One of the busiest times of year for driving is during the winter months of November and December when people hit the roads to visit family and friends for the holidays. That being said, here are 10 tips to keep in mind for safer driving:

1. Get Plenty of Sleep: If you’re leaving early the next morning, make sure you’re packed two days in advance, this way you can get to bed early the night before!
2. Bring Snacks: The less stops along the way will not only save you gas; it will save you time as well.
3. Leave with a Full Tank of Gas: Always start your trips off with a full tank. If you don’t quite have a full tank of gas, still make sure that you top it off.
4. Get Your Vehicle Inspected: Before any major trip, always make sure that your vehicle inspection is up to date. This includes major as well as minor things such as making sure the tire pressure is ok as well as having the oil changed.
5. Pack an Emergency Kit: Every car should have a first aid kit.
6. Bring Cell Phone Charger & List of Numbers: In this day and age, don’t leave home without your cell phone. It comes in handy should you be stuck in traffic or have a major emergency. However, technology is still flawed, so bring a hardcopy of any important numbers in case (god forbid) you have to use a pay phone.
7. Carry Spare Change: If you know that you’re going to be traveling on major highways, it’s always a good idea to carry spare change just in case. This is also true for unexpected payphone use
8. Don’t Stop for Anyone: If you don’t know them, don’t stop for them. Safety first.
9. Avoid Using Your Cell Phone While Driving: Most accidents these days are caused by people who don’t pay attention while driving because they are on their cell phones. If you’re traveling, let others know this way it’ll cut down on phone use. Try to use the phone only when you stop for gas or in case of an emergency. Additionally, know the laws for cell phone usage as it pertains to the state(s) you’ll be driving through. Some states, like NY, ban cell phone use unless you have a hands-free device.
10. Carry a Map: This goes without saying. Even if you have a GPS system, it’s always better to have a paper map as a backup in case something happens.

For more information about how to rent a car during the Thanksgiving or Christmas seasons, contact Triangle Rent a Car today!

Tags: General Auto by Janelle - 1 Comment »

With the holiday season coming up, there will, no doubt, be a lot of people traveling to see family and friends. With that being said, there will also be a lot of people heading to the nearest rental car agency so that they can get the best deal for their money. After all, why put those extra miles on your own vehicle? So, here are five car rental myths to keep in mind:

1. Ditch the Collision Coverage: Regardless of what you think collision coverage benefits you more than it benefits the rental company. How? For a small, additional cost you’ll be protected against any type of accident versus paying the deductible on your insurance for the same repair which could actually end up costing you more especially if the car ends up in the shop.
2. Renting on the Weekend is Better: Not true! For instance, Triangle Rent A Car offers competitive, reasonable rental rates all the time and not just on the weekend. In addition we have other opportunities for savings depend on your particular needs or group rentals.
3. Taxes are the Fault of the Rental Car Company: State and local government agencies (like airports) basically have found a great way to generate revenue by mandating taxes on car rental bills. These taxes ultimately generate funds for airport improvements or to subsidize projects that the renters may never get to enjoy.
4. Flexibility in Returning Your Car: Rental clocks are 24 hour clocks so it’s best to return the car on time or early. You will actually get charged for time beyond the determined time that was established at the beginning of the rental period.
5. Anyone Can Drive: If you let someone who’s not included in the rental contract drive the vehicle and something happens then you’re in danger of voiding the rental contract.

For more information about how to rent a car during the Thanksgiving or Christmas seasons, contact Triangle Rent a Car today!

Tags: General Auto, auto rental by Janelle - No Comments »

Slow you down, slow you down.

Well the school year is upon us, and one of the great fringe benefits comes to us in a yellow, lumbering, sometimes irritating form. No, not Homer Simpson: School buses! For those of you who have been caught behind one of these things, then you know the internal (and sometimes external) screams of desperation they can elicit. If you ever find yourself caught behind a bus on a back road, just do yourself a favor and pull off the road, find a radio station you like, and wait 15 minutes before hitting the street again.

For all their lethargy, it certainly could be worse. Buses may be slow, but imagine the traffic that would be created if every parent drove their kid to school? The Wake County Public School System has a web page devoted solely to buses. They claim that:

Throughout the nation, traveling by school bus has been proven to be one of the safest forms of transportation available. A recent report, entitled “The Relative Risks of School Travel: A National Perspective and Guidance for Local Community Risk Assessment”, which was released by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies for Science (NAS) on June 18, 2002, says, in summary, that children are at far more risk traveling to and from school in private passenger vehicles - especially if a teen-age driver is involved - than in school buses. The report also indicates that bicycling and walking also place students at greater risk than traveling by school bus.

