Car Insurance

A recent study done in Australia shows that chatting on your cell phone makes you four times more vulnerable to a serious car crash than someone who does not use a cell phone while driving. It also indicates that it doesn’t matter whether you are holding the cell phone or talking with a hands-free device. You’ve dialed the wrong number if you think that it’s safe to drive. The study also showed that it didn’t matter whether you were male or female or how old you were - the risks all appeared to be the same. The study showed that if you’re driving and using a cell phone, you’re at risk and so are any passengers in your automobile.

Driving takes total concentration and any kind of distraction can lead to serious consequences. The main problem with cell phones when you are holding them or talking on a speaker is your mind is concentrating on the call and not as much on the road. Talking and driving also slows down a driver’s reaction time, making a quick response to a hazard on the road less likely to avoid. For example, if a car suddenly slows down in front of you, and you are on a cell phone - you may be less likely to see what’s happening until it’s too late.

Senator Joe Simitian is trying to pass a law in California that prohibits drivers from talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have already passed this law, and the senator is quite confident that it will also pass in California.

The alarming figures with regard to the number of deaths caused by car accidents that involve alcohol have prompted state governments and the Federal Government to take critical steps to prevent fatalities. One of these steps is to lower the allowable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from 100 mg/dl to 80 mg/dl. However, such measures have proven to be inadequate as more recent figures show a dramatic increase in deaths caused by car accidents involving alcohol. More stringent laws have to be enacted to prevent these accidents, which may include imposing stiffer penalties for DUI or driving under the influence cases.

Recent figures show that instead of the expected decrease in the number of alcohol related deaths as a result of imposing a lower BAC, quite the opposite has occurred. In the last ten years, around 250,000 people died in alcohol related car accidents in the United States. Figures show that 16,000 people were killed in the year 2000, due to alcohol related accidents. In 2004, that figured climbed to 25,000. This means that 500 people die every week and 71 people die everyday in alcohol related car accidents.

In addition to these figures, estimates show that the economic and societal cost of alcohol related car accidents are very high. Alcohol impaired drivers cost American taxpayers about 21 to 24 billion dollars a year. Other studies show a much higher figure of $136 billion dollars is spent on alcohol related accidents. This is in addition to the huge insurance costs of alcohol related accidents and the injury, destruction and death that come with them.

State and Federal Governments have lowered the allowable BAC that is aimed at lowering the number of deaths caused by drunk driving. However, recent figures show that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of deaths caused by drunk driving. Given this, there may be a need for more stringent interventions, such as imposing stiffer penalties for DUI cases. This has the potential of effectively preventing more deaths caused by alcohol related car accidents.

How many of us would like to buy a new car? Now how many of us are actually going to go out and buy one? If you are like many people half the fun is just looking at all the cars you can choose from. There are so many different cars available to us it can be hard to choose just one, it may be safer to just look. Whether you are in the market for a new car or just looking to see what there is there are many sites you can visit to get the information you want.

You may want to look at the sites that evaluate new cars. These sites will give you the stats on the new cars, trucks, and minivans of the year. Some of the stats you will find are things like gas mileage, epa emissions, speed, and comfort. They will also choose which vehicles they think are the best in each group. This may be something you would like to know when looking at new cars. You can compare the stats and decide for yourself which vehicle would be best suited for your needs.

Another route you might like to check out would be a site that offers input from actual owners. This is a great way to find out the real facts about a car, instead of just what the sales man says. Real owners will give you their honest opinion on how the car handles and rides in town or on the highway and what kind of gas mileage they get. An owner will tell you what they don’t like about the car too. This could all be important information you might like to have before buying.

There are even a few articles out there written by people who have gone undercover as salesmen, or used to be salesmen and hear their stories. These articles reveal some of the lines, or scams, or gimmicks that salesmen sometimes try to use to get you to buy a car. They let you in on the secrets they use or used to pressure people into selling that car.

You can also find sites that offer you many pictures to admire. These sites may also offer you comparison charts too. Both of these would be helpful when in the market for a new car. You can find the car you want in any color you want to make sure you get the one you want. You may have thought you wanted a red car, but when you see the picture you may decide you want a different color all together.

There are also sites where you can find a car history report. You can also find places that will give you a quote on how much the car may cost based on your zip code. This would be helpful when you go to deal with the salesmen, you will have an idea of how much it should cost. You can also get financing calculations, which may help you decide which car you can actually afford to buy.

