The keys to the correct use of the car that Stellantis gives in its Workshops for women

Stellantis Group carry out the series of Workshops “Women by Stellantis” for women, which are carried out in different dealerships. This is an initiative that each sales room chooses to carry out and is done every certain amount of time throughout the country. “The objective is for women to learn about the correct use and maintenance of the car because we participate a lot at the time of purchase, but very little in the after-sale of a car,” said Soledad Bereciartua, director of Communication at Stellantis and gender leader. of the company’s diversity and inclusion program.

She is the one who carries out this initiative. “We set out to put together an action plan that promotes gender integration towards the community and we devised this programwhich is an initiative that I do because it makes me happy and because it is like another son and that gives me a lot of happiness. It is a time for you and The objective is for them to learn things for their daily lives, to take away the tips for driving the car.“Bereciartua explained.

What all women should know to drive their car

Bereciartua detailed the following topics that every woman who drives should know:

• The first point to take into account is driving position. This is a key issue for safety when driving. And, for example, it must be taken into account that the position of the legs allows for a good reaction in case the brake must be pressed suddenly. Likewise, Bereciartua recommended “always wear comfortable and safe shoes to drive to prevent your foot from slipping off the pedal.” He said, for example, that heels are not recommended when getting behind the wheel.

Another element to take into account is that there must be room for the airbag to deploy and not hurt us, it is necessary that the arms are slightly bent and that the steering wheel is well positioned. On the other hand, it is necessary to take into account the visibility of the panel and that there is a certain amount of centimeters between the steering wheel and the leg to have the ability to move. Likewise, he recommended that The hands should be located marking 10:10 (if it were a watch) on the steering wheel and the thumbs should not be placed inward to avoid being injured by the airbag.

You should also check the position of the seat, both the distance, height and position of the backrest and headrest. The use of the seat belt is key, which can also be adjusted in height and must be properly placed with the three points (shoulder and the two hip points) well located. Then, the mirrors must be arranged in such a way that they give us the greatest possible visibility to the rear, both the sides and the center.

“Many times, we share the car with someone and some complain that we change the position of the equipment and the seat, but it is key that we do it for safety reasons. The driving position is up to each person and being comfortable guarantees that we can have a better level of reaction.“Bereciartua said.

• Another point that Bereciartua mentions is the importance of children being well positioned in the back of the car and with special seats if they need them, that is, child restraint systems. “The ‘little egg’ should be used facing backwards in the first months of life, when the head begins to protrude, it should be moved to the chair that faces forward, and then a booster seat, which can be a full chair or a adjuster, so that the seat belt crosses them correctly, because if it is too high, it can hurt them instead of protecting them,” he explained. A very important fact is that the chairs purchased are approved, as far as possible.

And he highlighted that women often participate in school “pools.” For those who do, he noted that You can carry as many people in a car as there are belts in the vehicle. because if a person is thrown from behind, they can kill another, in addition to dying themselves. A person who is thrown at 60km per hour weighs 17 times more than his usual weight and the same thing happens with objects.

• Therefore, he then mentioned the importance of not carrying loose objects in the carsomething very common in women due to the fact that they are multitasking. “It is very important to use storage compartments so that there are no loose items. The wallet should be put in the trunk or glove compartment, for example. And the same with a computer, which usually weighs 2 kilos and can be a 34 kilo projectile that hits us in the head in the context of a crash,” he said.

On the other hand, he warned that You can never restrain a baby or child in a crash with your arms. “He will inevitably be fired,” he said. And, on the other hand, he said that it is advisable to keep dogs restrained with a harness, although they are not yet approved.

• Regarding vehicle care, Bereciartua highlighted the importance of periodically check the condition of the engine fluids. This should be done with the car on flat terrain, not downhill or uphill. “It is advisable to wear gloves and wait a certain amount of time after the car has been in use,” he said.

It is important know how to open the hood of the vehicle we drive and the Stellantis executive recommended that the fluids that should be checked every couple of months are:

1. he oilwhich must be measured with the meter that comes in the car for this purpose: first it must be cleaned and then the level must be checked.
2. he engine water (coolant), which is pink and the level must be between the plus and minus, which the tanks in the cars usually have marked as a control guide. “It is advisable to use distilled water with coolant, not tap water,” he said.
3. he brake fluidwhich is located in a container that is usually at the height of the pedals on the engine and is key to ensuring safe handling.
4. he frog liquidwhich must always be filled with the appropriate product or with distilled water with a splash of detergent; the water, which must be distilled to prevent scale from damaging the hoses in the long term. The windshield wiper blades should also be cleaned with water, not alcohol, once a month and replaced every year.

Tire maintenance

When taking care of your tires, what you should keep in mind is that rubber expires every five years. Therefore, regardless of whether they are used or not, every time that time passes from the manufacturing date printed on their surface, the covers must be changed no matter what.

However, their condition must also be evaluated. “If they are very flat, they should not continue to be used because they do not guarantee good adhesion to the ground, they generate less braking capacity and it is a big risk,” he said. This minimizes the risks of “aquaplaning” and slipping in the event of braking.

The workshop ends with a practical example of how to change tiressomething women often think they can’t do, but discover it’s easier than they generally thought. All those who went on to live the experience were able to do so without any problem armed with a cricket, a spare wheel, the physical beacons and the fluorescent vest, to avoid accidents.