Recent Puerto Rico Shipping News

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Checking your blind spot
The danger of your blind spot
Wrapping up
 

Checking your blind spot

Anytime that you are out driving in Puerto Rico, and you are turning, entering a highway via on-ramp or changing lanes, you must always check your blind spot first. Doing so will ensure that you do not get into an accident with a vehicle that is not visible to you in your mirrors due to it being in your blind spot. Your “blind spot” is the area to either side of your car where another car can be where it will not be visible in either your rearview or sideview mirrors. This area is to the side of your car but also slightly behind your car.

In order to check your blind spot, you should check all of your mirrors first. After that, you can easily check your blind spot by turning your head over the should of the direction that you are merging towards quickly to see if there are any cars in close proximity but simultaneously out of view of your mirror. If you are checking your blind spot to your right, you should do a quick check of the “5 O’clock” position. If you are checking your blind spot to your left, you should do a quick check of the “7 O’clock” position.
 

The danger of your blind spot

If you fail to check your blind spot prior to merging onto a highway or into another lane, it has the potential to be absolutely disastrous. You can end up moving over right into another vehicle. If you do so quickly enough major damage, injury and even fatality can be the result.

This is because the uneven and offset alignment of the two vehicles could cause one or both of the cars to lose control and or “fishtail” if they collide. This can lead to one or both vehicles flipping over and/or colliding with additional vehicles. Be sure that you always check your blind spot before merging in order to avoid this at all costs.
 

Wrapping up

Checking your blind spot prior to merging into another lane or onto a highway from an on-ramp is critically important to your safety and the safety of all other drivers that are around you. Even if you thoroughly check both your rearview and sideview mirrors, a car that is in your blind spot will not be visible. That is why you must quickly turn your head over your shoulder in the direction that you are merging and check your blind spot prior to merging. If you need any type of vehicle shipped to Puerto Rico or from Puerto Rico, give us a call anytime at (904) 322-7644 with any questions or for a free quote!

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What engine coolant does
How to keep an eye on your coolant
Wrapping up
 

What engine coolant does

Engine coolant, otherwise known as anti-freeze, is the fluid that gets pumped though all areas of your engine during extreme cold and hot temperatures while your car is running in order to maintain a proper operating temperature for your engine. Engine coolant also helps prevent corrosion in your engine.

If you were to operate your vehicle without anti-freeze or without the right amount, your engine components could overheat or freeze (depending on the outside temperature) and this would prevent them from working. In certain cases, the damage that occurs can be so severe that you might need to replace these parts which could prove extremely costly. Why spend hundreds on repairs and parts when a bottle of coolant would only have cost you about ten dollars and a few minutes of your time in the first place?
 

How to keep an eye on your coolant

Checking that you have enough engine coolant in your vehicle is quite easy. You will just need to open the hood of your car and then locate your radiator. Once you do, you should see a clear plastic container. You will be able to see the coolant level through the clear plastic. If it is low, you should obviously add more coolant. Before you do, check out the remaining coolant. If it is clear or rust colored or has noticeable particles in it, take your car to your mechanic and tell them.

To add more coolant, you can take off the cap, add the coolant to the maximum fill line and then securely put the cap back on. Be sure that you are using the correct coolant before you do add any more. You can find this information in your owner’s manual, or you can simply ask your mechanic the next time that you see them.
 

Wrapping up

Your engine coolant is extremely important to the overall health and longevity of your vehicle’s engine and its parts. It regulates the temperature of the engine during more extreme external weather temperatures so that engine components do not freeze, overheat and/or corrode. You should be sure to check your engine coolant level at least once each month. If you notice discoloration of the remaining coolant, take your car into the mechanic. If all is well and the level is low, fill your coolant reservoir to the max fill line with the correct type of coolant.

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The increased risk of an accident when speeding
Speed limits in Puerto Rico
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The increased risk of an accident when speeding

Speeding is incredibly dangerous, and it is unfortunately a common issue in Puerto Rico. When you drive over the speed limit, you are at a considerably higher risk of getting into an accident because you will have less time to react, and it will simultaneously take you more time to come to a complete stop or slow down. It is no wonder why speeding is responsible for so many accidents and against the law.