Just remember the next time you find yourself behind a bus…it could be worse.

For more information on car, truck and van rental in the Southeast United States, visit Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: General Auto by Christopher - No Comments »

The Hummer, the GM brand of mega-car that gets 9-14 mpg, may soon become extinct. The vehicle has had a love/hate relationship with the public since its debut in the early 1990s, with owners citing its size and power as a reason to own and environmentalists labeling its fuel economy as pure wastefulness. But surging fuel prices over the past few years have prompted General Motors to close four truck and SUV plants in North America, and the automaker may discontinue the Hummer to focus more on smaller vehicles. CEO Rick Wagoner announced this change in June in response to the falling sales of pickup trucks and SUVs due to high oil prices. He also said a market shift to smaller vehicles is likely to be permanent.

Everything indicates that Wagoner’s statement is true. Hummer’s overall sales are down about 40% this year as gas prices have topped $4 a gallon at times. There were rumors that Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, India’s top utility vehicle maker would consider buying the brand, but it turns out that they are not interested, supposedly because they are pursuing their own models which will include a line-up of eco-friendly vehicles. Other worldwide companies, Russian Motors and the Chinese Changfeng Motor Company had also held preliminary talks with GM about acquiring the brand, but also ended up saying no. The Chinese company said that the vehicle was too expensive for their military, and wouldn’t do well with civilians due to the high oil prices.

The only thing for sure is that selling the Hummer will be tough. Drivers more and more are leaning towards more fuel-efficient vehicles, and the Hummer is even less practical today than it was ten years ago during the era of cheap gas prices.

For more information about car rental in Atlanta, contact Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: Auto News, General Auto by Melissa - No Comments »

The cost of teen driving is astronomical in all aspects. A recent report by AAA says that car accidents involving drivers aged 15-17 cost more than $34 billion in medical expenses, property damage, and related costs in 2006. Of that $34 billion, $9.8 billion was related to fatal crashes, and $20.5 billion had to do with non-fatal crashes. The same study found that this age group was involved in approximately 974,000 crashes that injured over 406,400 people and killed 2,541. Also, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention claims that motor vehicle deaths are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, making up 36% of all deaths for this age group.

So what can we do about the problem? Most driver’s education programs aren’t comprehensive enough to fully educate teens about the dangers of driving. But the Mid-Ohio School in Lexington, Ohio, has offered an intense Honda Teen Defensive Driving Program for over fifteen years. Teens are taught how to avoid accidents by practicing emergency driving situations like wet braking techniques and emergency lane-changes in a controlled environment. If you don’t live in Ohio, Tire Rack’s Street Survival program takes place in 50 cities and is open to permitted and licensed drivers ages 16 to 21. The program teaches teens how to become more aware of traffic problems and to better anticipate other driver’s actions.

Car insurance companies have also begun trying to make driving safer for teens. State Farm offers a program that requires drivers under 19 to sign a parent-teen driving contract, and people over 19 to sign a safe-driving pledge. AAA also offers parent-teen driving contracts and supports a graduated driver licensing (GDL) system where teens begin driving under a three-stage system. This will hopefully continue being a significant method of reducing injuries and deaths from driving. A study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety showed that the GDL system in California has led to a 23% overall reduction in the crash-involvement rate of 16-year-old drivers, and a 38% decrease in crash rates with teenage passengers. These statistics are encouraging and are more support for the idea that GDL systems are effective.

For more information about car rental in Atlanta, contact Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: Auto News, General Auto by Melissa - No Comments »

We’ve all been in horrible traffic on the highway where you’re completely stopped for awhile, can take your foot off the brake to travel 10-15 mph for a few yards, and then totally stop again. Personally, I’ve always wondered why it is indeed “stop-and-go” traffic instead of everyone just moving along at a constant, average speed.

A man named William Beaty in Seattle had the same thoughts, and did an experiment when driving in stop-and-go traffic one day. He began hitting the usual “waves” of stopped traffic, and instead of filing in line with the other cars only to stop a short distance ahead, he decided to hang back and move at the average speed of traffic. He left a huge gap in front of his car and arrived at the next clump of stopped cars as the brakelights were being turned off. Beaty kept up this behavior for about thirty minutes, continuing to leave a large space in front of him and driving at a constant speed.

As he looked in the rearview mirror, he was shocked to see that in the lane behind him for miles, there was a total uniform distribution of the cars. However, in the lanes beside him, there were the usual stop-and-go waves of cars. Everyone ahead of him was also caught in the stop/go cycle, but behind him cars were able to drive at a smooth 30-35 mph. By driving at the average speed of the traffic around him, he had erased miles of stop-and-go traffic.

