Halloween Driving Safety Tips

DURAND, Mich., – Everybody loves Halloween and droves of little ghouls and goblins will be out at night for trick-or-treating. Whether you're driving to a spooky costume party or dropping the kids off, make sure to follow these Halloween driving safety tips to keep everyone out of harm's way.

Watch the Vehicles in Front of You

Cars will be stopping intermittently in the street to drop kids off at houses or pick them up. So keep your eyes on the road and maybe drive a little slower. We recommend driving 5 mph below the speed limit in neighborhoods. Also, be wary of passing a stopped vehicle as kids may be exiting abruptly or not in your line of sight.

Use Your Turn Signals

Make sure to use turn signals to communicate your intentions to other drivers. It will make navigating a busy neighborhood much easier for everyone. Neglecting to use your turn signals results in over twice as many accidents as distracted driving (i.e. phones, food, loud music).

No Texting!

Again, we can't reiterate it enough that you should never text and drive, but on Halloween night you especially need to avoid distracting yourself. So put the phone down, and watch the road.

Watch out for Kids

Young, candy crazed kids are apt to run into the street by accident so make sure to keep your eyes open for them. They also may be standing by or on the curb, or in medians. So best to be cautious.

We also recommend turning your headlights on even before sunset. It will help illuminate the street and sidewalks. Some of the kids will undoubtedly be wearing dark costumes and be harder to see. Heck, some even may be dressed as ninjas and therefore even harder to see!

Yield to Munchkins Crossing the Street

Give the right of way to groups of trick-or-treaters at intersections and cross walks. It's stressful enough wrangling a group young kids as it is, so please try to help out the adults who are supervising them.

So please, make sure everyone can enjoy their candy and trick-or-treating by observing our Halloween driving safety tips. They will help to keep the night spooky and safe. 

Additionally, as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Chevrolet is supporting the fight against breast cancer with number of campaigns for charity that we invite you to participate in. For example, every social media post using the hashtag #IDriveFor, Chevy will donate $5 up to $500,000 to breast cancer research. Last year, Chevy raised nearly $1.6 million to help the cause and we hope to improve on that total in 2016. 

Come see us at 9009 East Lansing Road in Durand, MI 48429. Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand is revolutionizing the car buying experience. We provide all the transparency and customer service you need, while simultaneously making your purchase experience fun! For any questions contact us at (989) 288-2657 or visit our website at www.GraffChevyDurand.com! We proudly serve Durand, as well as the surrounding communities of Owosso, Flint, Genesse Charter Township, Swartz Creek, and others.

Follow us: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Instagram

Safe Driving Tips for Michigan Deer Season

DURAND, Mich. –– By October, bucks will come into rut, as well as camouflage and pickups with antler decals, and deer mating season will be in full swing through December. It won’t be abnormal to see deer frequently traipsing through your backyard, often a whimsical sight for Michiganders. But leave your suburban enclave and those sightings can quickly become less quaint, as an increased probability of car-deer collisions also correlates with this time of year.

Reduce your likelihood of going bumper-to-antlers with a deer by following these safe driving tips for Michigan deer season:

• Stay attentive of deer activity while driving at night or in the early morning. With a high number of light-detecting cells in their eyes, deer see extremely well at night. Nocturnal vision enables them to stay active in darker hours and creates a peak time for one to jump in front of your vehicle.

• Use your vehicle's high beams when you’re driving on dark, unlit roads or going around bends at night. It’s critical you spot a deer far enough ahead of time in order to substantially reduce your speed and avoid a collision. A broader and farther reaching scope of light will provide you the extra second or two you need to slow down or stop.

• If you see a deer crossing the road ahead of your vehicle and it reaches the other side, don’t assume you’re in the clear and continue driving at your current speed. Deer commonly travel in groups, which means more could be preparing to cross. Slow down and watch for more deer, and don’t increase your speed until you’ve passed the crossing area.

• If a deer jumps in front of your car, brake firmly, keep your hands on the steering wheel, and continue forward without swerving. Hitting a deer is safer than veering into oncoming traffic, striking a tree, or rolling in a ditch –– all common consequences of swerving to miss a deer.

• It’s a myth that you should maintain or increase your speed if a deer jumps in front of your vehicle. True, braking causes your front bumper to dip, but at least you’ll hit the deer at a lower speed. A higher rate of speed won’t diminish the severity of the collision, but instead will cause the deer to absorb and deliver a greater force of impact.

• As a caveat, braking could be dangerous if another driver is tailgating you. In that instance, slamming on the brakes could put you in an even more precarious situation. Stay aware of your surroundings in order to summon good judgement for the context of the circumstance.

