How the Cold Affects Your Car

Last week was one of the coldest the United States has seen in quite some time.  All across the country drivers had issues with cars not starting and dead batteries. But those aren't the only two things that the cold can take a toll on when it comes to your car. Check out this infographic from Jalopnik  to see all the ways the extreme cold can affect your vehicle.

Click the link to read the full article from Jalopnik: http://bit.ly/KA2kuF

Top 10 Excuses Used in Police Pullovers

“Well gosh officer, I didn’t see the speed limit sign!” – the most common excuse police hear when pulling drivers over, according to an article from Cars.com about a survey done by Insurance.com. The comparison pooled licensed drivers 18 an older. More than a fifth of the drivers polled said when they gave an excuse to the officer that pulled them over they said they couldn’t see the sign that told them not to do something.

There were 10 other popular answers given among drivers polled. They are listed with their percentages below:

1.       I couldn’t see the sign telling me not to do it :20.4%
2.       I’m lost and unfamiliar with the roads: 15.6%
3.       I didn’t know it was broken: 12.4%
4.       Everyone else was doing it: 6.4%
5.       I’m having in emergency situation in my car (for instance spilled a hot drink on your lap): 5.4%
6.       I missed my turn/exit: 4.8%
7.       I had to go to the bathroom: 5.6%
8.       I didn’t do anything dangerous: 4.2%
9.       I was on my way to an emergency (for example, to help someone who was ill or injured): 4.0%
10.   My GPS said it was the right thing to do: 2.2%
11.   I’m just helping out; I wasn’t even supposed to be driving (for example, your friend is intoxicated): 2.0%

To read the full article from Cars.com, click the link : http://bit.ly/15XAT5U

US Speeding Survey

Did you know that 16% of the United States thinks that speeding is okay for skilled drivers? A recent study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found this and many other interesting stats about speeding in the US. Kicking Tires has highlighted the study in this article: 

Is it possible to believe that "slow and steady wins the race" while also feeling the need for speed? Evidently it is, according to a survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showing motorists' paradoxical positions on speeding. 

The just-released "National Survey of Speeding Attitudes and Behavior" provides estimates regarding how drivers feel about speeding versus their actions. Most (91 percent) agreed with the statement that "everyone should obey the speed limits because it's the law," while nearly half said it is very important that something be done to reduce speeding on U.S. roadways. About 4 out of 5 said driving at or near the speed limit makes it easier to avoid dangerous situations and reduces the chances of a crash. 

"However, despite acknowledging the safety benefits of speed limits and reasons drivers should follow them, more than a quarter of those surveyed admitted 'speeding is something I do without thinking,' and 'I enjoy the feeling of driving fast,' " NHTSA reported in a statement. "Further, 16 percent felt that 'driving over the speed limit is not dangerous for skilled drivers.' " 

Younger male drivers are the most likely to speed, according to the study. Male drivers admitted to speeding more than female drivers, while those with the least experience (ages 16-20) copped to speeding more frequently than any other age group — with 11 percent reporting having been in at least one speeding-related crash during the past five years compared to 4 percent for the overall population. 

NHTSA notes that speeding deaths nationwide account for nearly a third of all traffic fatalities each year, taking nearly 10,000 lives.

Click the link to read more at Kicking Tires: http://bit.ly/1jMp2in

Safe Driving Tips for the Holidays

Many people will be traveling by car to see friends and family this holiday season. Not only is this time of year a particularly busy one on the roads, but the possibility of inclement winter weather also gives you reason to be extra cautious. Use these tips from AOL Autos  to be sure that you are safe on the road this holiday season.

Buckle Up Besides being the law in almost every state, using your safety belt reduces your risk of serious injury or death in an accident. That goes for rear seat occupants just as much as for front seat occupants. Airbags do a lot of good, but they are supplemental restraints. They are no substitute for a properly fastened seat belt. Buckle up, and if you're driving, make sure your passengers are strapped in before heading out. 

Keep Your Cool
Congested roads and tight schedules can lead to frustration for drivers. Frustration can lead to poor decisions and risky behavior behind the wheel. Road rage is a tragic possibility if you don't keep your cool. Some of the things you can do to reduce your stress while driving include giving yourself plenty of time to spare, keeping your passengers occupied to reduce distractions, expecting the unexpected from other drivers, and taking the time to learn your route ahead of time. 

