Policy Nation Brake Safety Awareness Month: Stop and Check Your Vehicle’s Most Important Safety System

Let's join hands to make April a Brake Safety Awareness Month.

When it comes to vehicle safety, the brake system is at the top of the list. Brake Safety Awareness Month is the perfect time to have your brakes inspected to make sure they are in safe working condition before school starts and hot weather hits.

Brakes are a normal wear item for any car and eventually they’re going to need to be replaced. For routine maintenance, check your vehicle’s braking system at least once a year. A thorough inspection should include brake lining wear, brake fluid level, rotor thickness, condition of hoses and brake lines, brake and dash warning lights, as well as taking the car for a test drive to detect other potential brake system problems.

If your car is pulling to the left or right, or if you hear odd noises when you apply the brakes, you should inspect your brakes. Other warning signs include an illuminated brake warning light, brake grabbing, low pedal feel, vibration, hard pedal feel and squealing.

Several factors that affect brake wear include driving habits, operating conditions, vehicle type and the quality of the brake lining material. Never put off routine brake inspections or any needed repair, such as letting the brakes get to the “metal-to-metal” point, which can be potentially dangerous and lead to a more costly repair bill.

“A properly operating brake system helps ensure safe vehicle operation and control under a variety of driving conditions,” says an auto expert. “Motorists can put a stop to any potential brake system problems by recognizing the signs and symptoms that their brake system may need maintenance or repair.”

Regular vehicle care, maintenance and repairs can go a long way in protecting you and your family on the road.

Keep your vehicle safe, dependable and on the road longer!

It’s not always easy to recognize when your vehicle is suffering from engine damage as symptoms can be overlooked and seen as “normal.” While not all sounds and smells may threaten the life of your engine, there are some obvious warning signs that require a vehicle inspection right away, according to experts.

Early diagnosis of engine damage can most likely be treated, but it is important to be aware of potentially damaging symptoms and have the vehicle inspected if something doesn’t seem right,” says an expert from the Car Care Council. “By acting quickly and making necessary repairs as soon as possible, you could be saving yourself from the cost and hassle of breaking down along the road.”

One of the signs of engine trouble is an illuminated check engine light. This light indicates that a vehicle system, such as the ignition, fuel injection or emission control, is not operating properly, even if the vehicle appears to be running normally. Ignoring the check engine light can negatively impact your fuel economy or cause damage resulting in more costly repairs.

Many motorists are familiar with the noises their vehicles make on a daily basis. However, any noise that is new, different or suspicious may indicate a problem, including a high-pitched squeal, grinding or thumping. Sounds under the hood, such as hissing, can also indicate that your vehicle is in need of attention.

Although all cars burn fossil fuels that create undesired emissions, these odors should remain outside of the car. Unusual smells that could signal engine damage include: burnt rubber, hot oil, gasoline, sweet smell of syrup, burning carpet and rotten eggs. When you smell any peculiar odor, you should not ignore it.

Another symptom of engine damage is excessive amounts of smoke or steam. Although some smoke is normal, excessive amounts of dark smoke in particular indicates that oil is leaking into the combustion chamber and is being burned along with the gasoline.

There are many apps available to help you stay on track with essential auto care intervals, download one.

Policy Nation believes in promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair for the safety of everyone on our roads. 

Lamborghini launches its fastest car Huracan Performante in India

Lamborghini has launched its new Huracan Performante supercar in India priced at ₹ 3.97 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi). The car was unveiled just a month back in February at the Geneva Motor Show and now we have it in India. Lamborghini says that the Huracan Performante is said to be designed for those customers who crave the ultimate performance. The new Huracan Performante is the third Lamborghini product to be launched in India after the Huracan RWD Spyder and the Aventador S.

The Huracán Coupé has been created for unprecedented performance. All the power and acceleration of a naturally aspirated V-10 engine, without giving up control or fun of driving. This is all thanks to the  all-wheel drive system and the 7-speed Lamborghini Doppia Frizione (LDF) dual-clutch transmission, as well as the innovative Piattaforma Inerziale Lamborghini (LPI), created for accurate and real-time detection of all the chassis movements and for immediate adjustment of the car setup.

Below is a summary of all the characteristics and the technical specifications of the Huracán Coupé.

Top performance, but also maximum comfort: thanks to Lamborghini's ANIMA (Adaptive Network Intelligence MAnagement) technology, the Huracán can meet all of your driving needs. Each single part recalibrates to provide a driving experience like no other. 

