Posted by Anonymous on 12:56 PM
We'd like to think our car will always get us where we need to go. But cars aren't always 100% reliable. They might run out of gas, get a flat tire or have engine failure. In the event that something like this should happen to you, it's best to keep an emergency kit in your care. Find out what your should keep in your car's emergency kit:
Your emergency kit should include:
Roadside flares
A first-aid kit
Work gloves or latex gloves
Two quarts of oil
Jumper cables
One gallon of antifreeze
Brake fluid
Extra fuses
A blanket
A flashlight with fresh batteries
A Phillips head screwdriver
A flat head screwdriver
Vise grips
An adjustable wrench
A...
Posted by Anonymous on 12:27 PM
.png)
Auto insurance is absolutely necessary for every car owner. If you're a first-time car buyer, the added cost can be scary. But luckily, there are many options when it comes to car insurance that can fit any budget. Keep reading to learn how to get the best coverage for your needs.
Watch out for minimum coverage.
States' legal minimums for insurance coverage should be considered just that – minimums. Jay Edelstein, a Philadelphia accidents attorney, strongly recommends policies with much higher limits. If you're held liable in a crash and only have the state minimum required coverage, you risk being held personally responsible for paying...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:45 AM
Is your car starting to feel a little messy, or even cramped? Keep your car comfortable and clutter-free with these tips from Kicking Tires:
Clean Out the Crap: Don't be tempted to put a lot of crap in your car in the first place. It sounds so simple, and it is. Items that go into your car should be necessities. Ask yourself if your kid needs to bring his 1,000-piece puzzle, pull-toy and swim floatie with you on a trip to the grocery store. Implement the "one in, one out" rule. If your kids must bring a favorite toy in the car, limit them to oneitem each. If they bring one thing in the car, they must bring that one thing back out of the car at the end of the day. (If that one item happens to be a purse stuffed with 20 other small items? Good luck!) One parent of three on our staff recommends...
Posted by Anonymous on 7:51 AM
Are you loving the low prices at the pump? There's good news! According to AOL Autos, the low fuel prices should last well into the New Year!
In a dramatic shift from previous forecasts, the Energy Department predicted Wednesday that the average price of gasoline in the U.S. will be $2.94 a gallon in 2015. That is a 44-cent drop from an outlook issued just a month ago.
If the sharply lower estimate holds true, U.S. consumers will save $61 billion on gas compared with this year.
Rising oil production, particularly in the U.S., and weak spots in the global economy have led to a sharp reduction in oil prices over the past four...
Posted by Anonymous on 1:50 PM
If you have young children, you'll want to pay attention to this! This article from Kicking Tires gives the low down on what will be changing for car seats in 2015.
Improved Crash ProtectionParents shopping for car seats are already reaping the benefit of the proposed car-seat crash tests. Many new or redesigned car seats such as the Britax Marathon have large side wings that protect a child's head and chest in a side-impact crash.
The Recaro Performance Coupe infant seat's carrying handle becomes an anti-rebound bar when the seat is installed. These bars, which are used only in rear-facing car seats, are positioned against...
Posted by Anonymous on 1:33 PM
Cold weather is finally here. Learn how to keep your car in tip-top shape during these winter months with these tips from AOL autos:
Check Your Battery
The battery is the part of the car that generally has the most issues when the mercury starts to drop. In fact, your car's battery loses about half of its starting power at 0 degrees.
If your car is going to sit for an entire 24-hour period during times of cold weather, it's a good idea to start the engine up and let it run for 15-20 minutes to ensure that the battery stays charged. This way, you won't find yourself stranded with a dead battery when you need to get somewhere.
Pep Boys also...