The numbers about speeding do not lie. More people died in speeding related crashes in Puerto Rico in 2019 than any other traffic related cause. That includes deaths caused by drunk driving or by not wearing a seat belt. Speeding also accounted for nearly a third of all traffic related fatalities that year. In 2019, there were almost twenty-five thousand speeding tickets issued in Puerto Rico and that is with the infamous lenient traffic enforcement in Puerto Rico.

In fact, the lenient traffic enforcement can possibly be seen as contributing to the continued prevalence of speeding in Puerto Rico. In a survey, forty nine percent of people said it was “highly unlikely” that they would get a ticket if speeding in Puerto Rico whereas only thirty seven percent had ever even heard of anyone even getting a speeding ticket in Puerto Rico.
 

Speed limits in Puerto Rico

Obviously, you should always obey the speed limit no matter where you are driving However, that is especially true in Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, the speed limits are typically twenty-five miles per hour on city streets, forty-five miles per hour on country roads and sixty-five miles per hour on the highways. Watch out for school zones as the speed limit will only be fifteen miles per hour on school days while school is in session.

As we mentioned above, police in Puerto Rico are not very strict in terms of enforcing the speed limits. This means you will likely have a ten to fifteen mile per hour buffer. So, in the city roads like San Juan, you may be able to drive forty miles per hour without being ticketed, even if the police see you driving that fast. However, that is not guaranteed and, much more importantly, puts you and the cars around you at a great risk of getting into an accident. For example, the distance you need to brake when you are driving a hundred miles per hour versus only seventy is doubled.
 

Wrapping up

Speeding is incredibly irresponsible and puts you, your passengers, your car and anyone else on the road at risk of being involved in a serious accident. Speeding causes a lot of fatalities each and every year. In Puerto Rico, speeding happens more frequently and with more impunity with most places because police do not enforce speed limits as strictly as they do in other places such as the US. Always obey the speed limit in Puerto Rico, no matter where you are driving.

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Why driving defensively is important in Puerto Rico
The other advantages of defensive driving
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Why driving defensively is important in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is unfortunately notorious for some of the more aggressive drivers around as well as some of the more lenient traffic law enforcement by police. This increases the danger out on the road particularly in places like San Juan where there is much more traffic. Unfortunately, this means you will not always be able to avoid an accident no matter how safely you drive or how focused you are when driving. However, you can greatly decrease the chances of an accident by taking a defensive driving course.

To put this into perspective, Puerto Rico averages about two hundred thousand cars accidents a year. New York City has a very similar average. However, Puerto Rico only has about three million registered drivers whereas New York city has almost four and a half million registered drivers. This means that accidents in Puerto Rico are about thirty percent more frequent per capita than they are in New York city. Now, when you look at defensive driving, you can help bring these odds down, at least for yourself. Overall, drivers who take a defensive driving course are generally about fifty percent less likely to die in a car accident.
 

The other advantages of defensive driving

The primary advantages of defensive driving will always be both increased safety for you and your passengers as well as a lower chance of being involved in an accident. However, you will also receive the benefit of a lower car insurance rate as well as reducing existing points on your license.

As far as the price reduction on your auto insurance premiums, you will likely receive a ten percent reduction for completing a defensive driving course in Puerto Rico. This will save you hundreds of dollars per year. In terms of existing points of your license, typically, taking a defensive driving course can knock one or two points off. This will give you some breathing room in case you ever receive another moving violation in the future and are worried about a potential license suspension.
 

Wrapping up

Taking a defensive driving course in Puerto Rico will have several distinct advantages. These will include increased safety on the road, better peace of mind when driving, lower car insurance premiums and a possible point reduction on your license. However, the increased safety is easily the most valuable benefit. This is especially true in Puerto Rico where driving can be particularly dangerous at times. If you need a vehicle transported to or from Puerto Rico, give our car shipping experts a call at anytime for a free quote at (904) 322-7644.

