CONSUMER AWARENESS NEWSLETTER November … November Newsletter-ENG.pdf · 2019. 11. 7. ·...

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Find the Hidden Hat & Win! There’s a hat hidden in this newsletter. The first reader to find it and text us what it says to 206-592-6007 wins 2 movie tickets! S i n c e 1 9 6 4 INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER www.sav-on.com 25 Years of Service to SAV-ON Shay Barnett has worked just about every position for a quarter century! 2 November 2019 CONSUMER AWARENESS NEWSLETTER This invisible danger lurks on some frozen roads! Beware of Black Ice 6 T he holiday season is filled with events and entertainment matter no what you like to do. We’ve listed some of the many events scheduled between Thanksgiving and New Year’s in and around Puget Sound. Some events are free, while others require reservations and/or admission.Please call or go online for details and pricing for each event you’re interested in. The Lights of Christmas Experience the magic of the holidays at The Lights of Christmas Festival in Stan- wood, just one hour north of Seattle. This event features more than one million lights in dazzling displays, live entertainment, chil- dren’s activities, and more! Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Dec. 5-8, 12-15, 18-23, 26- 29 Event Website Christmas Lighting Festival Visit the Christmas Lighting Festival in the picturesque Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth. Browse through the village’s quaint shops, savor German food, enjoy live outdoor entertainment, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, and then gather at dusk (on weekends) for the lighting ceremony. Dec 6 – Dec 22 Event Website Fun Things to See and Do This Holiday Season Protect Your Home From Holiday Burglaries Research suggests the highest percent- age of residential burglaries occur in the summer months. But, there is a dramatic spike during December due to the holidays. “85% of these burglaries are committed by non-professionals that are usually more desperate and dangerous,” says Officer D. Brown of the Columbus, Ohio police depart- ment. Most of these break-ins occur during the daytime hours. Homes without security systems are highly targeted. Criminals also look for privacy fencing and large shrubs that help conceal their activities. “Homeowners can take simple steps to help prevent a burglary,” Officer Brown said. “Install a security system, update the lock strike plate on doors, and install auto- matic interior lights. Dusk to dawn exterior lighting is great too.” 10 tips to help protect your home during the holidays 1. Install smart locks on your doors. Criminals often enter homes through a back LIke Us and Win! Like us on Facebook and win prizes in our upcoming contest. 5 Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 Shorter Daylight Hours Mean an Increased Risk for Pedestrians Recently we set our clocks back one hour, giving us an extra hour of daylight in the morn- ing, but making the early evening hours for pedestrians the most dangerous time of the year. With the end of Daylight Saving time there’s more darkness during the rush hour com- mute, when traffic is at a peak and many are making their way home from a long day of work. Drivers aren’t used to the decreased visibility – nor are pedestrians. People walking during the evening rush hour are nearly three times more likely to be killed by cars in the week following the time change, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon University. The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) has done studies that proved auto accidents increase after clocks are turned back one hour. Besides the lack of visibility, the NRSF found that commut- ing in the dark can also make driv- ers drowsier than usual. According to some health studies, changes in waking time coupled with the earlier onset of darkness throws off our internal clocks. Tips for Staying Safe • Whether you’re behind the wheel or on foot, obey traffic signs and signals. Pedestri- ans should cross only at crosswalks and only with the signal if the crosswalk has one. • Crosswalks exist at all corners, even if they’re not painted. Once a pedestrian has indicated an intent to cross (stepped into the crosswalk) you’re required to stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has passed the Leavenworth’s Christmas Lighting Festival. Continued on page 3

Transcript of CONSUMER AWARENESS NEWSLETTER November … November Newsletter-ENG.pdf · 2019. 11. 7. ·...

Page 1: CONSUMER AWARENESS NEWSLETTER November … November Newsletter-ENG.pdf · 2019. 11. 7. · There’s a hat hidden in this newsletter. The first reader to find it and text us what

Find theHidden Hat & Win!

There’s a hat hidden in this newsletter. The first reader to find it and text us what

it says to 206-592-6007 wins2 movie tickets!