Posted by Anonymous on 9:09 AM
A new study by AT&T shows that texting and driving can actually release the happiness-enhancing chemical, dopamine in people's brains. This means that texting and driving could actually be addicting. Learn more with this article from Kicking Tires:
The study, conducted by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in cooperation with the "Texting & Driving … It Can Wait" campaign, found that more and more people are demonstrating compulsive behavior — dubbed "cell-phone addiction" — with three-quarters of people admitting to at least glancing at their phones while behind the wheel. That's despite 90 percent of people reporting that they know better.
"We compulsively check our phones because every time we get an update through text, email or social media, we experience an...
Posted by Anonymous on 10:55 AM
This cold and flu season, make sure you're keeping germs at bay in your car with these tips from Kicking Tires:
The flu is nothing to sneeze at. It sends more young children to the hospital than any other vaccine-preventable illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The best way to prevent it and its complications is to get the flu vaccine for yourself and your family. It's recommended for children as young as 6 months old. Of course, the vaccine's effectiveness varies widely from season to season, so parents need to be vigilant when it comes to containing germs.
While many of us are trained to wipe down frequently...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:49 AM
When the seasons change is a great time to do some routine car maintenance. Fall is particularly perfect because the weather is ramping down from super hot to being quite chilly. There's no better time to prepare for the cold winter that lies ahead!These four fall car care tips are crucial for the season.
Look at tires for signs of uneven wear or other damageYour tires play a vital -- and generally thankless -- role in keeping you safe on the road. They are, after all, the only point of physical contact between your car and the pavement.Uneven wear on tires can point to a couple of potential safety problems. It could mean that one or more...
Posted by Anonymous on 12:30 PM
Taking defensive driving measures is one of the best ways you can stay safe on the road. You never know what other drivers might do. By anticipating what other driving mistakes other people might make, you will always be prepared for them. Use these tips to be sure you stay alert as a defensive driver and are always anticipating the next move of the guy driving beside you.
Pay Attention to Your Surroundings
As you head out on the road, it pays to be especially observant. Watch what is happening on all sides of your vehicle, not just in front. A great defensive driver is always aware about what is happening on all sides of the car. You can...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:29 AM
Many people think teens are more likely to text and drive or participate in other driving distractions. But a new study finds that parents are just as guilty!
Most public service announcements about the dangers of distracted driving focus on teens and young adults, but there's another demographic in need of a wake up call: parents. A new study found that parents are not only engaging in risky driving behavior, but are also doing so with their driving-age teens along for the ride.
Liberty Mutual teamed up with Students Against Destructive Decisions to survey over 1,000 parents and 2,000 junior and senior high school students across the country....
Posted by Anonymous on 9:10 AM
Checking your tire pressure and adding air seems like such a simple task that you don’t even need to think about it. But keeping your tires at the proper pressure and knowing how to fill them correctly is a very crucial task. It will help your tires last longer and make your ride smoother.
This article from Cars.com lists tips for checking your tire pressure as well as instructions for how to fill your tires in order to keep them in the best shape possible.
Before Starting
Temperature plays a huge part in tire psi, Rastetter said, adding that the most crucial time of year to check pressure is in fall and winter when days are shorter and...
Posted by Anonymous on 9:53 AM
You may want to think twice next time you want to put off that oil change. There are a number of common car mistakes you might be making that could actually ruin your vehicle.
1. Delaying regular maintenance
Regularly maintaining your car is vital to your car's longevity. Regular maintenance includes oil and filter replacement, as well as transmission fluid, air filter and brake pad care. Every vehicle manufacturer specifies a different maintenance routine, which can be found in your owner's manual. While regular maintenance requires you to invest some time and money, it's peanuts compared to the cost of a new engine or transmission.
2....
Posted by Anonymous on 10:21 AM
Do the drivers you see every day seem rude? Are they constantly using a phone while driving, tailgating, or not using their turn signals? Find out what behaviors other drivers find most annoying, and which states the drivers are guiltiest of participating in those behaviors.
Idaho ranked as the No. 1 rudest state in the study. Survey respondents' attitude toward this potato-producing state is rooted in its alleged bumper crump of both speedy spuds and slow-rolling couch potatoes. "The roadways of Idaho present a dichotomy of drivers: Those who are moving so slowly that they're judged to be rude, and the aggressive drivers who speed around...