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What kind of traffic can you expect in Puerto Rico? Where can you expect it?
Rush hour in Puerto Rico
Tips to avoid traffic in Puerto Rico
Conclusion
 

What kind of traffic can you expect in Puerto Rico? Where can you expect it?

The traffic in Puerto Rico is pretty typical as far as the congestion aspect. The roads are busiest, and most filled during the typical rush hour times. The traffic, as one might also expect, is also at its worst near the most densely populated areas such as San Juan, Bayamón and Carolina.

So, the amount, times and areas for traffic are pretty easily predictable in Puerto Rico. However, the way that traffic operates is quite different than anywhere in the United States. The traffic is much more aggressive here and the rules are enforced much less.

For example, you will see people speeding more frequently. You will also see people routinely drive right through stop signs and red lights. For the most part, the police do not seem to care about these sorts of infractions, so always drive with caution when you are on the road in Puerto Rico.
 

Rush hour in Puerto Rico

Rush hour in Puerto Rico is pretty typical as we have explained with the exception of some of the crazy driving that goes on. Typically, rush hour in Puerto Rico generally lasts from 8 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 6 PM. Remember, people can drive pretty erratically in Puerto Rico, especially during rush hour, so be sure that you drive safely.
 

Tips to avoid traffic in Puerto Rico

• Leave early or late – Try your best to avoid travelling during the rush hour times in the morning and evening. If you can travel to where you are going before or after those times, you will save a considerable amount of time.
• Use an app – When you are driving in Puerto Rico, you can use an app such as Waze to help you avoid any areas with really bad traffic. An app like this has up to date crowd-sourced information and reports from other drivers, so it is the most accurate traffic information that you can get.
• Keep an eye on the traffic and weather – Leading up to the time that you depart for your drive, you should check any traffic and weather reports that you have access to fairly frequently. These will let you know about any major events that could have a considerable effect on your drive time.
• Try to use a bike or motorbike – If you are not going that far, possibly just a few miles. We suggest riding a bike or a scooter. You will have more opportunities to get through and around traffic this way.

Conclusion

Traffic in Puerto Rico can seem worse than it is because of the crazy ways that people sometimes choose to drive. The amount of rush hour traffic is actually pretty typical when compared to most cities in the United States. If you travel between 10 AM and 4 PM, you should not have many issues with traffic beyond delays that are due to accidents or construction work.

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How to use less gas when you are driving
How to drive less
Wrapping up
 

How to use less gas when you are driving

Current gas prices in Puerto Rico are about a dollar and ten cents per liter ($4.15 a gallon) as of March 15, 2022. As gas prices inevitably continue to rise, you will want to conserve your fuel as much as you possibly can. Thankfully, there are several efficient and easy ways to do so.

The first way to conserve gas while you drive is to do your best to maintain a consistent speed as much as you can. When your speed lowers and increases more often, your engine has to work harder and will need to use more fuel. When you can, use cruise control. Another way to avoid burning up unnecessary amounts of fuel when you drive is to accelerate slowly rather than pressing the pedal into the floor. Again, big changes in speed in just a few moments over-works your engine which eats more gas.

Try to avoid braking when possible because doing so wastes forward motion that you already spent fuel on to achieve. Thus, you should coast to slow down when possible. Finally, try to avoid sitting in traffic if possible. Sitting in traffic with your car running is an obvious waste of gas. Do your best to drive only during less busy times of the day.
 

How to drive less

The most efficient way to save your fuel is to drive less frequently. This obviously is not always possible, but it is something to consider and make your best effort with. With high volumes of traffic at times in areas like San Juan, this can even save you some time in certain situations in addition to saving you money.

The best and most obvious way to accomplish this is to walk and or ride a bike when possible. In areas like San Juan, this will be much easier as everything is much closer together. For longer distances, this likely will not be a possibility. You can also consider taking the bus or, in San Juan, you can take El Tren Urbano which is Puerto Rico’s equivalent to the subway. These options will only cost a couple of bucks and will be considerably cheaper than driving with the current fuel prices.
 

