Road & Travel Magazine's Blog

How Graduated Driver’s Licensing Works

by Mollie Jones

Getting a driver’s license is an important rite of passage as a teenager. Lately there has been much debate over the age at which teens should be eligible to drive by themselves. These debates have resulted in graduated driver’s licensing laws in many states. Though ages and restrictions can vary by state, graduated driver’s license laws share some common objectives.

• Learner’s permit
  To obtain a learner’s permit, often a teen driver must meet specific age requirements (typically 15 or 16 years old), complete a driver’s education course and pass a written driving exam. Adult supervision may be required for 30-50 hours of driving time before the teen can earn an intermediate license.

• Intermediate license
  An intermediate license is granted when a young driver has reached 16 or 17 years of age. At this point adult supervision is no longer required. However, other restrictions to the teen driver’s license will still apply, like night time driving curfews, cell phone restrictions and passenger limits. Teen drivers will also need to pass a behind-the-wheel maneuverability test. Full story
  

2012 Toyota Camry Wins International Sedan of the Year - Most Dependable

2012 Toyota Camry Named International Sedan of the Year
- Most Dependable -
by Road & Travel Magazine

 2012 Toyota Camry Road Test Review
by Martha Hindes

Solid and safe. Smooth and dependable. For years, Toyota's Camry has stroked those family sedan needs with loyal, uncompromising predictability. So what's changed? For starters, like the few-days-old year of 2012, a 2012 Toyota Camry has been born as a new, seventh generation model. And like some previously highly-acclaimed versions, it again has won the hearts and minds of reviewers. For 2012, it won top honors as the 2012 International Sedan of the Year (ICOTY) for Most Dependable. Not bad for a re-born, right?

The 2012 Toyota Camry is indeed most dependable. And we love the safety and reliability it exudes, which is the reason it won in its category. According to ICOTY founder Courtney Caldwell (and publisher of Road & Travel Magazine), winning 2012 Toyota Camry Wins International Sedan of the Year - Road & Travel Magazine the honor of most dependable vehicle of the year is one of the most important as it lets consumers know in a word that this is a vehicle they can trust and rely upon to get their loved ones to their destinations safety. After all, the purpose of the ICOTY awards is to honor the qualities of new vehicles that best reflect our emotional needs at a specific time in our lives and lifestyles. Full Story

How to Prep your Vehicle Engine Hoses for Winter Driving

No motorist relishes the inconvenience and hazard of being stranded on the road. Yet, year after year, the nation's motoring clubs echo the same service call reports.

These organizations respond to more than 50 million annual customer calls, and they estimate one-fifth could be avoided if car owners inspected tires, belts and hoses, and had them replaced before they failed unexpectedly.

The Gates Corporation, the auto aftermarket's leading supplier of engine belts and hoses, says at least 30 percent of all belts and hoses are changed at failure, rather than on a preventive maintenance basis.

To help motorists avoid car problems this winter, Gates advises some simple cooling system preventive maintenance procedures to ask your service technician to perform this fall. Full Story

Do You Need a Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle?

by Cameron Sloane

When purchasing a new car, you have many options to choose from, including four-wheel drive (4WD). Although cars with four-wheel drive offer performance benefits – namely, better traction on slippery roads – they’re more expensive. So, before you pay for this feature, make sure it’s necessary for the conditions you’ll be driving in.

What is four-wheel drive?
Most vehicles are equipped with two-wheel drive, meaning that the engine powers either the front or rear wheels. With 4WD, the engine can power all four wheels. This reduces the risk that you’ll lose control of your vehicle if any of your wheels lose traction. Four-wheel-drive systems are most useful in conditions when it’s difficult for your tires to grip the road – like snow. 
           
Weighing the costs of four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive typically adds between $1,500 and $4,000 to a vehicle’s purchase price. In addition to a higher upfront cost, a car with 4WD also has higher ownership costs. Four-wheel-drive systems generally weigh between 500 and 1,000 pounds, which makes the vehicle less fuel efficient. In addition to higher fuel costs, you should take into account the extra expense of maintaining a 4WD system. Replacing or repairing your tires and brakes, both of which tend to wear faster on vehicles with four-wheel drive, can also add to your maintenance costs. If you live in an area with severe winters, the cost of a 4WD vehicle may be worth it, but in areas with mild winters four-wheel drive usually isn’t necessary. Full Article

How to Choose Best Driving School for Your Teen

Driver's Ed Alone is Not Enough to Keep Your Teen Safe

Choosing a driving school for your teen can be a difficult decision. Use the following tips to find a reputable driver’s education course to help prepare your teen to get behind the wheel.

Get recommendations
If your teen’s high school doesn’t offer a driver’s education course, ask if they recommend a local driving school. Also check with friends, family and neighbors to see if they have recommendations for a first-rate driving school. Contact your state’s department of motor vehicles for a list of state-certified local schools.

What to look for
Look for a driver’s education course that encourages parent involvement. Some schools invite parents to attend the first class and provide regular updates on your teen’s progress throughout the course.