Posted by Anonymous on 9:28 AM
If you're going to have a car, you're going to need insurance. But it isn't as cut and dry as having insurance or not. There are a few different kinds of coverage you can get. There are also a few other important considerations you should look at when looking for the correct coverage. Hopefully this blog will help put some of those different aspects of car insurance into perspective for you.
Three Types of CoverageAlthough insurance policies and prices vary from company to company, there are three basic types of coverage you'll want to consider.Liability: If an accident is your fault, the insurance company will usually cover the damage...
Posted by Anonymous on 9:32 AM
If you have kids, you know that spills are unavoidable. In a perfect world, spills would never happen in the car, but unfortunately this is usually never the case. So what do you do when a spill does happen? Kicking Tires has shared advice from parents on cleaning up spills in the car.
Start with Protective Surfaces: Generally speaking, leather or vinyl seating surfaces will be easier to clean than fabric. However, several automakers offer a stain- and odor-resistant material in some of their cars. GM, for example, uses interior coatings to protect cabin materials from sun, sweat, sunscreen, bug repellant and more. Engineers conduct...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:50 AM
Your car has all kinds of built-in functions to let you know when something is wrong. Warning lights are one of these functions. In order to give your car the proper attention it needs though, you want to be sure you're able to decipher any warning lights that could potentially come on. This article from AOL Autos explains 5 important warning lights and what exactly they mean.
Low Tire Pressure Warning
Many modern vehicles constantly monitor the pressure of each tire, and inform you when there is a pressure drop due to a puncture. When the low tire pressure light turns on, you should pull over to visually inspect your tires.
While it’s fairly...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:51 AM
If you own a car, running into some kind of trouble is inevitable. Whether it be a flat tire, running out of gas or a dead battery, car trouble can be extremely stressful, especially if your family is in the car. Here are some tips you can use to make sure your family stays safe next time car trouble strikes.
So what should you do when your car breaks down and your kids are in the backseat? Erin Stepp, AAA spokeswoman, has tips to keep you and your family safe and sane when the inevitable happens.
Carefully pull over: In an emergency, the first thing to do is gently and safely bring the car to a stop. Pull over onto the far right shoulder,...
Posted by Anonymous on 9:03 AM
A new study has found that many Americans are driving their car even thought they know they probably shouldn't. The survey didn't only look at impairment from drinking, but also at those who drove when they were tired or sick or when their car has some sort of mechanical issue that may not have been safe. Read more about the study in this article from KickingTires.
Nearly half of all drivers admitted to driving when they shouldn't have. That's one finding in a poll of 2,000 licensed drivers from December 2013, which CarInsurance.com released Monday. The website found that 46 percent of respondents admitted to driving once or twice in the...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:33 AM
It's back to school time! In order to keep kids safe when getting to and from school, Kicking Tires has published this list of great tips for both parents and their kids as they head back to school for the year.
Before Carpooling
Don't agree to drive more children than you have proper seating, seat belts and, if needed, child-safety seats for.
Set rules for proper car behavior up front; kids cannot meet your expectations unless you spell them out clearly.
Driving Through the School Zone
Create a distraction-free zone: Cellphones, loud music, screaming kiddos, breakfast, makeup touchups and more take our eyes and minds off the road....
Posted by Anonymous on 9:27 AM
Everyone knows that owning a car isn't necessarily cheap. But making any of these five mistakes could make your wallet a lot lighter. Some may even seem like you are saving money at the time, but in the long run it will actually cost you much more:
1. Putting Off An Oil ChangeWhile oil technology has improved drastically over the past couple of decades, it's still important to change your oil as recommended by your car's manufacturer.
Motor oil gradually breaks down as it is circulated through your engine. After a certain number of miles, the oil doesn't provide adequate lubrication, causing your engine to wear out prematurely....
