Recent Alaska Shipping News

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When you should start winterizing your car
What you will need to do to winterize your car
Final word
 

When you should start winterizing your car

Snow is possible in Alaska in most places from October through the middle of the spring. That is why you should have your car completely winterized by the end of September. Considerable amounts of snow can fall from the middle of October on. However, rain can still occur earlier than that and freeze overnight on roads in certain instances. So, it would make sense to have your car winterized with trustworthy tires by then.

You should note that if you are considering the use of studded tires as a part of winterizing your car in Alaska, state law forbids using them prior to September 30th in the south and September 15th in the north. If you are pulled over with studded tires prior to these dates, you can get a hefty fine. We do recommend some kind of winter or studded tire in Alaska because they greatly improve traction on snow and ice.
 

What you will need to do to winterize your car

Winterizing your car will not be that difficult. It will cost some money, but you should be able to keep it to one or two hundred dollars. That is a small price in comparison to the possibility of totaling your unprepared vehicle in winter weather.

In order to winterize your car in Alaska you will need to start with your wipers and tires. There are special winter weather windshield wipers the same way there are special tires made for driving in winter conditions. In terms of winter tires, you will have a few choices. There are studded tires as we have already mentioned and there are studless tires as well. Overall, both are great solutions for snow and ice in Alaska. The difference is that you will have to change out the studs on the studded tires or remove them completely. We recommend “Studless ice and snow” tires if you can find them for these reasons.

You will also need to get your car serviced in order to have it completely winterized. This will include getting your brakes, battery, hoses, belts and overall engine health checked prior to October. If anything needs to be replaced soon, get it replaced as soon as you find out.
 

Final word

Getting your vehicle winterized in Alaska should be a priority before it starts snowing. You should have your car fully winterized in Alaska by the end of September or, at the very latest, the middle of October when heavier snow can start falling. Your car winterization checklist should include but not be limited to wipers, tires, brakes, belts, hoses, and battery.

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Maximizing seatbelt safety
Maximizing seatbelt comfort
Final word
 

Maximizing seatbelt safety

Wearing your seatbelt is second nature for many people but it should be second nature for all of us. Seatbelts greatly decrease injury and death in the case of car accidents. In fact, according to the CDC, seatbelts reduce the risk of death and serious injury by almost fifty percent. However, you must make sure that you are using your seatbelts properly in order to get the highest level of safety out of them.

First, you must make sure you have your seatbelt on prior to putting your vehicle into drive. You must also be sure that the buckle has been securely buckled so that the seatbelt will not come off as you start driving. Be sure you wear the lower portion of the belt over your hips and under your stomach. If you wear the lower belt over your stomach, you risk serious injury if you stop short or get into an accident. The upper portion of the seatbelt is to be worn over your shoulder not on your neck. If there are any issues with your seatbelt such as it is too loose or it is not buckling properly and you are unable to adjust it, bring your car into a service center to get the issue fixed.
 

Maximizing seatbelt comfort

Once you have ensured that your seatbelt can provide a maximum amount of safety, you will want to maximize your comfort while wearing it. This will start with your seat position. If your seat is too far forward, the belt will be too tight. Thus, you should move your seat back until it is still secure to your body yet comfortable. If regardless of your seat position your seatbelt is too tight, you might be able to adjust the amount of length the belt has by referring to your vehicle owner’s manual. If that does not work or you are unable to figure it out, you might need to purchase some sort of an extender of have a new seatbelt installed. Finally, you also have the option of purchasing and installing a seatbelt tension adjuster which will decrease the amount the seatbelt presses onto you.
 

Final word

Your seatbelt is a literal lifesaver. It is the difference between just damage to your car in an accident or serious injury and death. You have to make sure that in addition to always wearing your seatbelt that you are always wearing it properly. That means wearing it in the proper position and securely. You will also want to ensure that it is not causing you any discomfort as you drive. If it is, adjust it accordingly or buy a device such as an extender or tension adjuster to ease any discomfort.

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How to yield to an emergency vehicle
The penalty for not yielding
Final word
 

How to yield to an emergency vehicle

If you are driving and you see an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance or police car with their lights and or sirens on behind you, then you must yield to that vehicle. That essentially means get out of their way as long as it is safe for you to do so. You should do whatever you can to yield to your right side so the emergency vehicle can pass on the left, but if yielding left is all you can do, that is better than doing nothing.

Be sure if you are changing lanes and/or pulling over that you do so safely. Check your blind spot and mirrors before you do, make sure that you signal before you do and do so at a safe speed. Keep in mind, yielding to an emergency vehicle who has their lights or siren on is the law and there are penalties for failing to do so.
 