Wrapping up

Gas is quite expensive these days and all signs point to it getting even more expensive. As a result, you will want to avoid wasting as much fuel as possible. You can do so by avoiding excessive and unnecessary acceleration when possible, avoiding traffic as much as you can and by using alternative methods of transportation such as walking or taking the bus if possible.

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The risk of being hit by another vehicle
Legal trouble
Wrapping up
 

The risk of being hit by another vehicle

Double parking anywhere is never a good idea. This is particularly true in Puerto Rico where traffic can be dense, aggressive and very unpredictable. When you double park, you increase your odds of being hit by another vehicle tremendously. Even if you just double park for five minutes, it is a completely unnecessary risk that you should never take.

The most obvious danger when you double park is that an approaching driver might not see you and can easily rear-end your vehicle. However, when you double park you can also cause traffic to spill over into adjacent oncoming lanes which can easily lead to a head-on collision. It can also cause traffic to move onto sidewalks or other pedestrian areas which can lead to serious injury for pedestrians or cyclists.
 

Legal trouble

On top of the potential risk of causing an accident, you are also greatly impeding traffic when you double park in Puerto Rico. This is obviously very selfish, but it is also illegal. Even though police enforcement of traffic laws is a bit more lax in Puerto Rico, you still might get a ticket with a hefty fine.

In Puerto Rico, if you are caught double-parking which will likely be seen and written up as impeding traffic, you will likely face a face of a hundred or more dollars. In addition, your insurance rates can also be increased depending on if you have any previous moving violations on your driving record. The increase to your insurance can end up costing you a few hundred dollars a year for multiple years, depending on your coverage.

Possibly worst of all, when you are rear-ended when double parked, the typical insurance liability that falls on the driver who hit you from behind, does not apply. So, not only will their insurance not cover your vehicle’s damages, but you might also have to cover their car’s damages.
 

Wrapping up

Double parking is always a selfish and flat-out dumb thing to do, even when it is just for a few minutes. In Puerto Rico, it is even worse due to the high volume of traffic as well as the more haphazard way many people tend to drive. When you double park you are at a much higher risk of getting hit by another car and/or causing an accident. You also might get a costly ticket for impeding traffic which can cause your car insurance rates to increase as well for quite a while.

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Dealing with your mechanic
Prevention
Conclusion
 

Dealing with your mechanic

A large part of saving money on your car’s repair costs will be to find a good mechanic who is trustworthy. The two primary ways to start that process will be to use word of mouth from friends and family and/or to use online reviews on sites like Google and Yelp. If you choose to go only by word of mouth and the person that referred you to a specific mechanic has a long-standing relationship with that mechanic, be sure to mention your relationship to that mechanic when you take your car in.

If you use online reviews, there will be a few things that you should look for. Do not just go by their overall rating, although their rating should be at least a three out of five. Instead, read specific reviews to see if the work that you might also be getting is mentioned in a few reviews. Also, be sure that pricing has been mentioned as fair and that there is no mention of price gouging or up-selling.

Finally, if you are already dealing with a mechanic, watch out for some warning signs that you might be paying too much. First, if you are routinely waiting over a day for more minor repairs, this might be because they are spending too much time looking for other problems that they can charge you for. Also, if they often “upsell” you on additional service, they might be overly concerned with the money they can charge you rather than the quality of service that they are providing.
 

Prevention

The best way to save money on car repairs is by preventing the need for them in the first place. A good and honest mechanic will possibly help, but the real issues with your vehicle will need to be fixed no matter what happens. This will start with getting your car serviced regularly and never ignoring your check engine light or other warning lights on the dashboard. Waiting a bit longer to do something like getting your oil changed may not seem like a big deal but over time this can lead to bigger issues with your engine that will cost you much more in terms of the repairs.

