Ross Downing Chevrolet Blog!

• 4 out of every 5 accidents (80%) are attributed to distracted drivers. In contrast, drunk drivers account for roughly 1 out of 3 (33%) of all accidents nationally.
• Texting while driving is about 6 times more likely to result in an accident than driving while intoxicated.
• People who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash.
• 61% of teens admit to driving distracted - using the cell phone or texting while driving
• Texting takes a driver's focus away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds--enough time...to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph.
• Talking on a cell phone while driving can make a young driver's reaction time as slow as that of a 70-year-old.

Graphic of reaction time to stop from Car & Driver

• Put the phone somewhere out of reach while driving and remove temptation by turning off the cell phone.
• Lead by example by not texting while driving. If kids see their parents doing it, they assume they have permission.
• Parking on the side of the road if a call or text is absolutely necessary. If on a major highway, get off at the next exit to ensure safety
• Add the Cell Cease app to your phone. This app prevents phone use while driving. The app is activated by the speed at which they are traveling. It blocks incoming and outgoing calls and text messages.
• Sign a pledge at Oprah's No Phone Zone. If you think you have the cell phone, texting and driving thing down...you do not. Sign our pledge to make your car a No Phone Zone and pass it on.
• Join a Facebook Group and spread the word of your support for this cause.

E-Marketing Manager Ross Downing Chevrolet Hammond, LA

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Due to this very green holiday we will talk about RED! By that I mean REDHEADS!

Many theories say that redheads will become extinct one day. Since I have a redhead myself I am a bit fascinated by the subject of redheads in general.

But we won't dive into the technial aspect. Let's just enjoy these fun facts!

1. Approximately 1% to 2% of the human population has red hair. Red hair is the rarest natural hair colour in humans.

2.In the United States, anywhere from two to six percent of the population is estimated to have red hair. This would give the U.S. the largest population of redheads in the world, at 6 to 18 million, compared to approximately 650,000 in Scotland and 420,000 in Ireland.

3. Scotland is the country with the highest content of red haired people which includes approximately 13% of their population.

4. Recessive means you have to have two copies of a certain version of a gene to show a trait. The gene that causes red hair is called MC1R (melanocortin 1 receptor). No matter what your hair color, everyone has this gene. There will still be carriers (people with only one copy of the red hair gene). But since they won't all live in the same place, the chances of two of them meeting and producing a redheaded child will be very low.

5. Redheads don't turn grey. Red hair turned sandy, then white. They are also found to loose their color later in life than people carrying other hair colors.

6. In France, to be redheaded is thought to be a very bad fate.

7. In Corsica, if you pass one in the street you spit and turn around.

8. In the late 16th century, the fat of a redheaded man was an essential ingredient for poison.

9. Bees are thought to sting redheads more than others.

10. In Poland, if you pass three red-heads you'll win the state lottery.

E-Marketing Manager Ross Downing Chevrolet Hammond, LA

Well, not exactly. But, you can manage the servicing of your car or truck through our Service Online Tool (SOL). You can access the SOL tool by going to RossDowning.com and clicking on “Book Your Service Appointment” under the Service tab at the top.

What is the SOL tool?
The Service Online tool allows you, the customer, to schedule a service appointment online 24/7, save the appointment to your Google or Outlook calendar, check the status of your vehicle being repaired, and save your vehicle(s) in a profile to track its progress while being serviced and for future appointment setting.

Getting Started
Getting started with the SOL tool is easy. You simply fill in a few form fields with your info, answer a few questions, select a date, time and service advisor - Voila! You will then receive a confirmation from your service advisor via email that your appointment is set!

Tracking Your Vehicle
Once you bring your vehicle in for the appointment you will be given either a Tag# or RO#. You will use this number to track your vehicle online as it moves through our service process. When you see that your vehicle is “Ready For Pickup” then just come on back and see us!

Benefits of a Profile
By saving your vehicle(s) in a profile you will not only be able to log in and track the progress of your vehicle while it is at our dealership being serviced, but you will also be able to log in at a future date and quickly schedule a service appointment by simply selecting which vehicle you wish to have serviced. Since we already have all the information on that vehicle you will have fewer questions to answer.

Here at Ross Downing Chevrolet we aim to make your experience doing business with us easier. We hope the Service Online Tool is just one way to achieve that goal. If you ever have any suggestions for us we would love to hear them!

E-Marketing Manager Ross Downing Chevrolet Hammond, LA

GM announced it is preparing to recall the Chevy Cobalt. If you are an owner you need to know what that means to you.

E-Marketing Manager Ross Downing Chevrolet Hammond, LA