The penalty for not yielding

In Alaska, failure to yield to an authorized emergency vehicle is a serious offense. You will be fined two hundred and fifty dollars as well as get six points on your license. The point system in Alaska for traffic violations dictates that any driver who gets twelve points on their license in twelve months or eighteen points in twenty-four months will have their license suspended for up to a year.

For example, that means if you get a failure to yield to an authorized emergency vehicle ticket in January, and then you are caught driving over the speed limit by only ten miles per hour twice in the next eleven months, your license will be suspended.

You might question “What exactly counts as an emergency authorized emergency vehicle?” Well, in Alaska, the following vehicles are considered authorized emergency vehicles: all ambulances, all police vehicles, all fire trucks and vehicles, all corrections vehicles, all armed forces vehicles, all blood delivery vehicles, all hazardous materials and all sanitation patrol vehicles. In short, if you see flashing lights on a vehicle behind you then yield.
 

Final word

Yielding to an emergency vehicle in Alaska is important because you can slow a first responders’ response to an emergency. For example, you need to let an ambulance by because it might be EMTs responding to a heart attack victim. Regardless, when you do yield to an authorized emergency vehicle, you should always do so safely. If you do not yield to an authorized emergency vehicle in Alaska, the penalty will be steep with a two hundred and fifty dollar fine as well as six points added to your license.

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How tire pressure affects safety
What else does tire pressure affect?
Final word
 

How tire pressure affects safety

Having the correct amount of air in your tires (otherwise known as maintaining the right tire pressure) will put you at much lower risk of safety issues directly related to your tires occurring. This works both ways. So, it is dangerous to have both under or over inflated tires but for different reasons. It only takes a few minutes to add air to your tires or to let some out, but it can be what prevents you from getting into a serious accident.

The danger of underinflated tires is that when your tires do not have enough air (pressure) in them they lose their grip on the road as well as their overall stability. This means overall handling of your car will be more difficult and maneuvering will take more time. This includes when you are braking. This can obviously be disastrous if you need to brake quickly in an unexpected situation. Overinflated tires put you at risk of a “blowout” which is when your tire bursts and you consequentially lose complete control over that wheel until you come to a stop. If you are driving at moderate to high speeds and experience a blowout, the results can be deadly.
 

What else does tire pressure affect?

Beyond posing serious safety risks, improper tire inflation can adversely affect you in a few other ways as well. If your tires do not have enough air pressure, they can end up decreasing gas mileage which means you will have to fill up more often. In 2022 and beyond, this will be quite costly and quite the unnecessary expense.

Both over and under inflated tires can cause your tires to wear out faster which will mean you will need to replace them more frequently. Finally, you will risk more frequent flat tires with improper tire pressure because the ability of your tire to be penetrated by something is increased by less than or more than the correct pressure.
 

Final word

Always be sure that your tire pressure is in the proper PSI range as recommended by your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Improper tire pressure can pose several safety hazards such as decreased ability to handle your car, blowouts and more. Incorrectly inflated tires will also lead to other issues such as bad gas mileage for your car, increased tire wear and more frequent flat tires. This can all be easily avoided by keeping your tires at the right air pressure.

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When you can legally use your hazard lights
Safety advice for using your hazard lights
Final word
 

When you can legally use your hazard lights

Your vehicle’s hazard lights are quite important because in an emergency situation, they alert other drivers that something is going on and they should only drive near your vehicle with extreme caution. In Alaska, the use of your hazard lights is not permitted at all while your car is in motion. So, this means that you can only use your hazard lights legally in Alaska when you are parked. If you use your hazards to signify you are driving slower than normal for example, you might get pulled over and get a ticket for improper use of your hazards.

This can still be extremely useful. There are times where you might need to pull over due to inclement weather conditions such as a blizzard. If this is the case, you should pull over as far as you can and put your hazards on as you wait it out. The same goes for if you get a flat tire or are having engine issues. Anytime that you need to pull over in Alaska, you should use your hazard lights because visibility for other drivers is not always the best.
 

Safety advice for using your hazard lights

We already mentioned that, in Alaska, it is illegal to use your hazard lights when you are driving. However, there are a few situations when using your hazards while driving is generally accepted. One of these situations is if you are experiencing a medical emergency such as chest pains and are unable to pull over right away. Another is if you are a part of a funeral procession.

You should never use your cars “blinkers” for something unnecessary such as when you are transporting large cargo and need to drive under the speed limit. You should also never use you blinkers to temporarily park illegally in a loading zone, handicapped spot or anywhere else. Doing any of these can easily lead to a ticket.
 

Final word

You should only use your car’s hazard lights or “blinkers” when it is completely necessary to do so. If you ever need to pull over in Alaska, you should definitely use your hazards because inclement weather conditions can really lower visibility for other drivers on the road. Finally, in Alaska, it is illegal to use your hazards when driving although there are situations where you might need to such as if you are part of a funeral procession. Do not use your hazards as an excuse to something illegal such as park illegally.