This might seem obvious, but it warrants being mentioned for some drivers out there. Drive safely and cautiously. Some of the most expensive car repairs are due to easily preventable accidents. However, even if you drive aggressively without getting into an accident, this driving style will take its toll on your car as well as its parts and will cost you more money over time. For example, if you are constantly slamming on your breaks due to driving too fast, your brake pads will wear out much more quickly and you will need to get them replaced much more frequently.
 

Conclusion

More often than not, a car repair will cost what it costs, and you will need to pay in order to continue driving that vehicle safely and legally. However, taking your car to a good yet honest mechanic can help you save on the repair costs. Preventing the need for repairs by driving safely and cautiously will go even further in terms of saving you money on potential costly repairs for your vehicle.

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Giving a bike rider space
Other safety precautions near a bicyclist
Wrapping up
 

Giving a bike rider space

Bike riders have the same right to the road as motor vehicles do. This means that you must yield to them when it is necessary, and you must respect their safety the same way you would another driver. On top of that you have to realize that bicyclists are at a much higher risk of severe injury if they are in an accident or collision with a vehicle. If you hit a bike rider, you will be criminally liable as well as responsible for their medical expenses and you will likely also be sued and lose. It will be extremely costly for you overall.

Thus, making sure any bike riders near you on the road are not in danger due to your driving must be a top priority. The most crucial part of doing so will be to give them the proper space. Anytime you are driving near a bike rider, you must give them at least three feet of space if they are alongside of you. If they are in front of you, you must give them at least three car lengths (depending on your exact speed) of space to ensure complete safety.
 

Other safety precautions near a bicyclist

In addition to giving a cyclist the right amount of space to ensure their safety, there are several other precautions that you must take as well. The first is to reduce your speed a bit in order to allow you more reaction time in case you need to avoid a collision with them. You also must make sure that you only pass them safely while maintaining the three plus feet of space rule. Never drive in or too close to a bike lane. Finally, whenever you are parked and you open your door, always check your mirror and blind spot for an approaching bike rider first.
 

Wrapping up

The same way that you share the road with other drivers, you will legally and literally also share the road with bike riders. It is extremely important for the safety of the cyclists out there as well as for you in terms of avoiding legal and civil trouble, that you make bike rider’s safety extremely important when you are out driving in Puerto Rico. In order to ensure a bike rider’s safety who is riding in close proximity to you give them at least three feet of space when they are next to you, several car lengths if they are in front of you, never drive in a bike lane and always check for approaching cyclists before opening any of your car’s doors.

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What you need in case you get pulled over
What you need in case you get into an accident
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What you need in case you get pulled over

In general, there are three main documents you will need to keep in your car in case you are pulled over by the police. These documents are your license, registration, and proof of insurance. You should always keep your license on your person as it is your primary form of identification in the United States, and you might need to show it to someone in a situation when you are not driving such as to buy an age restricted product like alcohol for example.

However, you should always keep your registration and proof of insurance in your glove box for quick access in case you are pulled over. It is important to be able to access these documents quickly when you are pulled over because quickly presenting them to the officer can help expedite the time they need to spend at the traffic stop which can lead to them possibly giving you a break on any tickets.
 

What you need in case you get into an accident

On top of your insurance and registration documents, you should really consider keeping a few other things in your glove box. These things will help you in case you are in an accident and/or have car trouble. The first of these things is your car’s owner’s manual. This will provide you valuable information that you will need in case your car is not working as intended.

You should also keep a notepad, pen and camera in your glovebox. These things will be very important in case you are in an accident with another car as they will allow you to document the conditions of the vehicles right after the accident as well as any names, numbers and other important information you might need later. You also may want to consider keeping a phone charger and/or external phone battery to use in case your phone is low on charge when you are in an accident.
 

Wrapping up

Many people use their glove boxes to keep miscellaneous things such as napkins, gloves, CDs glasses etc. That is fine and you should have room for those things but there are much more important items that you should keep handy in your glove box of which you should ensure are always there. This includes your car’s owner’s manual, your registration, your proof of insurance and a camera. These things will allow you to avoid unnecessary tickets if you are pulled over as well as protect you from additional liability in case you are in a car accident.