By choosing the STRADA setting, you can drive with comfort and maximum grip, perfect for both day-to-day use as well as longer journeys. If you are looking for thrills and fun while driving, then you will appreciate the slight oversteer capabilities of the SPORT setting. On the other hand, to enjoy a racing-style drive, top performance will be delivered by the CORSA setting, which allows the Huracán Coupé to fully express its incredible potential.

The Huracán Coupé's exterior: form follows function, guaranteeing Lamborghini's stylistic purity and performance, so it comes as no surprise that the design is inspired by something as essential as a carbon atom.

From hexagons to streamlined Y's, each of the Huracán's lines is designed to cut through the air and take your breath away. A sporty and dynamic look, both innovative and unmistakably Lamborghini, built to intensify your emotions.

Luxury meets the spirit of Lamborghini inside the Huracán. Sporty yet elegant, it was developed to provide all the space and comfort you need. A large 12.3” TFT instrument panel, controls integrated in the steering wheel, perfectly contoured sports seats and a center console puts all the controls at your fingertips. Every detail is designed to make your driving experience natural and involving, all with the highest quality finish throughout.

On the one hand, you will have the incredible power and acceleration of a longitudinal mid-mount naturally aspirated V-10 engine. On the other, you have all the technology of the Lamborghini Doppia Frizione (LDF) dual-clutch transmission and the electronically controlled all-wheel drive system for all driving conditions. 

This means you can have all the power you need and at the same time the fun, exhilarating drive you desire every day.

Traffic offenders to face the heat

The Union Cabinet has approved the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016 that provides for linking of driving licence and vehicle registration with Adhaar-based platform and proposes heavy penalties for traffic violations.

"We have proposed an amendment in the Motor Vehicle Act where people need to have Aadhaar number to apply for driving licence and need not to visit transport offices to get a learning driving licence as it all will be online," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters.

"The Bill proposes Aadhaar-based verification for grant of online services including learners licence. This would ensure the integrity of the online services and also stop creation of duplicate licences," he said.

The move comes in wake of de-duplication of licences and registration of stolen vehicles. The government has decided to make an all-India register for driving licences and vehicles which would be available across the country.

Gadkari said the Cabinet has approved various changes in the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016. These include 16 amendments and rejection of three suggestions made by the Parliament Standing Committee.

The three major suggestions rejected by the government include registration of vehicles by only RTO and inspection of vehicles by RTO. Once the bill is approved vehicle dealers will be authorised to issue vehicle numbers and register them through an all-India electronic register. He said the government has also proposed compulsory vehicle recall, amendments like third party insurance, relief to good Samaritans, stricter punishment and fines to traffic rule violators, etc.

The bill introduced in Parliament last year had proposed 89 clauses for amendment out of which only 57 were accepted by the Parliament Standing Committee on Transport, headed by Mukul Roy. With the Cabinet approval, now decks are cleared for the government to bring much-needed reforms in the transport and road sector, he said, adding the government may table the bill in Parliament soon.

The important aspects of the bill are 100 per cent e-governance to be brought in transport sector, the minister said, adding identity verification using Aadhaar will be used, bad roads contractor to be liable for fine, drivers will included in third part Insurance and Claims would be time bond. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 9, 2016 and was referred to Departmental Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, headed by Mukul Roy. The Motor Vehicle Act 1988 is a 30-year-old instrument which had not kept pace with the change of dynamics of road transport & information technology.

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The bill specifically targets traffic offenders with stringent penal provisions. The bill has identified priority areas for improving road safety. Stricter penalties are proposed for high risk offences such as drunken driving, dangerous driving, overloading, non-adherence to safety norms by drivers (such as use of seat belt, helmets).

The bill provides for facilitating delivery of services to the citizens and transporters. The bill aims to provide for maximum governance with minimum government. This would help in reducing the harassment faced by the stakeholders in the RTO offices. A national data base of vehicles and driving licences would help in safety and security and avoid malpractices.

The minister said it is a largely pro-people initiative and will reform the Motor Vehicle insurance sector.

"It provides specific timelines for processing of insurance claims. A ten fold increase has been made in the amount of compensation awarded under a simplified process of claims disbursal wherein the family of an accident victim would get compensation of Rs 5 lakh as settlement within four months of the accident. Presently it takes at least four to five years for an award," he said.

In the accidental death cases arising from hit and run accidents, the bill proposes an increase of compensation to Rs 2 lakh, an eight fold increase over current.