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The dangers of using your cell phone while driving
Safe and legal alternatives
Final word
 

The dangers of using your cell phone while driving

Using your cell phone to browse the internet or text while you drive is equivalent to shutting your eyes for the same amount of time while you drive. So, if you take ten seconds to read a text, you are driving completely blind for those ten seconds. So much can happen in just one second such as the person in front of you stopping short or a child running out into the street. In short, you are risking an absolute disaster when you use your cell phone while you drive.

One of the main reasons drunk driving is so dangerous is the way that it slows your reaction time. When you use your phone as you drive, your reaction time becomes completely non-existent for the time that you are using it. So, in those moments that your eyes are off the road, your driving could be considered less responsible and safe than a drunk driver.

The official numbers are quite alarming as you might expect. In the United States alone, there were just under ten people killed per day in distracted driving crashes in 2019 for a total of 3,142 deaths that year. In Alaska, you have regular hazards such as snowy and icy roads, frequent animal crossings, poorly lit roads and more. Using your cell phone as you drive while you are here or anywhere else for that matter is an extremely selfish and bad idea.
 

Safe and legal alternatives

Thankfully your options are numerous in terms of the alternatives to using your phone while you drive. The first and most obvious is that you can always pull over somewhere and then you can use your phone in any way that you want and for as long as you please.

You can also choose to enable dictation through your vehicle as long as that comes as an option with the car. For many vehicles made in the last few years, it will be. You will just need to pair your phone with your car and its smart features. It will then allow you to use voice commands in order to have it read texts you receive aloud through your speakers as well as to use your voice to compose texts.

You will also be able to do this through your phone by enabling its assistant feature such as Siri. If you do plan on using your phone hands-free while you drive, you should consider getting a vent mount for your phone which will allow you to always have your phone out and within earshot without having to touch it.
 

Final word

With the exception of hands-free cell phone use, using your phone while you drive is dangerous, selfish and flat out stupid. It is equivalent to momentarily driving blind which puts your chance of reacting to other vehicles, pedestrians or other hazards at zero for the time your eyes are off of the road. Always pull over in order to use your phone or set you phone up so that you can use it completely hands free as you do drive.

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Pick a port
What else to know about Alaska vehicle shipping
Conclusion
 

Pick a port

When you ship your car outside of the continental United States, you will have to pick it up at a port. This includes Alaska because your car will be transported on a ship to Alaska after it reaches the west coast rather than being driven through Canada. Driving through Canada would require crossing the US/Canada border twice and that could cause big delays in overall transit time.

Fortunately, when you ship your car with Alaska Car Transport, you will have several options in terms of the port that you can choose to pick your car up from. You can choose to have your car delivered at the ports at Anchorage, Fairbanks, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, Craig, Kake, Hoonah, Haines, Skagway, Yakutat, Cordova, Thorne Bay, and Valdez. Before you go to get your car at the port, call the port to check the times that they are open. Some ports may be closed for an hour for lunch, and some may require an appointment.
 

What else to know about Alaska vehicle shipping

Other than the fact that you have to pick your car up at the port when you are shipping a car to Alaska, there is not much difference from any other car shipment. You will still need to prepare for the shipment as you typically would by getting the exterior of the car washed and removing any valuables/personal items. You or someone you know would also need to be present for both the pickup and delivery of the vehicle. The price of your shipment will always vary based upon factors such as the distance of the shipment, the time of the year that you choose to ship and fuel cost at the time of the shipment.

However, there are a few additional things that could possibly be different. Your transit time will likely be a day to three days longer than typical shipments due to the transition from ground to sea transit. Also, shipping availability could be more scarce based on inclement weather events in Alaska over the winter. So, be sure you book your shipment as far in advanced as possible.
 

Conclusion

When you ship a car to Alaska, regardless of where you are shipping it from, your vehicle will need to be dropped off at the port. The upside is that you have twenty choices in terms of ports for your car delivery. That includes Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and many more. Your vehicle transport will be pretty similar to typical car shipments other than your car being dropped off at the port and the possibility of a slightly longer transit time due to the ground to sea transfer.

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Getting over to the right lane
Using the off-ramp
Wrapping up
 

Getting over to the right lane

Getting off of a highway in Alaska might seem simple enough but if it is not done correctly, you can easily get into an accident or get a ticket. When you know that you will need to get off of a highway and are within a mile or two of your exit you should get over into the furthest right lane as soon as possible. Never cut across traffic or lanes at the last minute in order to reach your exit. Doing so is extremely dangerous and can land you with a hefty fine.