Since 1964

INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER

www.sav-on.com

25 Years of Service to SAV-ONShay Barnett has worked just about every position for a quarter century! 2

November 2019CONSUMER AWARENESS NEWSLETTER

This invisible danger lurks on some frozen roads!

Beware of Black Ice

6

The holiday season is filled with events and entertainment matter no what you like to do.

We’ve listed some of the many events scheduled between Thanksgiving and New Year’s in and around Puget Sound.

Some events are free, while others require reservations and/or admission.Please call or go online for details and pricing for each event you’re interested in.

The Lights of ChristmasExperience the magic of the holidays at

The Lights of Christmas Festival in Stan-wood, just one hour north of Seattle. This event features more than one million lights in dazzling displays, live entertainment, chil-dren’s activities, and more!Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Dec. 5-8, 12-15, 18-23, 26-29 Event Website

Christmas Lighting FestivalVisit the Christmas Lighting Festival in

the picturesque Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth. Browse through the village’s quaint shops, savor German food, enjoy live outdoor entertainment, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, and then gather at dusk (on weekends) for the lighting ceremony.Dec 6 – Dec 22 Event Website

Fun Things to See and Do This Holiday Season

Protect Your Home From Holiday BurglariesResearch suggests the highest percent-

age of residential burglaries occur in the summer months. But, there is a dramatic spike during December due to the holidays.

“85% of these burglaries are committed by non-professionals that are usually more desperate and dangerous,” says Officer D. Brown of the Columbus, Ohio police depart-ment.

Most of these break-ins occur during the daytime hours. Homes without security systems are highly targeted. Criminals also look for privacy fencing and large shrubs

that help conceal their activities. “Homeowners can take simple steps to

help prevent a burglary,” Officer Brown said. “Install a security system, update the lock strike plate on doors, and install auto-matic interior lights. Dusk to dawn exterior lighting is great too.”

10 tips to help protect your home during the holidays

1. Install smart locks on your doors. Criminals often enter homes through a back

LIke Us and Win!Like us on Facebook and win prizes in our upcoming contest. 5

Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4

Shorter Daylight Hours Mean anIncreased Risk for Pedestrians

Recently we set our clocks back one hour, giving us an extra hour of daylight in the morn-ing, but making the early evening hours for pedestrians the most dangerous time of the year.

With the end of Daylight Saving time there’s more darkness during the rush hour com-mute, when traffic is at a peak and many are making their way home from a long day of work. Drivers aren’t used to the decreased visibility – nor are pedestrians.

People walking during the evening rush hour are nearly three times more likely to be killed by cars in the week following the time change, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon University.

The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF) has done studies that proved auto accidents increase after clocks are turned

back one hour. Besides the lack of visibility, the NRSF found that commut-ing in the dark can also make driv-ers drowsier than usual. According to

some health studies, changes in waking time coupled with the earlier onset of darkness throws off our internal clocks.

Tips for Staying Safe• Whether you’re behind the wheel or on

foot, obey traffic signs and signals. Pedestri-ans should cross only at crosswalks and only with the signal if the crosswalk has one.

• Crosswalks exist at all corners, even if they’re not painted. Once a pedestrian has indicated an intent to cross (stepped into the crosswalk) you’re required to stop and remain stopped until the pedestrian has passed the

Leavenworth’s Christmas Lighting Festival.

Continued on page 3

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After 25 years of working in just about every position at SAV-ON Insurance, Shay Barnett is still

hard at it, now with the title Agency Exec-utive Manager. She takes multi-tasking to an entirely new level, with responsibilities that include payroll, scheduling, account-ing, human resources, event planning, marketing consultant and just about anything else that goes on at SAV-ON.

But when it’s time for a get-away, she makes the most of it. She and Gary, her husband of 38 years, have become world travelers, circumnavigating the globe to different destinations for almost four decades!

Born in San Diego, Shay moved with her mother to Bur-ien in 1977. She attended high school in Burien, where she met and married Gary. She has one sister and her mom who live in the area, and one sister, one brother, and her father living in the San Diego area.

Shay’s first job was tutoring Native American children in Math and English while still in high school. After high school she began working as a cook in a lo-cal Italian restaurant for a couple years, and then worked for more than 10 years in different Seattle restaurants. When the opportunity to own a small business came their way, they decided to try that by opening up a tanning salon. They both continued to work their full-time jobs, on opposite shifts, while operating the tan-ning business which was located in the same building as SAV-ON Insurance.