Use A Designated Driver
Drinking and driving is never a good mixture. In family feast situations, even the teetotalers among us sometimes overindulge in the chardonnay. Have a plan for who is drinking and who isn't if you need to drive elsewhere after your festivities. That plan should include having the number of the local taxi cab service on hand should the designated driver forget their responsibilities and dip into the punch bowl once too often. 

Stay Alert
Although turkey generally gets the wrap for the drowsiness that typically follows a big feast, the tryptophan isn't solely to blame. In fact turkey has just as much of the sedative as other meats and cheeses. The carbohydrates and alcohol we're consuming are probably more to blame for the sleepiness most revelers experience, along with simply overindulging. A drowsy driver is a dangerous driver though, with accident rates as high as drunk drivers. So try not to overeat, don't try to do too much in one day, and pull over for a nap if you catch yourself feeling the need to nod off. 

Slow Down
The old phrase, “Speed kills” might be an oversimplification, but the truth is that increased speeds leave less time and distance to react to problems ahead. Speed is a contributing factor in many traffic fatalities simply because speeding drivers don't have as much room for error. Obey all posted speed limits and be mindful that excess traffic might mean you need to travel well below posted limits in congested areas. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can speed around delays to make up time. Chances are you'll never save enough time to risk losing your life.

Click the link to read the entire article from AOL Autos: http://aol.it/1di9ziA

Tips for Safely Transporting Your Christmas Tree

The holiday season is here! Families are out chopping down Christmas trees and bringing them home to decorate every branch. Before you can think about decorating the tree though, you have to get it home. This can sometimes prove to be a difficult task, especially if you don't have a transportation vehicle. Check out some of these tips from Kicking Tires for how to safely get your Christmas tree home with the vehicle that you have.

Vehicle-related road debris is estimated to cause more than 250,000 crashes a year and claim 81 to 90 lives, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. 

What's the best way to keep your tree from becoming a statistic? Rick Dungey, National Christmas Tree Association spokesman, recommends trusting the experts. "If someone at the farm or lot where you buy the tree offers advice on the best way for you to transport your tree, take it. Those folks deal with thousands of trees per year and you deal with one," he told Cars.com. 

To make sure your Christmas tree makes it all the way home, the National Christmas Tree Association helped us compile few tips about getting your tree home in one piece: 

•  Get your Christmas tree netted before leaving the lot to make it more manageable. If it's going on the roof, the trunk should be facing front. Doing both these things will help reduce wind damage to the foliage.
•  Make sure to select a tree that will either fit inside your cargo area or, if you have a roof rack, on top of your roof properly. Also ensure that you have enough rope or cord to wrap around the tree and secure it to the roof rack or to cargo hooks.
•  Place a tarp or blanket over the cargo area to protect the interior from loose needles. If you're going to place the tree on the roof, place a tarp, plastic sheet or blanket between the tree and the rack to protect the roof from scratches.
•  If you are transporting a tree in the back of a pickup truck, keep in mind that there could be hot spots in the bed—from the exhaust pipe, for example. This can damage the tree's foliage, so put something under it like an old blanket.
•  Before leaving the lot, give the tree a good tug to make sure it's secure.
•  Drive slowly and avoid the highway, especially if you're not used to hauling heavy objects on your roof. The extra weight affects your vehicle's center of gravity and consequently emergency handling.  

We don't recommend tying a tree on your car's roof without a roof rack. If you don't have the proper vehicle to take your tree home, find a friend with a more capable vehicle. Even better: Some Christmas tree lots deliver.  

Once home, Dungey recommends getting the tree out of the wind and sun as soon as possible. Even if you're not putting it in the stand right away, he says putting it in a bucket of water will minimize damage to the foliage. 

When all else fails, there's always an artificial tree!

Click the link to read the full article from the Kicking Tires blog: http://bit.ly/1bhyIqJ

The History of Cars

Cars have been moving Americans for more than 100 years. How has car transportation changed since the Model T in 1908? Take a look at the history of all things cars with this infographic. Some of the history may surprise you.

Click the link to see the full screen infographic: http://bit.ly/8uCOc

The Car of the Future

What does the car of the future look like? We have all wondered it at some point. Will it drive by itself, or communicate with other cars to avoid accidents? The infographic below from InsuranceQuotes.com paints a picture of what the car of tomorrow may possibly look like. Take a look and see how it compares to today’s cars.

Click the link to read the original article from Mashable: http://on.mash.to/107IRat