Posted by Anonymous on 10:02 AM
Where you live could greatly affect the rates your paying for insurance. This article from AOL Autos examines why insurance rates are higher in urban areas.
How exactly car insurance companies calculate rates is a mystery, but we do know that they use a closely guarded calculation weighing obvious risk indicators like driving history and age with more surprising factors, such as gender, credit score and zip code. In fact, where you live can end up costing you hundreds of dollars extra per year.
Insurers use something called the "territorial rating system" to determine high-risk zip codes. Essentially, the more urban the zip code,...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:48 AM
Will you be car shopping for your teenager anytime in the near future? If you are, the IIHS has a few tips to help you look for the safest, most cost-effective vehicle for your new driver. Help make sure you're teen is as safe as can be while they're on the road.
The recommendations on teen vehicle choice are guided by four main principles:
Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. Vehicles with more powerful engines can tempt them to test the limits.
Bigger, heavier vehicles protect better in a crash. There are no minicars or small cars on the recommended list. Small SUVs are included because their weight is similar...
Posted by Anonymous on 9:00 AM
The smallest error in properly securing a child's safety seat can compromise the effectiveness of the device in the event of an accident. AAA has put together a list of 12 of the biggest mistakes parents are making when installing a car seat. Read the tips here and learn how you can prevent them.
AAA has put together a list of the twelve biggest mistakes parents make when using a car seat. Some items on the list may seem like insignificant oversights, but even the smallest error in properly securing these safety devices can compromise their effectiveness in the event of a crash.
Read on to see the mistakes parents are making and how...
Posted by Anonymous on 9:02 AM
Do you ever do car maintenance in your own garage? If you do make sure you have these tools! AOL Autos has listed tools you don't want to be without when you do DIY car maintenance:
1. Screwdrivers
Quality screwdrivers are some of the most basic tools you should buy. While you should have one medium-sized flat head screwdriver and one medium-sized Phillips screwdriver at the very least, you can often buy quality name-brand sets for less than $15 at your local home-improvement store. Having multiple sizes of screwdrivers can help you get into tight spaces, and can also prevent you from stripping delicate screw heads.
2. Pliers
Pliers...
Posted by Anonymous on 7:42 AM
If you're going on vacation this summer, you may want to take your furry friend(s) with you. Take a look at these tips from Cars.com to learn how you can transport your pet safely in your vehicle.
A 2011 online survey of 1,000 dog owners by AAA and Kurgo, a manufacturer of pet travel products, revealed 84 percent of respondents allowed their dogs to travel unrestrained in their vehicles; 65 percent admitted to engaging in distracting activities with their dog while driving.
In addition to being a distraction or becoming a projectile in a crash (at a driving speed of 35 mph, a 60-pound unrestrained dog can become a projectile exerting 2,700...
Posted by Anonymous on 8:24 AM
It's summer, which means it's time for road trips and running the kids to camp, sports events, play dates and more. This can be somewhat taxing on your gas tank and your wallet. It's understandable that you would do anything you can to save some dough. But don't let any of these common myths about how to save money on gas fool you!
Regular Maintenance
New air filters and regular oil changes are good for your car and wallet. Also, take a look at your tires before any road trip. The Environmental Protection Agency says even a slightly under-inflated tires can cost a car in fuel efficiency. By keeping you tires properly inflated, you can improve...
Posted by Anonymous on 7:42 AM
Your paint job needs to be maintained if you want to keep it looking shiny and new. But summer can be rough on your your car's exterior. The sun beating down on the paint can leave it looking dull and dirt from the road can cause your car's exterior to look dull. These tips from Kicking Tires will help you keep your car looking great even throughout the summer months.
1. Wash regularly
The first step to preserving your paint job is the most obvious. In the normal course of driving, your car becomes covered in dust, tar and other dirty particles from the environment. Over time, these particles can get imbedded in your paint and become difficult...