It wasn’t until early 1994 that Shay found her way into the insurance field. Gary had gotten to know Phil Devitte, a co-owner of the SAV-ON Insurance Agencies. Phil mentioned to Gary he had an opening for a file clerk position in the Des Moines office. When Shay found out she thought it sounded interesting. She liked working with numbers and wanted to try something new. She was hired and started part-time at SAV-ON, while still running the tanning salon in her spare time.

Later that year they decided to close the salon and she started working full-time at SAV-ON, then took the challenging Property & Casualty Insurance Exam, to

become a licensed insurance agent. Many people have to take this exam a number of times before passing it, but in her typically determined fashion she passed it the first time!

By now it was evident that she was going places in the company. She went from file clerk to data entry to computer

specialist at SAV-ON. In 1995, she undertook the daunting task of inputting all the client insurance records into the SAV-ON computers, so they could be electronically stored. That meant boxes and boxes of from all the SAV-ON offices had to be manually entered into the main data base. It was a moun-tain of information, but Shay tackled it with her typical zeal,

and it was completed in about a year! The result of her efforts became what today is the SAV-ON Data Entry department.

Not long after that she was put in charge of the accounting department, including payroll, employee benefits, and scheduling. SAV-ON also holds a banquet and dinners to honor top-selling agents, not to mention their annual Christmas party. Yup, Shay is the woman who gets those organized, too.

Her expertise is called on regularly. Recently, even though it’s been almost 25 years ago since she engineered the original data base setup, she discovered that the data entry employees were having difficulty running reports and couldn’t get them to print out. She investigated and found the solution, and now things are go-ing smoothly again. Shay to the rescue!

A few years ago, with the retirement of the Human Resources person, Shay stepped in and added that responsibility to her busy day. She is now involved in not only hiring, firing and performance re-views, but still tackles the payroll, schedul-ing, employee benefits, accounting and upper management meeting responsibili-ties! With her typical “let’s get it done” atti-tude, she is a big part of keeping SAV-ON running smoothly.

Shay’s hobbies are movies, plays, cooking, needlepoint, cross stitch and reading, but her biggest passion is travel!

Shay Barnett: 25 Years at SAV-ON (When She’s Not Traveling Around the World)

Shay Barnett

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Continued on page 3

Independent agents and brokers offer products from many different insurance companies. That means more opportunities to find the best coverage and service at the right price.Progressive Insurance offers preferred auto, home and umbrella insurance.  You can also save 10% with our multi-policy discount.

SAV-ON Insurance is an independent insurance agent which is proud to represent Progressive Insurance.

We’re on Facebook!Visit our Facebook page. Go to www.sav-on.com and click on the Face-book logo!

In October, 14 ‘Smart Driver’ GradsSaved an Average of $729*

50%!

*Cumulative average savings over 6 months

TOP 10 Savers in October:Smart Driver City Savingsu Francisco L. Kent $1,952u Arnol C. Kent $1,594u Meuay V. Kent $1,198u Fred J. Seattle $1,003u Ernesto E. Seattle $873u Antoinio G. Seattle $651u Ricardo A. Seattle $640u Eddie G. Tacoma $492u Patricia S. Kent $356u Raul L. Sumner $350

Our Monthly Winners:August

Jose Cornejo, Seattle

SeptemberOmar Guled, Seattle

OctoberRoss Hollenbeck, Auburn

3 Chances to WinReferral Rewards!

Therese Hengwa was our lucky 2018 Grand Prize Winner!

She won a 50” Smart TV! It’s Simple to Win: Just referral a friend or family member and you receive 2 Lotto tickets. You’re also entered in a monthly draw-ing for a gift certificate and for our annual Grand Prize drawing!

SAV-ONSAV-ON

That’s anaverage savings of

1,821

Base 2 SpaceCancer FundraiserWe’ve

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She loves to travel to destinations around the world and immerse herself in other cultures. So, when it’s time for a vacation she and Gary select a new place in the country or the world to visit. Not only have they visited all 50 states (two-thirds of them more than once) but have also journeyed to many different countries. Places like In-dia, China, Israel, Greece, Jordan, Turkey, Laos, Myanmar, Morocco, Scotland and Ireland, to name a few. In fact, Shay and Gary have visited 50 countries, includ-ing many of the Caribbean nations and islands.

