The warm air and bright sun of Spring release us from the confinement of a long,
drab season. As the outside world is renewed, we leave the winter doldrums behind
to make things clean and new around us, too.
Spring cleaning is a rite of this season, as is "springing forward," or turning
our clocks ahead for daylight savings time. The first Sunday in April not only
provides us with an additional hour of daylight, it also helps remind us to address
some important safety measures in our lives. One of these would be changing our
smoke detector batteries. And in light of how critical driving is to our daily
routine, adding wiper blades to this six-month change cycle makes great safety
sense as well.
In honor of springtime change, Trico Products, the company that invented the wiper
blade, offers some important safety advice that's easy to remember: when you change
your clocks, change your wiper blades. In fact, the American Optometric Association
reports that 90 percent of driving decisions are based on visibility. As such,
Trico wants drivers to know just how critical it is to change wiper blades twice
a year.
While the "change your clocks, change your wiper blades" rule is a reliable reminder,
it's also a good idea to visually inspect your wipers every few months, especially
if you live in an area where weather conditions are severe. Many drivers don't
realize the abuse that their wiper blades endure. Temperature extremes, heavy
precipitation and repetitive friction on the windshield have a damaging effect
on wiper blade performance over time.
While the natural rubber from which blades are made provides the most flexible
and resilient edge for wiping across glass, it eventually dries out and deteriorates.
The rubber can become warped by heat or made brittle by cold. Also contributing
to the rubber's deterioration are the effects of sunlight, ozone and road spray.
"Drivers should look for splits, discoloration or worn rubber," states James Croston,
director of marketing for Trico. If you find evidence of any of these types of
damage, you've probably already noticed streaking, which creates an annoying,
partially wiped windshield. Or, if you've heard your blades "chattering," you
either don't use your blades regularly or they have been exposed to too much sunlight.
In either case, it's time to change your blades, for both your own safety and
the safety of other motorists sharing the road.
Historically, replacing wiper blades has not only been difficult to remember,
it's also been difficult to physically accomplish. Research indicates that 60
percent of the drivers who do not install their own wiper blades cite difficult
installation as the reason. Simply figuring out how to remove the old blade can
be a trying experience. In many cases, consumers become frustrated and use force
to pry off the blade, thereby damaging the hardware. Determining which adaptor
to use and struggling with complicated instructions often leads drivers to neglect
this important safety task. For that very reason, Trico created the Exact Fit(r)
wiper blade to make changing your blades as easy as changing your clocks.
Exact Fit wiper blades were designed by Trico Products to "click on easy," making
installation possible in seconds by virtually anyone and on nearly any vehicle.
Building upon existing relationships with OE manufacturers, Trico is able to create
original equipment fit, right out of the package, in both appearance and performance.
Because they are manufactured with the appropriate receptor for each make and
model vehicle, Exact Fit blades eliminate the fuss of complicated adaptors or
instructions. These blades are highly durable and manufactured using the finest
materials, including high-strength steel, corrosion-resistant epoxy coating and
superior-caliber natural rubber.
Trico also suggests that drivers take the additional safety precautions recommended
by the American Automobile Association (AAA). These tips include carrying essential
safety items in your automobile, such as a flashlight, booster cables, and flares
or triangle warning devices.
So remember, when April 7th rolls around and you're changing your clocks, don't
forget to change your wiper blades. With Trico's Exact Fit blades, changing your
blades is as easy as changing the hands of time.
Trico Products is a member of The Gates Group of Companies, which serves customers
worldwide in the industrial and automotive markets with a full line of products
and systems components. The Gates Group manufactures and markets Gates(r) belts,
hoses and hydraulic products; Stant(r) closure caps, thermostats, testers and
heater cores; TRICO(r) windshield wiper blades and refills; Roberk(r) wiper blades
and refills; Tridon(r) wiper blades, refills and electronic turn signal flashers;
Ideal(r) and Tridon(r) hose clamps; Plews(r) lubrication equipment; Edelmann(r)
automotive fittings and power steering system products; LubriMatic(r) lubrication
equipment, greases and oils; Schrader(r), Amflo(r), Camel(r) and Tru-Flate(r)
tire hardware and air accessories; Standard-Thomson(r) thermostats; and Fedco(r)
heater cores.
