Quick Stops

Driver Distractions • Don't Veer for Deer • Aging Drivers • Remote Keyless Entry Characteristics • Warning Lights – What Do They Mean?

Customer/Dealer Service Question and Answer • Towing a Subaru Vehicle • Occupant Safety Equipment – Sunscreen

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, "All drivers engage in some kind of distracting activity while they are driving." The most common distractions:

Reaching and leaning –
97.1 percent of drivers
Manipulating music/audio controls – 91.4 percent
Conversing – 77.1 percent
Eating or drinking – 71.4 percent
Using cell phones – 30.0 percent

AAA suggests using common sense to avoid distractions:

Preprogram radio stations
Avoid fumbling with maps by planning ahead
Assign front-seat passengers as "copilots"

And, of course:

Don't eat or drink while driving
Don't use the cell phone while driving

According to AAA, if you're on a collision course with a deer, do not leave your lane to try to avoid the animal. Swerving could lead to a collision with another vehicle or cause loss of control, which can be more dangerous than hitting the deer.

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Age can affect a person's ability to drive, with these physical abilities prone to change:

Vision – loss of nighttime vision is well
under way by age 40
Hearing – loss is suffered by about one-third of the population over 65
Body pain – arthritis, joint stiffness and other ills restrict movement, reducing the ability to react quickly or to turn to check blind spots
Mental sharpness – certain illnesses and medications contribute to dizziness and other ills that can affect alertness

Operation of your remote keyless entry system can be affected by:

Radio disturbances from microwave towers, high-voltage power lines, garage openers and radio stations
Battery exhaustion
Low ambient temperatures, especially in winter climates
Water damage
Vehicle wiring for optional devices and electronic equipment such as telephones and portable radios

The warning lights in your vehicle allow it to "speak" to you, to tell you when something requires your attention to help avoid risk or prevent damage.

Do you know what these warning lights mean? Look up their messages in your Subaru vehicle's Owner's Manual or you may simply view them in our Online Exlcusives.

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Question: I just moved to a state that requires a front license plate. How do I install the frame for it?
Answer: The front license plate frame should be mounted directly to the front bumper. Here are the recommended instructions for installing it:

Use self-tapping screws obtained from your Subaru dealership or any automotive store – M5 or M6 diameter, 12 mm length
It is imperative that you do not drill a pilot hole into the bumper skin – allow the self-tapping screw to do its job and make its own hole
Tighten the screws by hand, and be sure not to overtighten them

A vehicle's transmission impacts the manner in which it should be towed. Subaru AWD vehicles with manual transmissions can be towed with all four wheels on the ground and their transmissions in neutral. Subaru AWD vehicles with automatic transmissions can be towed only with all four wheels off the ground. So if you plan to tow a Subaru vehicle behind your motor home, make it a Subaru with a manual transmission. For further information, check your Owner's Manual.

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Recent cancer research shows that precancerous skin lesions are more likely on the left side of a driver's head than the right, probably caused by exposure to sunlight through the window on the driver sides of vehicles. Researchers recommend the use of sunscreen year-round, even on cloudy days.

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