“Every place we go has something special,” Shay emphasizes. “My favorite beaches are in Mexico and the Caribbean. Thailand has beautiful and nice people, and in Italy it’s the food. New Zealand, Canada and Switzerland have the best mountains, and I love the castles of Scot-land, Germany, and Spain. I also have enjoyed traveling by elephant in India and Thailand, as well as by camel in Egypt and Jordan.”

While most of their adventures go smoothly, a recent trip to New Zealand provided an unplanned adventure. On their way to Fiji for the first leg of the trip, the plane suffered a sensor malfunction and was forced to land on the tiny island nation of Kiribati.

“It was nerve wracking to try to land on an island so remote that it only had one small runway,” she recalls. “Stranded

for hours, when night came we suffered a power outage, so the barefoot airport employees had to turn their car headlights so we could see. Our plane wasn’t going anywhere until it was repaired.”

Since the customs agent had already gone home and couldn’t be located (be-cause no other flights were expected that night), the airport employees decided to disregard a customs inspection.

“We were loaded onto flatbed trucks and taken to the only hotel on the island. The next morning, we were driven back to the runway and took off for Fiji. Needless to say, we missed our connecting flight to New Zealand and had to spend the next night in Fiji. That meant another hotel and boarding a boat for the ride there. It turned out to be a beautiful authentic Fijian-style hotel, with a horizon pool, a waterfall flow-ing into it, and a rock hot tub. We would’ve paid extra to stay there and plan to go back someday!”

Another one of her stories is being in a gondola with Gary in Venice, Italy late at night, trying to get to their room. The gon-dola driver was a little tipsy and seemed to be lost as they wandered up and down several different canals. He was whistling and calling out to someone in the dark, and they were worried that they were going to get mugged. Fortunately, the story had a happy ending, as they finally arrived without incident. It turned out that he had been calling out to strangers for directions!

There are lots of travel plans in their future, too. Trips to Iceland, Lebanon and Australia are next on their list.

In contrast to the way she loves to wan-der around the world, she’s content to stay put at SAV-ON Insurance. She’s found a rewarding career, and she’s proven to be very good at it. She thrives on making sure everything run smoothly. Her duties in-clude mediating internal issues and being a “sounding board” for both the employees and the ownership group.

“They’re really good people,” she says of the owners. “It’s like one big family, and they make me feel like a part of it.”

Shay enjoys working with people and making a difference. Her efforts have resulted in Peer Recognition and “Busy Bee” awards in recent years. Voted on by SAV-ON employees, it honors the employ-ee who has gone out of their way to make a special impact on others. It was an honor that Shay feels especially gratified to have received, since she prides herself on mak-ing a difference in peoples’ lives.

When asked to describe herself in a word or two, she replies, “Kind and patient.” Her patience serves her well, as her job is constantly presenting complex challenges. “I always look at the situation from different angles before I come up with an opinion,” Shay says.

SAV-ON is lucky to have such a multi-talented, dedicated employee in Shay Barnett. Now, if they ever open an office in Fiji…

Shay: A Quarter Century of Dedicated Service to SAV-ON InsuranceContinued from page 2

center line (separating lanes traveling in opposite directions).

• Pedestrians need to obey all walk signals, and allow cars reasonable time to stop before stepping out into an intersec-tion where there is no traffic light.

Driver’s safety tips• Resist the urge to “do a good deed”

by stopping and waving on pedestrians mid-block or for whom the crossing signal hasn’t yet changed. Drivers behind you won’t be expecting you to stop, and on-coming drivers won’t anticipate a pedes-trian suddenly emerging on their side of the road.

• Stop well in front of crosswalks. You’ll

help other drivers realize a pedestrian is crossing.

• Don’t overtake a stopped vehicle. Chances are it’s stopped for a pedestrian.

• Slow down in dark or wet conditions, particularly around schools.

