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Dad is Becoming Carpool King

National survey finds majority of fathers active in driving kids to and fro

As children across America head back to school, a new survey commissioned by Chevrolet finds that many fathers in America are taking more of an active role in before-and after-school carpooling duties, with utility vehicles the preferred choice of dads over minivans.

An online survey conducted by Harris Interactive® showed that 80 percent of fathers in the United States with children age 17 or younger take an active role in daily family life, with more than 70 percent driving their kids to school, daycare or extracurricular activities.

But in the evolution of carpooling, the study also showed that both drivers and their vehicles have changed. While moms may prefer minivans for their sliding doors, more than half (58 percent) of the dads surveyed prefer to do their business, personal and leisure shuttling in a family hauler that doesn’t question their masculinity. In fact, survey results demonstrated that fathers gave their current family vehicle a 6.4 “cool” rating on a 10-point scale. Full story.

Motion Skills for Teen Drivers

Inspired by Every Parents' Worst Nightmare

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths in America, and with all of the distractions teens experience today, the number of accidents is destined to rise. This alarming statistic sparked Kris Rolfson and his wife, Christy Rolfson to do something about this tragic reality, so they set out to create a beacon of hope for parents and teen drivers. Through pure passion and determination, Motion Skills was born.

Kris Rolfson, CEO and founder of Motion Skills, was inspired by every parent's nightmare, when his son was able to get behind the wheel of his car after only completing a simple multiple choice driving test. Kris realized his son had absolutely no knowledge in regards to driving, beyond having memorized the answers to state laws and basic driving rules. Though his son knew the basic rules of the road, the multiple choice test did not prepare him to handle a multi-ton automobile in traffic on an open road. The main focus for Kris is to save lives by teaching skills that address the most frequent types of accidents today’s teen drivers are involved in. Motion Skills hopes to be another voice of reason that stresses the importance of being able to handle common driving distractions.

While Kris spent many years as an engineer in San Diego, he always found time to race go-karts and cars, both off-road and motocross. For the past eight years he’s focused teaching in public schools and as a youth minister at his church. His wife Christy has worked in the bio tech industry for the past twenty years. Together, they have two children. Christy noted that “Kris’ years teaching in public school and youth ministry provides the knowledge to connect with teens and to be an effective instructor when it comes to classroom education, comprehension and retention.” [Full Story]

Texting While Driving, Unsafe at Any Speed

By Erin Marquis

Texting while driving (TWD) is a serious issue in the United States. Currently 19 states ban the practice of sending a text while operating a vehicle and President Barak Obama has banned all federal employees from TWD while they are conducting government business. These laws are only going to become more prevalent and strict and for good reason, TWD kills.

In Utah a young man killed two people when he sent a text while driving to work. That state now sentences those who text and drive has seriously as drunk drivers who kill. He pled guilty to vehicular manslaughter. There are studies that suggest the amount of impairment is even worse when texting then when driving legally drunk.

According to the New York Times, 97% of Americans think texting while driving should be banned. Yet why do some many people still do it? The answer unfortunately comes from the most inexperienced drivers on the road. Teens and young adults are more likely to text and drive because they are more comfortable with the technology. But comfort is a long way from being safe. A recent study of 19-24 year olds demonstrated that teenagers who were engaged in texting while driving are up to six times more likely to have an accident. When a driver is actively involved in TWD, his driving patterns change. For instance, the response time needed to break slows down by 23%.

Protecting your teens from causing a serious accident is as simple as having a serious talk with them and setting a good example. Teens are more likely to drive safely if their parents don’t drive with a distraction, which includes speaking and texting on a cell phone while driving.

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Americans Still Love Big & Luxurious Cars the Most

According to the 2009 Motorist Choice Awards, the best-scored cars by consumers for value and owner satisfaction are bigger, more luxurious cars. Cars like these, despite the economy and fuel consumption rates, make people feel proud of what they're driving, which is the leading reason people buy new cars today. The 2009 Motorist Choice Awards, co-developed by AutoPacific and IntelliChoice.com, recognize new cars and trucks that give their owners both economic and emotional satisfaction, helping new-car buyers find vehicles that best satisfy all of their personal-transportation needs.

The top 34 cars were large cars, luxury cars, sport utility vehicles, crossover SUVs or minivans, with the Lexus LS taking 1st place overall, and the Chevrolet Tahoe taking the gold for the best SUV. "This affinity for big vehicles makes the American market unique compared to the rest of the world," said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific, which is known for it's owner satisfaction ratings. Only two small cars even made rank in the top 107 cars.

Leading manufacturers were Toyota and GM, though most manufacturers took at least one award. “Every car winning a Motorist Choice Award is a defendable purchase, and their owners will be pleased, both financially and behind the wheel," said James Bell, publisher and editor of IntelliChoice.com, which determined value ratings for winning vehicles.

For more car buying advice, visit RTM's New Car Reviews Section.

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