Find out if the driving school offers supervised lessons on a variety of road types and driving conditions so your teen can gain behind-the-wheel experience driving in different situations.

Ask about the condition of the cars your teen will be driving: Are they regularly maintained? Are all safety features in working order? Do the tires have good tread left on them?  Full story here.

How to Drive More Efficiently

Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

Fuel Economy Benefit:	5–33%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	$0.18–$1.20/gallon

Observe the Speed Limit

While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.29 per gallon for gas.
Observing the speed limit is also safer.

Fuel Economy Benefit:	7–23%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	$0.26–$0.84/gallon

Remove Excess Weight


Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

Fuel Economy Benefit:	1–2%/100 lbs
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	$0.04–$0.07/gallon

Full story - click here.

 

How to Prepare Your Car for Safe Winter Driving

by Courtney Caldwell

What's a buyer to do? To help answer that question, RTM presents its 2012 Green Car Buyer's Guide with various ecologically sensitive, fuel efficient vehicles on the market today without mortgaging one's future in the process. Other reasons to consider a hybrid vehicle purchase are auto insurance rate discounts. Check out these great discounts on hybrid vehicles. You're heading down the highway anxious to get home. Suddenly you hear cling clang, putter sputter. Your car is skipping beats and spitting liquid. Your adrenaline spews. Your only choice is to pull over on the dark freeway. Now what? If you're a man, this is a major inconvenience. If you're a woman, this could be terrifying, perhaps even life-threatening. No matter who you are, you've just become a sitting duck. Whether you work on the problem or wait for help to arrive, your time on the side of the road now makes you susceptible to the dark side of humanity. Can this be avoided? In most cases, yes, which is why GM Goodwrench has declared October Car Care Month, an awareness campaign created to focus attention on the importance of car care and maintenance, especially for those living in states that have drastic seasonal changes. Full Story. Road & Travel Magazine's 2012 Green Car Buyer's Guide, click here.

U.S. & Canadian Towns with Highest Speed Traps

The National Motorists Association (NMA) released a list of 25 cities with the highest number of reported speed trap locations over the past two years. The speed trap sites were posted by the public on the NMA's National Speed Trap Exchange.

The drivers' rights organization hopes that motorists safely anticipate, rather than suddenly react to, ticketing operations known as speed traps. Speed traps are characterized by arbitrarily low speed limits and heavy traffic enforcement. Motorists should be alert in those areas to avoid receiving citations.

The Speed Trap Exchange identifies the specific locations of thousands of chronic speed traps in the United States and Canada. Information about each listing is enhanced by commentary from motorists who have encountered the police operations.

The following cities had the most reported speed traps since September 1, 2009. They are ranked by speed traps per 100,000 residents (per the 2010 census).

Speed traps per 100,000 residents - Is your town one of them? Click here to find out!

Is Your Car College Ready?

Brought to you by Car Care Council

It’s easy for college students to remember to get new clothes, school supplies and dorm and apartment furniture, but what about preparing the car that’s going to haul all that stuff? The Car Care Council reminds students and their parents not to overlook Vehicle Maintenance 101.

“Making sure the college-bound vehicle gets a passing grade will give both the student and their parents peace of mind for the drive back to school and the first semester of bombing around,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “It’s always a good idea to inspect a vehicle and have any repairs done near home, at a familiar repair shop”.

The Car Care Council recommends that the following items be checked before hitting the road:

•  Tires and tire pressure
•  Hoses and belts
•  Air filters
•  Wipers
•  Exterior and interior lighting
•  Fluid levels, including engine oil, power steering, brake, transmission, windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant

In addition, a 21st century tune-up should also be performed, which includes inspecting the following systems: battery, charging and starting; engine mechanical; power train control; fuel; ignition; and emissions. To learn more, view the Car Care Council’s “21st Century Tune-Up” video. MORE INFO

Defensive Driving Tips

Defensive Driving Tips: Stay Safe on te Road & Save with Car Insurance Discounts

It’s easy to jump in the car and hit the road without thinking too much about it, but driving is a big responsibility and a lack of attention can get you into trouble. You should always practice defensive driving when you’re on the road. To drive defensively, you should anticipate the behavior of other drivers and pedestrians around you. In other words, you should always think two steps ahead. Because defensive driving is the key to avoiding accidents.

Here are some fundamental defensive driving techniques.

1. Check your ego at the door.
One of the biggest barriers to defensive driving is that many, if not most, drivers think they are good drivers and everyone else makes mistakes. No one is invincible, so drive with caution.

2. Continually scan the road.
Rather than just looking straight ahead, scan the sides of the road too. If you’re driving on city streets, take notice of parked cars and pedestrians. If you’re traveling on rural roads, watch for animals that may dart in front of you.

3. Leave a two-second gap.
Tailgating may be the easiest way to have an accident. To make sure you have enough room to safely stop, pick a landmark on the side of the road and adjust your speed to arrive at that landmark two seconds after the car ahead of you passes it. [Read Full Article]