Pedestrian’s safety tips• Turn down earbuds, put your phone

away and walk with your head up, aware of traffic around you.

• Make sure traffic has stopped before you enter a crosswalk, even though the signal has changed.

• Beware of cars making right turns. Driv-ers looking left for traffic may not notice that you’ve entered the crosswalk on their right.

• Dress in light colors and put a reflec-tor or flasher on your backpack. Consider wearing a headlamp.

• Whenever possible, use routes with sidewalks. If none are available, walk facing traffic and stay alert for distracted drivers.

Source: Progressive Insurance

Pedestrians and Risk: Safety Tips for Avoiding an InjuryContinued from page 1

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Christmas Ship Festival 2019

Whether you are on board or watch-ing from the shore, this parade is a lovely Northwest holiday tradition. The Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship Festival is an excellent way to celebrate the holiday season, especially for families.

Brightly decorated and glowing with thousands of lights, the Christmas ships parade through dozens of waterfront neighbourhoods. Choirs perform carols on board the Christmas Ship. Nov 29–Dec 23 Event Website

A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage

A fresh take on the timeless classic that gives the audience a completely new way of experiencing the storyline as portrayed by actors who maintain the integrity and spirit of each Peanuts character.Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center Federal WayFri, Nov 22, 5 pm, 8 pm Event Website

A HIP HOP NutcrackerThis reinterpretation of the beloved

ballet swaps out imperial Russia for 1980s Brooklyn as little Maria-Clara travels back in time to her parents’ first meeting at a nightclub. It’s acted out by a dozen hip hop dancers, a DJ, and an onstage electric violinist.Pantages Theater Downtown TacomaNov 15 - 7:30 pm

Paramount Theatre Downtown SeattleNov 16 - 8:00 pm Nov 17 - 2:00 pmEvent Website

Cirque Musica presents Holiday Wishes A Cirque Mu-sica produc-tion blends the grace and thrills of the world’s great-est cirque performers with stunning music. ShoWare Center - KentThurs Nov 21, 7:30 pm Event Website

Julefest See how Nordic countries ring in the Yuletide by tasting Scandinavian treats,

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Holiday Happenings: A Variety of Things to See and Do This SeasonContinued from page 1

door or side window. Smart door locks create a unique code for entry. So, you don’t need to hide or give away spare keys

2. Don’t Post on Social Media. Whether you’re going away for a few days or just out shopping, don’t post that on social media. It’s an open invitation for burglars.

3. Cover your windows. Close your curtains while away. Large uncovered windows allow criminals to see what is inside your home. Windows are also a common entry point. It’s a good idea to have window sensors installed in your home. When your system is armed, professionals get alerted about forced entry.

4. Point your home security cameras at your doorway. With a new view on your front door, you can catch any crimi-nals in the act. Home security cameras also help track packages delivered to your home. Set up another camera to look at your valuables. Make sure everything is exactly how you left it.

5. Store Christmas gifts in a safe

spot. Don’t keep presents in the garage or shed where criminals can easily break in. Also, don’t leave packages in plain sight with your windows or blinds open. Criminals often grab jewelry and electron-ics because they are easy to pawn. They also steal wrapped gifts that might have high resale value.

6. Ask neighbors to watch your house while you’re gone. Include a list of people or cars that regularly visit your home. Encourage them to report any suspicious persons or vehicles.

7. Install timers on indoor and out-door lights. You can also install motion lighting sensors for the exterior of your

home. A darkened home is a beacon for thieves to help themselves because no one is home.

8. Ship your packages somewhere safe. As consum-ers, we do a lot of online shop-ping during the holidays. Ship packages to your workplace whenever possible, or use in-store pickup options. If you must ship something to your house, set-up email or text alerts to confirm when pack-ages arrive. If your front door is too visible from the street,

ask your delivery company about deliver-ing packages to your back door.

9. Don’t put boxes from Christmas gifts in your trash. Criminals will dig through your trash searching for boxes of high-priced items, such as big screen TVs and other expensive electronics. Break down or tear apart your boxes. You can also take large boxes to your local recycling center.

10. Avoid using yard decorations that give criminals a place to hide. Holiday decorations are fun and entertaining, but make sure they don’t create great hiding spots.

