GRANDVILLE, Mich.––We live in West Michigan, which is a place that unfortunately experiences the worst of winter conditions. The lake effect snow and bitter cold temps can take a toll on our roads and our safety. At RiverTown Honda, we truly care about your and your vehicles well-being. Since the weather is finally here, we've got some driving tips to get you through the winter season safely. If there is any auto service you need that'll help keep you safe on the road, we'd love to help!

1. Pack Your Winter Emergency Kit

Your winter kit should definitely include an emergency kit (with first aid items) and an ice scraper. You can pack other things like extra clothing, gloves, a snow shovel, hand and foot warming packs, etc. While we never want anything bad to happen to our customers on the road, we do want them to be prepared for any situation, especially in inclement weather.

2. Properly Clear Off Your Vehicle

We understand that it might be easier to clear only the space you need on your windshield when you're in a time crunch, but properly clearing your vehicle  is necessary for your safety. When the weather is bad, your clear vision of the road is so important. This also helps avoid snow from falling onto your windshield from the roof, and from snow flying into others' windshields on the road.

3. Slow Down

This is a no-brainer, but it's worth mentioning because of the high level of importance. If it's snowing, hailing, sleeting, etc. slow down past the speed limit. Slowing down can help improve your stopping distance and allow you to focus on what's happening on the road, especially if visibility is bad.

4. Start Slow and Leave More Room to Stop

When the roads get slippery from snow and ice, it can be difficult for your vehicle to get going. Instead of stepping on the gas like you normally would at a stop sign or red light, slowly press the pedal and work your way up to the speed limit from there. Also make sure to leave more room for stopping than you normally would, as your car might not have the traction it needs on the slippery surface of the road.

5. Keep Your Lights On 

Even if it's not dark outside, your lights still serve a purpose. They allow you to see the road better, but more importantly, allow others to see you! If it's sunny outside (we wish) you probably don't need your lights, but if it's overcast, foggy, snowing, etc. keep your lights on so others know where you are and where you're headed.

6. Take Care of Routine Maintenance

7. Consider Investing in Winter Tires 

Winter tires aren't necessary, but we think they're well worth the cost for your safety! West Michigan winters can get pretty nasty, cold, and snowy. Winter tires are built to be more flexible in temperatures under 45 degrees, providing more traction on the cold roads. They're also designed to better channel slush and snow for easier driving. And not to mention, they can help a FWD vehicle perform better than an AWD vehicle with all-season tires. Check out our guide to winter tires for more information.

Our Honda and non-Honda customers are important to us, so use these driving tips to get you through the winter season safely, and come see us at RiverTown Honda for Winter Car Care services! Our team of Certified technicians will help you stay safe with tire rotations, winter tire installations, oil changes, wiper blade installations, full vehicle inspections, and more at our Service Center or Express Service Lane. Make sure to check out our Winter Car Care tips online for more information on what to do to keep your vehicle running well throughout the winter season. Remember, you're not that far from the best dealership experience of your life! We're located only 12 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids off I-196 in Grandville.

Give RiverTown Honda a call at (877) 236-9113, or visit us at 4260 Kenowa Ave. Grandville, MI 49418, one mile west of RiverTown Mall.

Visit Us Online: RiverTownHonda.com

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Just last week, we marked the official beginning of summer in the state of Tennessee, as well as right here in the Memphis metro. Barbecue will be simmering, live bands will be playing on into the night, and the children of the area have a delightful reality ahead of them: they are out of school for a few quick months. This is the time when drivers have to be more careful than ever, as any of the neighborhood kids may pick the driveway perch right behind your vehicle to get some playtime in.

The majority of backover accidents happen because the driver does not properly take in their surroundings before lurching out of the driveway, and the U.S. Department of Transportation claims that 40 percent of severe crashes occurred in residential areas. 24 percent of these crashes occurred in driveways, and undoubtedly drivers were in a hurry.

It is hard to slow it down when you may be late for work or an appointment, and leaving from home is that danger zone where children may be lurking behind you. Fortunately for the many Memphis area drivers that are looking to boost safety on their commute, Surround Vision Technology is available! For now, it's integrated into the all-new 2018 Equinox, and provides a 360-degree bird's eye-view around the vehicle.

