Jump Start Smarts

I found the following information in an article from Handyman magazine (Feb.'07).

It says that jump starting and driving away after having found you have a dead battery, may be the worst thing that you can do. What happens is that as soon as you drive away, your alternator starts pumping out maximum amps to recharge the battery. The strain of recharging a dead battery and powering headlights and a blower motor can toast the alternator. Having to have your car towed and replacing the alternator can cost between $600-$800 (parts and labor).
What you should do instead is ask the Good Samaritan that gave you the jump start to leave the jumper cables on the battery for 5 to 10 minutes before starting your car. Once you've got it running, let it idle for 10 minutes with the lights and blower motor off. Then, when you do get home, put it on a trickle charger to bring the battery back up to a full charge.

You might want to make copies of this for everyone in your household that drives and have them keep a copy of it in the glove compartment of the car with their car's manual.