Continued from page 1

Holiday Burglaries: Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe

Continued on page 5

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When you ‘LIKE’ us on SAV-ON’s Face-book page, we will give away lots of great prizes each day, starting when our page reaches 500 ‘likes’.

But, not only will your ‘like’ qualify you for our daily drawing, but it also helps fund research into a cure for cancer.

How? It’s simple; for every ‘like’ we donate $2 to Base 2 Space, our locally chosen charity, on your behalf. Base 2 Space is a cancer fundraising event that involves participants climbing the 832 steps up the Space Needle to the top, then celebrating in the world’s first glass-bottom revolving restaurant. 100% of the funds raised helps

fund the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center and the Space Needle Founda-tion. So, help out with this worthy cause and win prizes, too!

So visit our Facebook page and ‘like’ us. You’re automatically entered. Once we get to 500 ‘likes’ we start giving away prizes!

Not only can you be our daily Instant Winner, but you can win more than once! (There’s no limit, so you could win the next drawing too.)

Some of the prizes to be given away:

• Mariners & Sounders tickets

• Movie tickets

• Gift cards to your favorite restaurants and retail stores...and much more. ‘Like’ us today!

‘Like’ SAV-ON on Facebook, Win Prizes and Help Fund Cancer Research!

4 Once we reach 500 “Likes” we start giving away some great prizes!

4 We choose an Instant Winner each day and announce it on our Facebook page!

4 If you have ever “liked” our page, it could be you!

We donate a $2 for every Facebook “like” to Base 2 Space, a charity that raises funds for cancer research.

seeing performances from local Nordic groups, and shopping for wares.Nordic Museum - BallardNov 23–24 Event Website

Trans-Siberian Orchestra 2019Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s interpreta-

tion of Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” probably sparked the whole classical-music-meets-metal fad. Tacoma Dome - Tacoma Nov 24, 3:30 pm (21+) Event Website

Annual Holiday Native Gift Fair & Art Market

Find gifts for loved ones by local Native artists and makers at this annual market.Duwamish Longhouse - West SeattleNov 29–Dec 1 & Dec 13–15 FreeEvent Website

Elf the Musical This modern-day holiday classic is sure

to make everyone embrace their inner elf. After all, the best way to spread Christ-mas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.Tacoma Musical Playhouse - TacomaNov 29–Dec 22 Event Website

Enchant Christmas

Enchant Christmas is held at T-Mobile Park and includes: A Christmas lights maze where “Eddie the Elf” has hidden eight “Christmas gifts” to find. Actvities, including an ice skating rink with skate rentals, Santa, and live music.T-Mobile ParkSat, Nov 30, 4 – 11 pm Event Website

PNB Nutcracker balletPacific Northwest Ballet performs The

Nutcracker by George Balanchine, with a live orchestra, magnificent sets and cos-tumes, and a huge cast in McCaw Hall. Nov 29-Dec 28 Event Website

Bellevue Street ShowEnjoy a 20-minute show of lights, music, falling snow, young dancers, and drum-mers in uniform. Free. Nov 29-Dec 24 Event Website

Handel’s MessiahHearing Handel’s Messiah is a holiday

tradition. Formed by the Federal Way Symphony Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony & Chorale.Dec 7- Federal Way Performing ArtsCenter, Federal Way Event WebsiteDec 20-22 - Seattle Benaroya Hall Event Website

Winterfest at Seattle CenterEnjoy holiday lights, skating at Fisher

Pavilion (cost), folk dancers, carolers, dancers, ice sculptors, model trains, and entertainment The Seattle CenterNov 29 – Dec 31 Closed Dec. 25 Free Event Website

Ugly Sweater CruiseWear a tacky Christmas sweater aboard

Ugly Sweater Holiday Party Cruise, de-parting from north Lake Union 21+. Dec 21 Event Website

Jingle Bell Run - TacomaRun or walk 3 miles at the Jingle Bell

Run at Wright Park in Tacoma. Costumes are welcome. Dec 24 10:30 am Event Website

Continued from page 4

Holiday Happenings: Gift Fair, Elf the Musical, Nutcracker Ballet

For more holiday event listings , go to https://sav-on.com/blog

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Winter driving is hazardous enough, with rain, sleet, snow and cold temperatures mak-

ing driving stressful, but at least these conditions are clearly visible. Safe drivers adjust their driving accordingly by slowing down, putting snow tires or chains on their car, or shifting into four-wheel drive (if they have it). But there’s another hazard that is worse because it is virtually unde-tectable – black ice.