Intended to help assure safety when coming in or out of the driveway, Surround Vision acts as multiple sets of eyes that will scan the area for you. There are four cameras working for you here simultaneously: the standard Rear Vision Camara, a forward-looking camera placed in the front grille, and two side-looking cameras under each left or right mirror.
When drivers shift into reverse and get ready to roll, the birds-eye view is displayed neatly on the center stack instrument panel. Situated right here are also images from the forward and rear looking cameras, so you can quickly scan the entire area before departing. We want to assure you that the safest way to clear the area is to WALK around the car before leaving: some toddlers are small little tykes, and may need to be spotted by the human eye!

The Surround Vision feature is available on the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV, Equinox, and Traverse. Rear Vision Cameras can be found on the 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV, Camaro, City Express, Colorado, Corvette, Cruze, Equinox, Express, Impala, Malibu, Silverado, Silverado HD, Sonic, Spark, Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, Trax, and Volt. We are proud as a dealership to offer numerous ways that you can feel safe on the road, and part of the Chevy promise is to uphold a longstanding tradition of above average safety features.

Keep in mind that pets and toys left strewn about are some of the biggest lures for small children, and that if you know you have a cute puppy or bikes in the yard, kids may follow. Other activities in the driveway like sidewalk chalk and lemonade stands are abundant in the Memphis metro during the summer: stay safe and keep your eyes open during the longest and most savored days of the year!

As summer officially makes its hot and steamy landing in the St. Louis metro area, Chevrolet wants to take great strides to help drivers prevent tragic situations. With the temperatures heating up and children being out of school, they are able to spend more time outside, and may be poised playing in positions where they are not in driver's sight lines. On average, there are 210 fatalities and a startling 15,000 injuries a year that are caused by backover crashes, with 40 percent occurring in residential areas. Furthermore, 24 percent of these are happening in driveways, the entry and departure point of
the home.

Backover incidents are caused by the driver not having the proper means of seeing their immediate surroundings. The engineers and developers at Chevy desire to help drivers see as much of the sphere they need to to be safe immediately, and that's where Surround Vision fulfills an enormous safety role. This technology that is available on the all-new 2018 Equinox provides a 360-degree bird's eye view around the vehicle, and acts like multiple sets of eyes that help drivers quickly during departure. Low-speed maneuvering can still be dangerous, and this system uses 4 cameras to assure a clear path. You have use of a standard Rear Vision Camera, a forward-looking camera in the front grille, and two side-viewing cameras located under each left or right mirror.

When you shift into reverse, the birds-eye view shows up on the center stack instrument panel, and provides multiple views of the area best watched to prevent accidents. In addition to Surround Vision and the very useful Rear Vision Camera, the all-new 2018 Equinox has numerous other features to make sure that every ride is a safe one: Rear Seat Reminder and Teen Driver offer the best in protection for your family. Surround Vision is the feature that really is the prime contender for being aware of your immediate perimeter, and it is offered on the Bolt EV, Equinox, and Traverse. The Rear Vision camera is found on the Bolt EV, Camaro, City Express, Colorado, Corvette, Cruze, Equinox, Express, Impala, Malibu, Silverado, Sonic, Spark, Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, Trax, and Volt.

It's important to realize that these features are not a substitute for always being alert and operating your vehicle safely every day. As you may be late for work or anything else in your schedule-heavy day, the absolute best thing you can do is walk around your vehicle. This simple step has saved many lives, as toddlers and small children may have picked the zone just behind your vehicle to play for the morning. There are many great things to do during summer here in St Louis: a few of our favorites are the Cahokia Mounds, and the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Your family needs to arrive at all of these fantastic St Louis destinations safely, and without worry of accidental tragedy looming over the trip. We want you to have the safest summer possible, and encourage you to come down, pay us a visit, and see just how awesome and innovative all of these safety features are. At Jim Butler, we are concerned about your well-being, and stand firmly behind the many ways we can help protect you during your drive time!

Be careful out on the roads. 
Check your wiper blades and tire pressures too, for added safety. 
Do not take your attention away from the roads and those around you. In other words please don't talk on the phone or text, especially in hazardous weather conditions. 
There are people who care about you and your safety.

Keep it between the lines,
Happy Motoring