Goodyear announced last week that it is developing a tire that keeps a cars tires rolling at an optimum level of pressure. This elimantes the need of having to check the tire pressure. It’s a self-regulating tire pressure system!

Goodyear states that improper inflation makes a difference in 3.3 percent of fuel economy. That’s roughly 12 cents per gallon.

Mapquest recently updated their app:

Assuming you have an iPhone or Android, the app is free! I tried it on my iPhone and it works really well. It works for both driving and walking maps. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before Google comes out with something similar.

I made a quick trip to the bank on Friday.  I asked the teller if he had plans for New Year’s.  His response: “of course not!  It’s amateur day – too many drunk drivers.”

It turn’s out he’s correct.  The average number of deaths from alcohol-related crashes on New Year’s Days is almost 150% higher than the average for the same day of the week.  The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported the information.

Aol Autos has article up today about How To Screw Up A Car Thief’s Day.  Surprisingly, tomorrow is the most popular day for thieves to steal a car.  You’d think they’d be sleeping after a hard New Year’s Eve night.  Here’s the Aol tips:

• Park in plain sight (that’s a good idea for general safety too)
• Take your keys
• Don’t hider your keys anywhere within or outside the car
• Use a variety of methods to slow would-be thieves
• Disable your battery if parking long-term
• Sign valuable parts (VIN number throughout your car)

There’s plenty of reasons to get a good nights sleep.   Here’s an important one:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities.

Webmd: Chronic Sleep Deprivation and Health Effects

The Cars Blog on ConsumerReports.org has an excellent video and article on How to stop a runaway car: Don’t pump the brakes.

The video, with Jake Fisher driving a Toyota Venza and a Volkswagen Jetta, simulates what happens when a car has sudden runaway acceleration. Mr. Fisher mentions some “do’s and don’ts”:

Don’t:

1) Don’t pump your brakes. This will cause your power brakes to go out.

2) Don’t try to turn off your car. You risk locking up your steering wheel.

Do:

1) Put your foot on the brake hard, and continue pressing it.

2) Put your car in neutral

3) Once stopped, turn off your car.

Mr. Fisher also recommends first trying the braking procedure in an empty parking lot or other safe location. The Volkswagen Jetta is interesting because it can actually override the gas pedal.

Here’s the video:

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is reminding Oklahomans of our seat belt laws:

“Oklahoma Highway Patrol has a ‘no tolerance’ policy for seat belt and
child restraint violations and we do not issue warnings. Every operator
and front seat passenger along with anyone under the age of 13, is
required to be in a safety seat belt system,” said Captain Chris West,
Department of Public Safety spokesperson.