In order to do this safely and legally you must put your right turn signal on for a few moments prior to merging into the next lane. Before you merge, turn your head over you right shoulder and quickly check your blind spot for any vehicles that you will not be able to see with your mirrors. Once the coast is clear and you have properly signaled, merge into the lane directly to the right of you. Continue this process until you are in the furthest right lane.
 

Using the off-ramp

Once you come to your exit, you will need to use an “off-ramp” in order to arrive at the next road or highway. With off-ramps, the purpose is to slow down in order to meet the speed of traffic on the upcoming road. So, you will likely need to slow down ten or more miles per hour. There should be posted speed limits for the off-ramp prior to entering it as well as along it. At the end off the off-ramp there will almost always be a stop sign or traffic light so make sure that you make the appropriate and legal stop if necessary.
 

Wrapping up

Off-ramps are extremely useful and important because they act as an intermediary between a highway and road where traffic speeds are considerably different. This directly decreases danger and increases safety for everyone. Be sure to change lanes legally by signaling correctly and to check your blind sport before you do. Always be sure to obey all posted speed limits on off-ramps and on all roads and highways. If you need a car shipped to Alaska, Alaska Car Transport can easily get the job done. Just give us a call today at (907) 331-3100!

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Driving with glasses
Tips for getting the most out of your-glasses as you drive
Final word
 

Driving with glasses

If you do not wear glasses and go to the DMV for your license renewal, you could be blindsided if you have trouble with the eye test. You might then be legally required to wear corrective glasses while you drive. If that is the case, you will then need to see the eye doctor who will make the determination of whether you need glasses for driving.

Most people who need glasses for driving will only need them for driving at night. This is because, in general, the lower amount of light at night will put more strain on your eyes. When you already have issues with your eyes, this strain can prevent you from being able to momentarily see an obstacle. The reflection from lights off of other vehicles and the road can also cause eye issues to become problematic while driving at night. Some people may even feel they need glasses while driving during the day so they can read signs much more easily and/or if they have issues regarding vision and distance.
 

Tips for getting the most out of your-glasses as you drive

If you are someone who wears glasses when they drive, there are a few easy things that you can do in order to get the most out of your glasses and vision. First, you should avoid any sort of thick frames if you are getting new glasses for driving. Thick frames can partially block your peripheral view which is not ideal for driving.

You should also avoid any glasses that have tinted lenses if you are driving at night. The tint in the lens will lower visibility which will partially defeat the purpose of using the glasses in the first place. Also, if glare or the reflection of lights and/or headlights gives you any trouble, you should talk to your optometrist about the possibility of getting an anti-reflective lens coating which will go a long way to combating this issue by letting more light pass through your lenses thus cutting down on the glare.
 

Final word

Having to use glasses for driving is no big deal. It is estimated that more than 6 out of every ten people needs glasses for something like reading or driving. However, it is a big deal that you always wear them when you need to while driving. If you do not, it could easily be the reason you get into an accident. If you get into an accident without your corrective lenses on, your insurance will likely increase as a result.

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Precautions to take before changing lanes
What to do as you change lanes
Final word
 

Precautions to take before changing lanes

In order to safely and properly change lanes when you are driving in Alaska, the process must begin before you even start changing lanes in the first place. Prior changing lanes, you must turn on your signal. This comes first because it is critically important to alert other drivers before you do anything. You also must make sure that you give other drivers more than enough time to react to your signal. So, putting your signal on first then completing the next steps before you change lanes will give other drivers those few moments of notice they need.

Once your signal is on you should check for other cars in your mirrors. This might seem extremely obvious, but many people forget to do it. However, it is not the last thing you need to do before you start changing lanes. The last thing you need to do before you actually start changing lanes is to check your blind spot on the correlating side of your car. Doing so will allow you to be absolutely certain it is safe to change lanes.
 

What to do as you change lanes

The most important thing you must do as you are changing lanes is to stay alert. If you hear a car horn a you are changing lanes you should take notice and react. More often than not this means you missed a car in your blind spot, and you must retreat into your original lane (as long as that is still safe). You also should keep your head facing forward but intermittent attention on your rearview and sideview mirrors to check for any aggressive drivers coming up behind you. Finally, until you are completely and safely in your new lane, do not shut off your blinker.
 

Final word

Changing lanes will not be a dangerous task as long as you take all of the steps necessary to ensure you do it safely. Signal before you start changing lanes, check your mirrors, check your blind spot and always stay alert. Try not to change lanes too frequently in a short period, especially in an attempt to simply arrive somewhere faster. If you need a vehicle of any kind transported to or from Alaska at anytime during the year, you can always get an instant quote by picking up the phone and calling us at (907) 331-3100.