong emotions about your engine in a hurry.“Your oil is the lifeblood of your engine,” said Denny Norton of Ringwood based Performance Unlimited. If you shortchange your engine oil you’re

Well, your antifreeze kept your engine block from freezing and cracking last winter. How should you reward it? How about giving it a physical examination and, if it isn’t up to snuff as a coolant, having it replaced. That might not seem entirely appreciative but it’s probably the smart move.The liquid in your radiator is supposed swing with power from both sides of the plate – in winter and

Of course, it’s not a good thing if the term ‘solid’ appropriately describes the antifreeze in your car. But, antifreeze is not the only fluid you need to consider as you prepare for the winter ahead. There’s also power steering fluid – make sure it’s filled to the ‘Full’ line; windshield washer solvent (we’ve already spoken about that); brake fluid, should be clear and full, transmission