Modern cars are being designed with more safety features than ever to keep passengers safe.  Almost all carmakers have factory installed emergency kits in their cars.  This is due to both government regulations, as well as competitive pressure.  These roadside kits often include jumper cables, reflective markers, and flashlights.  Typically, these kits allow motorists to deal with accident and mechanical breakdowns.

Today’s cars have to withstand unique conditions.  There are more and more natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, fires, hurricanes, etc.  Other major emergencies include snowstorms, accidents, and breakdowns that leave drivers stranded.

This is why drivers need to be prepared for all types of emergency situations.  Things that motorists can do to protect themselves are having first aid kits, emergency kits, emergency roadside assistance and used car warranties.  Drivers are very vulnerable in any emergency, and being able to call road service allows drivers some peace of mind.  Taking these precautions are simple and can save your life.

Imagine one day waking up to find that the only vehicles on the roads, in driveways, and in parking lots were electrics or hybrids.

CNW Marketing Research made some calculations to determine when America would become completely hybridized, and could stop depending on Middle Eastern powers for barrels of oil.

Based on the amount of people who live in America today (300 million), the number of cars driving on U.S. roads (11 million), the number of new cars that are sold in a year (15 million), and the number of those purchased cars that are hybrids, CNW calculated that in 2034 there is going to be:

• 357 million Americans
• 381 million cars, all hybrid or electric
• 15.7 million cars written off
• 18.1 new cars sold that are all hybrid or electric

It may seem like a long timetable, but it’s not unreasonable when you consider that every car being built and sold would have to be a hybrid, and every car on the road would have to be replaced with a hybrid vehicle.  Also, many people are holding onto their old vehicles and buying used car warranties because of the poor economy, so that is slowing things down.

Billions of dollars are spent by automakers to build awareness about their cars and promote them.  However, marketing is not the only thing that shapes a consumer’s perception of cars.

Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted an Auto Pulse survey, which found that Toyota and Honda automobiles came in first and second place over all the other car brands.  In addition, those vehicles have performed well consistently, and usually rank in the top of their classes.  Toyota and Honda have also been found to be the most reliable over the years.

In this survey, consumers had to rank vehicle brands in seven different areas.  These included quality, safety, value, environmental friendliness, performance, technological innovation and design.  The survey also showed the factors that consumers consider to be the most important when purchasing a car.

According to this survey, motorists that value reliability and want to avoid calling their road service program should look to Toyota and Honda.  They have shown consistent reliability and consumer satisfaction.  However, it never hurts to have used car warranties to avoid unnecessary repair costs down the road.

It can be quite a challenge to find a handicap-accessible vehicle to suit your needs.  Also, it can be nearly impossible to sort through newspapers and services online.  This is why Rick Shutes started HandicapAutoTrader.com.  He wanted to help people who are disabled find suitable vehicles.

HandicapAutoTrader.com is great for buyers and sellers.  People who want to buy can search available vehicles at no cost, and contact the website’s staff conveniently through email or phone.  Sellers are able to list their cars, with an addition of three images for free.

This website allows consumers to search cars according to the features that they desire.  In addition, you can search by categories, such as model, make, year, etc.  Also convenient is the feature, “Easy Compare Vehicles”.  This lets people compare vehicles side-by-side to get the features and price that they want.

As with any vehicle purchase, it is necessary to do your homework.  Make sure to research vehicles, used car warranties, and auto loans before making any decisions.  This will allow you to get the best deals.

One of the family activities that are the most fun is going on road trips.  Over the spring and summer, American families will go on over 320 trips.  Although enjoyable, frustration can accompany families on the road.  Take note of the following do’s and don’ts in order to ensure that your family has a great trip.

The most important thing that you can do is to get your family vehicle a tune-up.  Your vehicle needs to be in top-notch condition.  Nothing is worse than having your car breakdown, leaving you stranded.  This is why an auto warranty is a necessity.

You should plan ahead so that your family knows what is happening during the trip.  This will alleviate stressful situations and help things to go smoothly. In addition, you might want to purchase software to plan your trip and invest in a GPS.  This advanced technology will act as your guide to your desired destination.

Of course, you never know when you will run into speed bumps throughout your trip.  For example, road construction and traffic are inevitable.  However, your trip doesn’t have to be ruined by these inconveniences.  In addition, you can rest assured if you have used car warranties.

It’s the moment that every motorist dreads, a flat tire.  You don’t know if you ran over glass or hit a nail, but you need to take action.  You may need to call for road service, and then you have to have the tire fixed or do it yourself.  Surprisingly, it isn’t that hard to repair a tire yourself, and you can save the extra expense of having a repair shop do it.  Here’s how.

First, it is necessary to determine the location of the puncture.  You can do this by submerging the tire in water and watching where the bubbles come from.  Before you can patch the tire you must remove any foreign objects stuck in the tire.  You can pull out the object with pliers.  Be sure to pull out the object in the direction of the tread so you don’t do additional damage to the tire.