Black ice is different. Actually it isn’t actually black at all, it’s transparent. It gets its name from the color of the road beneath, which is dark and shows through the ice. When conditions are right, a thin, smooth layer of ice forms on the road surface, making it difficult to see. Black ice tends to look like just wet spots on the pavement.

Black ice forms when the temperature gets near freezing (32 degrees F) while it is raining or sleeting. It is more common in the early morning hours or at night. Warmer daytime temperatures melt snow and ice, then it refreezes as a glaze of ice when the temperature drops. Most of the time you don’t know you’re on black ice until it’s too late!

How to Spot Black IceSince black ice tends to look like water,

it’s important to stay alert to current weather conditions. Check the weather forecast before venturing out. If your car has an external temperature and it indicates near-freezing temperatures, anything that looks like water on the road is very likely black ice. And if it’s in tree-lined, shady spot on the road, the chances it’s black ice go up considerably.

While black ice is mostly invisible, in the right daylight conditions it can be seen. Black ice usually forms in smooth, glossy sheets. If the patch of road in front of you appears shiny, chances are you are about to encounter black ice.

Tips for Staying SafeIf you see an area that might be black

ice, change lanes or drive around it if possible. If that’s unavoidable, then slowly decrease your speed and make sure if you’re using cruise control to disengage it. Keep both hands on the steering wheel

and continue to steer in the direction you’re going. Do not hit your brakes or make any sudden turns, as that could send you into a spin-out.

Slow and Steady. Just like driving in snow, you want to go slow and steady. But, while snow offers some traction, black ice is very smooth and you will lose traction no matter whether you have snow tires or four-wheel drive. The more you maintain a steady speed, the better off you’ll be. Also, keep the steering wheel straight as you pass over the ice. If you turn the wheel suddenly while you’re over the ice, chances are you’ll lose control of the vehicle!

Avoid Hitting Your Brakes. When you approach black ice, brake slightly, then take your foot off the brakes before you roll over it. If you’re still going too fast and need to brake, pump your brakes lightly to avoid going into an uncontrollable spin. If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, put steady pressure on the brakes and they will automatically pump the brakes to help decrease speed. Don’t ever slam on the brakes as that will only magnify the problem!

Adjust for the Skid. If your car is sent into a skid, don’t overcorrect it. Instead, turn in the direction of the skid. If you feel the back end of your car sliding left or right, make a gentle turn of the steering wheel in the same direction. As the car comes out of the skid make sure to turn the steering wheel back to straight.

Studded tires, Tire Chains, and Four-

Wheel Drive. While these features are helpful in snow, they will be of very little help on black ice. It allows no traction, so no matter what kind of tires you have they won’t grip the road effectively. Remember: zero percent traction is still zero percent traction, so slow down!

If Things Go Wrong, Find a Safe Place to Land

If you don’t end up successfully navi-gating the black ice and begin to skid off the road, you might not have a lot of op-tions as to where you end up. If you can straighten out and continue on your way, that’s great. But, if you are heading off the road, try to find the least damaging place to come to a stop. Fluffy snow or a grassy field is a far better landing than a guard rail, tree or another vehicle.

In addition, if you’re driving an SUV, van, truck or jacked-up pickup they have a higher center of gravity, so the poten-tial for a roll-over is higher during a skid. When driving one of these vehicles, it’s important to be even more careful. Four-wheel drive, studded tires or tire chains won’t help when a vehicle is on its side.

The best idea is to practice the safe driving techniques at all times when driv-ing in freezing or near-freezing conditions. Slow down and pay attention to the road ahead of you. Put the phone away and don’t get distracted by the radio or the kids in the back. The life you save may be your own (or your family’s).Source: www.fs.usda.gov

Black Ice: Winter’s Hidden Driving Danger

Black ice might look like wet pavement, but can actually be a thin sheet of ice.

Safe Driving TipS