You can find all kinds of web sites on cars. Whether you are in the market for a new car, or just like to look and dream, you will find a wealth of information available to you on the internet. You can find anything you want to know about a car.

If you are one of those few who do live to search the world over for unique and one of a kind vehicles, then you might want to take part of this upcoming auction. You see, there would be a pair of Dodge Firearrow vehicles that would be put up for auction during the 36th annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car event.

The 36th annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car event would be held on the 13th of the 21st of January come the following year. This is according to a statement that the organizers of the mentioned event released just last Friday. And as per the pair of Dodge Firearrow vehicles, it would be quite an interesting fact to know that these are actually concept cars and are convertibles. They have been built in the 1950s and they are the only ones that were built during that period that are still in a more than good condition. Sure enough, these vehicles would be in mint condition and will come still bearing the original Dodge parts that it was built with.

From 1953 up until the following year, 1954, the Dodge brand was able to create four of these Firearrow concept cars. Although these vehicles did not actually reach the production stage, they were mostly produced so as to be able to bring up the interest of the consumers. It was Virgil Exner who created the designs of these concept vehicles from Dodge. And according to the organizers of the event, the pair of Dodge Firearrow concept cars is the second and the fourth vehicles that were produced. The first and the third units are no longer around.

Organizers of the 36th Barrett-Jackson event say that for those who do not know what this vehicle is, the Dodge Firearrow II (the second one produced) is a roadster that is colored yellow. And as per the Dodge Firearrow IV (the fourth and last one produced) is a convertible that holds two seats. The latter also has roll up windows, a jump seat, a folding top, a full instrumentation panel and a radio.

Automobile maintenance is nothing like it used to be. Thank God! In the past, your vehicle required regular replacement of a variety of parts: spark plugs, ignition wires, PCV valves, distributor caps, ignition rotors, and more.

With the exception of spark plugs, technology has replaced most of these with advanced, integrated ignition systems. Nevertheless, vehicle maintenance is still vital. So what does your vehicle really need in order to maintain it? Put another way: “What am I paying $300, $400, $500 for anyway?”

Given the abundance of car maintenance questions, let’s put the general requirements of today’s vehicle maintenance management into two categories:

* Tune-Ups
* Regular Vehicle Maintenance

IMPORTANT: always refer to your manufacturer’s guidelines for your car or truck maintenance information.

Tune-Ups, Car Maintenance and Problems

Let’s start with tune ups. Tune-ups are a thing of the past. As mentioned above, most of today’s vehicles are equipped with advanced technology, which has replaced many wearable parts. While there are still many vehicles on the road with the above parts, they are fading fast.

Today’s tune-ups are incorporated into regular vehicle maintenance. In the past, they were often considered separate auto maintenance.

This is helpful. If you’re wondering when you need a tune-up, just follow your manufacturer’s maintenance interval. More importantly, find a shop that will actually follow your manufacturer’s maintenance interval.

What makes up today’s tune-up?

There are generally only four primary tune-up components, many of which have extended replacement time intervals (auto extended maintenance). For example, some fuel filters last the life of the vehicle, others last 60,000-miles. Today’s platinum spark plugs easily last 100,000-miles.

This reduces primary tune-up components down to only two:

Air Filters: Some air filters can last 60,000 miles. Although most last between 15,000 to 30,000 miles. There are lifetime performance air filters, but these require maintenance.

Cabin Filters: Cabin filters filter the incoming air of dust and debris, helping to keep your interior clean and dust free. They require replacement starting around 10,000 miles. Not every vehicle is equipped with cabin filters.

Following is a break-down of today’s most common tune up parts:

Tune-Ups:

1. Air Filters

2. Fuel Filters

3. Cabin Filters (also called dust filters, or HVAC filters)

4. Spark Plugs

Now, if we add tire maintenance—rotation, balance, replacement, and alignments, that about covers the extent of vehicle maintenance services for today’s vehicles. Then there are various maintenance inspections: brakes, front end, under-carriage, belts, hoses, and battery. Lastly, we can’t forget wiper blades and miscellaneous lubrication services.

But generally, that’s it!

Important Note on Tire Rotation: many manufacturer maintenance sheet guidelines neglect the importance of tire rotations, which creates confusion. To keep it simple: rotate your tires approximately every 5,000 miles, as applicable.