Now, use a tire reamer and clean out the hole from the inside of the tire.  Center the patch over the puncture to ensure proper sizing.  Take off the patch and coat an awl using cement.  You should run the awl in the hole a few times to make sure the damaged area is coated adequately.  Then, put a coat of vulcanizing cement directly on the patch and tire and let it dry.

Next, apply a layer of cement on the stem of the patch and then pull the stem through.  When the patch stem is all the way through the hole, cut it off.

Now, you are ready to get back out on the road.  With a little diligence you can do a quick tire fix and save yourself a trip to the repair shop.  In addition, make sure to protect yourself by purchasing used car warranties.

Satellite navigation devices, or the popular GPS interfaces that many motorists have in their vehicles, are, partly responsible for a large share of accidents and driving practices that are risky.

With about half of the motorists on the roads having access to devices such as these in their vehicles, it appears that this technology has penetrated the market.  Drivers who have satellite navigation devices are much more likely to be involved in a minor accident or risky behaviors.  In fact, 1.5 million say that they have engaged in sudden maneuvers, and approximately 5 million admit to going against the flow of traffic.

GPS systems fall into the same category as other car distractions, such as cell phones, kids, the radio, or passengers.  This might be one of the reasons that road safety campaigns say that ‘Good Drivers Just Drive’.

Drivers should pre-plan their trips in order to avoid distractions by GPSs.  In addition, drivers should protect themselves by purchasing used car warranties, and avoiding other in car distractions.

The recommended intervals for oil changes have increased a significant amount over the last ten years.  It used to be that oil changes were recommended every 3,000 miles, but now recommendations are for every 8,000 miles.  This is great news for drivers because it means less time at the mechanic and less money spent.  However, there are a few cautionary notes to consider.

First of all, consult your owner’s manual for the “maximum recommended interval”.  Make sure you don’t extend beyond that number because saving $40 on an oil change is not worth having an $800 repair due to sludge buildup.

Second, if your driving type falls under “heavy duty” you will need to change your oil more regularly.  Often, drivers don’t realize that daily stop-and-go commuting falls under this category.  Also, if you use your vehicle for short trips with little highway driving you many need shorter oil changeouts.

Finally, you should use the specific oil type/grade recommended by the carmaker.  Failing to use the right oil type can result in poor car performance, engine damage, and even void the terms of your auto warranty.

Although less frequent oil changes are convenient for consumers, people need to follow these cautionary notes.  After all, you don’t want to ruin an engine because you didn’t add a couple of quarts of Pennzoil.  This is why used car warranties is always a good idea, too.

If a glossy flyer arrives in your mailbox from a car dealership in your area promoting a huge event for pre-owned car sales, beware.  Many of these events have contests, or “bonus” vouchers, which consumers are advised to take advantage of to get thousands of dollars off of the price of a pre-owned car.  One of these flyers came with a key that people were told to take to the sales event to discover if they had won a new vehicle.

“Blow-out” sales, such as these, will use the name of a local dealer, but other companies run them.  Typically, these companies will charge more for the cars than the actual dealership.  And according to investigations by state attorneys, often-deceptive tactics and high-pressure are used to achieve sales.

The state attorney general’s office of Washington announced early this year that they settled with a company such as this.  This company was accused of not disclosing how many cars were available at the price advertised, making financing sound easier than it really is, and misrepresenting the value of the cars being sold by calling them “drastically discounted”.

Consumers should remember that if a car deal sounds to good to be true, it probably is.  It is best to research such things as used cars and used car warranties before you actually go shopping.  This way you will know what prices are reasonable to expect.

It’s familiar to us all.  You’re 10 minutes late, driving to work, and you need to make up for lost time.  So, suddenly you find yourself with a lead foot and you begin multi tasking by catching up on phone calls.  Doesn’t sound very safe, huh?  We all make common driving mistakes, but we need to be aware that these mistakes could leave us calling for road service.

Pushing buttons on your dashboard while driving can be very dangerous.  In fact, car companies find themselves jumping through the hoops of lawyers when they develop consoles equipped with climate gauges, satellite navigation and stereos.  Playing with these devices is the #1 cause of accidents.

In approximately 56% of fatal car crashes, aggressive driving is a factor.  Aggressive driving includes tailgating, speeding, making improper lane changes, and running red lights and stop signs.  Most motorists admit that they make the same mistakes that they hate to see other motorists make.

Mobile devices are a big temptation for everyone on the road, but especially teenagers.  These include cell phones, Blackberries, and iPods.  It is best to place phone calls, text, and set up your music before putting your gear in “drive”.  These simple devices can prove fatal in a car.

We are all guilty of making common driving mistakes, but being aware of them will help us avoid calls for emergency auto assistance.  Safety should be your first concern on the road.  And, make sure to protect yourself with used car warranties.