Texting While Driving: Is It Really Worth It?

  One of the greatest technological innovations that has evolved is the cell phone.  When first released, they were huge bricks with large antennas; fast forward to present day and they can fit in the palm of your hand.   In the past, being able to place a call from anywhere other than a landline was the ultimate convenience.  Today, people conduct their daily lives from their cell phones, from online banking, to booking trips and keeping up to the second with world news, cell phones and their convenience have become seemingly irreplaceable. 

 

While a cell phone can be a saviour, put in the wrong hands, it can also be as dangerous as a loaded gun.  Texting while driving has claimed too many lives and sadly, even with new legislation, fines and penalties put in place by provincial governments, the number is not shrinking, but growing.  If this seems to be a little bit of a stretch to you, take a look at the statistics:

 

- Canadians send ten million text messages per hour.

 

 

-Text messaging while driving makes a crash 23 times more likely.

 

- Texting drivers' reaction times deteriorate by 35%

 

 

- 82% of teenagers aged 16-17 now own cellphones, and are considered the most at-risk

demographic for texting behind the wheel.

 

-When talking on a mobile phone, drivers are shown to be 18 percent slower to react to brake lights.

 

-Drivers are more cautious while conversing; however, they take 17 percent longer to return to regular speeds after breaking, which, understandably, frustrates following traffic

 

-Drivers talking on mobile phones are responsible for 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries annually.

 

 

-In Canada, 6 people die every day in road crashes with more than 218,000 injuries and  2,900 deaths just since January 1, 2011.

 

 

-One out of 4 car crashes is caused by distracted drivers using a cell phone.

 

 

-Texting while driving is equivalent to drinking 4 beers and then getting behind the wheel.

1 in 5 adult drivers admit to using a cell phone while driving.

 

 

-1 in 2 teens admit to texting or calling while behind the wheel of a car.

 

 

The next time your phone rings while driving, think before you reach for it.  Is that text message really worth your life?  Or worse, worth the life of an innocent stranger?  The Southbank Family is taking the pledge to be phone free while driving. 

Will you join us?

 

 



Debunking The Top Myths About The Car Business

Before you even cross the Southbank Dodge threshold, or any other dealership, you may have some preconceived notions of how a dealership works; while you may be right in some of your assumptions, for the most part, there is much more fiction out there than fact.  The car business has long been plagued with consumer's assumptions towards them and the product they are selling.  Today, we hope to put the top myths of the car business to rest, for good!

Myth #1: 

Profit margins for car dealers on new cars are huge.

Every customer goes into a dealership ready to negotiate.  This is still the case today but it has become a much simpler process. The margins on most cars for dealers are so small that manufacturers themselves are providing cashback incentives, incredibly low interest rates, and in some cases both to help your purchasing decision. Dealers are helping as well by offering vehicle accessories, dealership gift cards, or other incentives to help earn your business. Once you become out client, we would like it keep it that way!

Myth #2: 

Anything for a sale!

Although some dealerships still pay their salespeople a commission, many are turning toward salary scales instead. Either way, the focus for every franchised new car dealer, Southbank included, is on customer satisfaction and building long-term relationships.

Myth #3: 

Servicing your car is more expensive at a dealer.

The reason your dealer may charge more per hour is because their technicians can complete that job in significantly less time. If you took your vehicle elsewhere they may charge less per hour but I’d bet that your final bill will be the same, if not more than if you had gone to your franchised new car dealer. Add in the fact that your dealer is going to be around for a long time, their techs are always up to date on new vehicle technology, and the quality of service you get is top notch, and it’s always a no brainer for me when I get my vehicle serviced.

Myth #4

There is too much turnover in a dealership, I never see the same face twice.

While every employer experiences staffing changes, including dealerships, the myth that turnover is rampant in the car business could not be farther from the truth.  At Southbank, we have a large number of staff who have been loyal to us and our customers for five, ten, fifteen, twenty and yes, even thirty years.   

I hope that we have put some of the most common myths to rest and that you now know the difference between fact and myth!

Why My Car Is The Dodge Dart

 

 When Dodge unveiled the all new 2013 Dodge Dart, they resurrected a giant of the automotive industry.   The 2013 Dodge Dart is based off of the platform used in Alfa Romeo Giulietta and offers consumer's six different model choices and twelve different paint colours to choose from.  The Dart offers its drivers class leading technology and up to 4.8L / 100 KM.  The Dodge Dart far surpasses in appearance, options, fuel economy and in the overall driving experience and leaves the competition in the dust.

While facts and figures are great to read, it is much better to hear an individuals opinion of the Dodge Dart and this is what we have done for you, our blog readers.  Decio Menezes, the Internet Manager of Southbank chose to purchase a Dodge Dart as soon as they were first delivered to our lot.  He has never looked back since.  Below,  you will find an interview with Decio, describing why his car is the Dart. 

 

 

 

 

Valerie: Decio, what do you love most about the Dodge Dart?

 

Decio: Honestly, I love the drive, it is a really fun car to drive.  The 1.4 turbo engine meant I did not have to sacrifice my love of driving by purchasing the Dart, if anything, it made it better.

 

Valerie: How does the Dodge Dart accommodate your lifestyle?

 

Decio: The Dart is great for me.  I live in the suburbs, with my girlfriend and my dog.  I get 580 KM per tank in city driving, to me that is unheard of.  There is tons of storage space, I can easily fit all of my gym equipment and hockey bag in the trunk and the extra front seat storage compartments are a real nice bonus to have. 

 

Valerie: How do you think the Dodge Dart compares to its other competitors currently out in the market?

 

Decio: Frankly, there is no competition.  The design and options of the Dart are far superior to the Hyundai Elantra or Chevrolet Cruze.  The Dart is a classic, you can't compare a classic.

 

Valerie: What was the deciding factor in your decision to purchase the Dart?

 

Decio: I am a numbers guy, so it came down to the price.  I paid just over $22 000 for my Dart and when I compared what I was spending, to what I was getting, there was no doubt in my mind.  It makes sense.  Anyone would be crazy not to purchase the Dart.

 

Valerie: What would you like to tell consumers who are currently considering purchasing a Dodge Dart?

 

Decio: I would tell them to go for it and that they will not be disappointed.  I would suggest anyone who is interested to come and see me and to talk to me about the Dart.  I have not regretted my decision and will be a Dart driver for a long time coming.