Category: Driving Tips

Memorial Day, summer’s kickoff, is often seen as a time to think about slowing down, relaxing, spending time with loved ones and taking to the open road for a break.

For families with teens, however, it’s got a darker side: teen driving deaths. Memorial Day marks the beginning of what many experts now call the “100 deadliest days” for traffic-related deaths of teens.

During all of 2012, 1,919 teens ages 15-19 died in crashes involving at least one teen driver, with 550 of those teens’ deaths (nearly 29 percent) taking place between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to the National Safety Council. It analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Another data analysis tells a similar story: In 2012, 2,823 teens ages 13-19 were killed in crashes, according to the Insurance Institute [...]

Crude oil prices determine around two-thirds of the price consumers pay at the pump every time they fill up and forecasts are showing the average price per barrel for Brent crude oil in 2015 to be around $68 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate is showing $63 per barrel. However, it’s important to understand that there are many factors that could change these numbers, as industry price forecasting is not an exact science.

The U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA) notes, “Federal, state and local government taxes contribute to the retail price of gasoline. Additionally, county and city taxes may have a significant impact on the price of gas in certain locations”.  Also, “Distribution, marketing, and retail dealer costs and profits are included in the retail price of gas. Most gas is shipped from the refinery first by pipeline to [...]

Every year, as temperatures fluctuate between the deep freeze of winter and the thaw of spring in many areas of the country, the roads can quickly become pockmarked with holes (big and small) that can cause great damage to your car and tires. According to CBS News, AAA estimates that consumers typically spend $5 billion a year on repairs stemming from pothole damage. This phenomenon isn’t new, but with this year’s polar vortex, it certainly is starting to feel like we’ve reached a whole new level in this pothole plague.

Hitting a pothole with your car can cause a great deal of damage to your car, particularly to the tires, rims, suspension and chassis. Because of this, it’s imperative that you take the proper precautions to keep your car out of harm’s way. [...]

Speed limits along the Ohio Turnpike and rural freeways in the state would be raised from 70 miles per hour to 75 mph under changes made Monday to the state’s transportation budget bill.

The proposed 75-mph limit would apply to the same stretches of highway in Ohio that had the speed limit raised two years ago…

…[L]awmakers found that the speed-limit increase to 70 mph along rural highways, passed two years ago, “has not caused any problems at all – actually, accidents have gone down.”

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There are millions of car accidents in the United States each year, and many of them turn into he-said, she-said battles that can result in an innocent driver being blamed. Fortunately, if you’re one of the unlucky drivers on the road, you can play an important role in making sure the police and the insurance company get the most accurate picture of what actually happened. You already know about contacting the police, filing an accident report, and notifying your insurance company. But here are five steps that can literally save your financial hide should you be involved in an accident that results in a dispute, perhaps even landing you in a courtroom. READ MORE…

Plenty of us hate night driving—there’s no feeling quite like getting someone else’s high beams shined in your eyes. But beyond the pure annoyance, few of us realize how dangerous it can be. Fatalities on the road occur at a rate three times greater at night than during the day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While only a quarter of all driving is done at night, more than half of all driving deaths occur then.

Your depth perception, ability to distinguish color, and peripheral vision are all worse in low-light conditions. You tend to be more tired at night. And consider a basic fact: Typical low beams illuminate the road from 160 to 250 feet in front of your car, and normal high beams shine from about 350 to 500 [...]