• Fate plays by its own rules, and this fall season you might end up as the unlucky driver a deer ambles into the path of. If so, you should pull over, calm down, and notify local authorities of the collision. Wait for an officer to come to the scene unless you’re told otherwise. Don’t approach the deer to see if it’s alive or to move it off the road. The animal could still be alive and mobile, and your presence could startle it, placing you and other drivers in further danger.

At our New Lothrup area used car dealer, our team of auto service technicians and sales professionals are big fans of the outdoors that we’re privileged to experience in Mid-Michigan. Follow our safe driving tips for Michigan deer season to truly enjoy autumn and all of its transitions with us – and without the roadkill.

However, if you do find yourself with a crumpled front end after an accident with a 10-point buck, we can help you make your vehicle look as good as new. Enter our Busted Bumper Buck Pole contest and get the car-deer collision repair you need, plus be entered to win $1,000 if your vehicle is voted the most damaged.

Located at 9009 East Lansing Road Durand, MI 48429, Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand is revolutionizing the car buying experience. We provide all the transparency and customer service you need, while simultaneously making your purchase experience fun! Learn more about Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand, or for any questions contact us at (989) 288-2657 or visit our website at www.GraffChevyDurand.com!

Follow us: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Instagram

New Malibu Promotes Safe Driving Habits for Teens

DURAND, Mich. - They know when you're sleeping, they know when you're awake. They also know if you've been bad or good, so listen up for goodness sake! As millions of moms and dads prepare to hand the keys over to their teenagers, the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will be right behind them with a new system to help enforce safe driving habits. 

The new Malibu promotes safe driving habits for teenagers with the debut of a new system called "Teen Driver", which provides parents with a tool to encourage good habits for their kids regardless if they are in the car with them or not. Teen Driver is the first of its kind in the industry that actually allows parents to see how their teen drove the vehicle. From the maximum speed reached to the distance driven, parents will have a visual confirmation that their child was responsible out on the road. This system is meant to be a useful tool for parents, creating the opportunity for them to discuss and reinforce safe driving choices.

Teen Drive supports smart driving habits by muting the audio when front seat occupants aren't wearing their seat belts and also gives audible and visual warnings when the vehicle is going faster than posted speeds. The new Malibu promotes safe driving habits for teens by keeping track of the stability control events, antilock brake events, Forward Collision Alerts (optional), Forward Collision Braking events (optional), and the number of over-speed warnings issued. If the vehicle is equipped with the active safety features like Forward Collision Alert, parents can choose a maximum speed between 40-75 mph and, if it is exceeded, will activate a visual warning and audible chime. 

In order for parents to use Teen Driver, they will create a PIN in the Settings menu of the MyLink system. This will allow them to register their teen's key fob. This is a non-subscription-based service and will come as a standard on the Premier trim. The all-new 2016 Chevy Malibu will make its debut at the New York Auto Show in April and is anticipated to go on sale at the end of 2015. 

If you're in the Durand Area searching for New Chevy Cars for your teen driver, stop by Graff Chevrolet in Durand! We have dozens of safe and stylish options that both of you will love. Located at 9009 East Lansing Road Durand, MI 48429, Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand is revolutionizing the car buying experience. We provide all the transparency and customer service you need, while simultaneously making your purchase experience fun! Learn more about Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand, or for any questions contact us at (989) 288-2657 or visit our website at www.GraffChevyDurand.com!

Follow us: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Instagram

Help Durand High School Win "Celebrate My Drive"!

DURAND, Mich - Okay so, how about the bad news first? Did you know that teens die more from car crashes than any other cause? The first year of driving tends to be the most dangerous, which is why we are here to bring you the good news: Together we can DO something about it!

Celebrate My Drive celebrates this a new life of freedom that comes with a driver's license. A new life which includes making smart choices when behind the wheel and spreading the message of 2N2 - 2 eyes on the road, 2 hands on the wheel. One simple habit can reduce the number of distracted drivers out on the road.

So where is our role in all of this? Well, we can join in on the celebration and help Durand High School Win "Celebrate My Drive" starting on Wednesday, October 15th thru the 24th! Each day we can make a safe driving commitment at www.celebratemydrive.com, which will count as 1 vote towards Durand High School! Your vote will get Durand High School one step closers to receiving up to $100,000 in grants AND  a special concert from The Band Perry!

Last year, over six million safe driving commitments were made in North America! Let's be apart of this amazing celebration and help Durand High School Win "Celebrate My Drive"! Visit www.celebratemydrive.com every day starting Wednesday, October 15th thru the 24th and make a safe driving commitment!

Located at 9009 East Lansing Road Durand, MI 48429, Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand is revolutionizing the car buying experience. We provide all the transparency and customer service you need, while simultaneously making your purchase experience fun! Learn more about Hank Graff Chevrolet Durand, or for any questions contact us at (989) 288-2657 or visit our website at www.GraffChevyDurand.com!

Follow us: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Instagram