The next time you’re driving in heavy traffic, remember Beaty’s actions, and apply them to your own driving. According to him, traffic patterns are in our own hands.

A single solitary driver, if they stop “competing” and instead adopt some unusual driving habits, can actually wipe away some of the frustrating traffic patterns on the highway.

For more information about car rental in Atlanta, contact Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: General Auto, travel by Melissa - 2 Comments »

Roundabouts. Why are these calming traffic circles so scary and unfamiliar to some people when in reality, they are statistically much safer than traditional intersections? The answer probably lies in the fact that up until the last few years, roundabouts have been a relatively scarce occurrence in most parts of the U.S. However, in North Carolina alone, over 60 roundabouts have been built in the past decade, and the DOT state congestion management engineer says the state could see 600 more in the next ten years. With similar projects being launched in states all over the country, drivers would be wise to familiarize themselves with the rules of roundabouts.

A roundabout is a kind of road junction where traffic flows one way around a central island. Drivers entering the circle must yield to drivers already in the circle, and speeds are slow, around 25 mph or less depending on the size of the roundabout. Different-sized roundabouts can be used on different types of roads; freeway interchanges, T-intersections, and four-way or multi-leg intersections are great places for roundabouts.

How safe are roundabouts? A study of a sampling of roundabouts in the U.S. found that compared to the intersections they replaced, roundabouts resulted in 40% fewer vehicle collisions, 80% fewer injuries and 90% fewer serious injuries and fatalities. Additionally, roundabouts are cheaper to build than intersections with traffic lights, they require almost no maintenance, there is no threat from power outages, and trees, fountains, or statues can be placed in the central island. Another obvious added benefit of roundabouts is that there’s less time wasted waiting for green lights, and as a result, less gasoline is used which puts less pollution into the air. So the next time you’re driving throughout the southeast and you encounter a roundabout, proceed slowly, yield to cars already in the circle, and be thankful for the time and gas you’re saving.

For more information about car rental in Atlanta, contact Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: General Auto, travel by Melissa - No Comments »

Though gas prices where I live in Raleigh have dropped almost 40 cents over the past month, the era of higher prices is most likely here to stay. Nevertheless, there are numerous things drivers can do to save gas and maximize their miles per gallon. Two of the biggest changes drivers can make relate to how they drive: traveling at lower (or the posted) speeds, and accelerating and braking smoother.

Driving on the interstate can often be a harrowing experience, but I’ve actually noticed less of a frenzied pace on I-40 than I used to. Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think more and more drivers are realizing that reducing their speed just a little can translate into big savings at the pump. According to a CNN Money article, gas mileage for most cars decreases exponentially over 60 mph. For every 10 mph faster, fuel economy is reduced by 4 mpg. So if your SUV only gets 24 mpg on the highway to begin with, remember that it could be as little as 20 mpg if you’re going 70 or higher.

Aggressive driving, like accelerating and braking faster than necessary, can also waste gas and money. If your light turns green, but you see the light a block away is red, why peel away only to have to slow down again? Fueleconomy.gov reports that aggressive driving can lower your gas mileage by about 5% around town; a Consumer Reports study said that starting and stopping rapidly lowered a Toyota Camry’s mileage by 2-3 mpg. While you don’t need to crawl away from traffic lights or stop signs, a smart move would be to look down the road to anticipate potential slowdowns. So whether you’re driving around town or taking a road trip, there are actions you can take to squeeze more miles out of your gas tank. Driving a little slower and less aggressively will go a long way.

For more information about car rental in Atlanta, contact Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: Auto News, General Auto, travel by Melissa - 2 Comments »

The next time a car near you doesn’t seem to be able to stay in their lane, you may want to glance over and make sure both of their hands are on the wheel instead of on their cell phone or Blackberry. The newest distraction to hit the roadways isn’t simply talking on the phone while driving, but text messaging.

I hope you’re thinking, “text messaging? But that takes two hands!” However, a recent study by FindLaw.com shows that texting while driving may be more common than you’d think. The survey found that 48% of drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 and over a quarter of drivers 25 to 34 admitted to texting or emailing while behind the wheel. Interestingly, texting while driving correlates to age; older individuals are less likely to text while driving than younger, more tech-savvy people. And since some states have enacted bans against speaking on cell phones, people may turn to texting because it is still legal in most places, though possibly more dangerous since it usually involves two hands. However, that may change soon. Four states - Minnesota, Alaska, New Jersey, and Washington - have already banned texting while driving, and legislation is under consideration in thirteen more states.

Whether or not text messaging while driving is legal in your state or not, it’s one of the most distracting things someone can do while driving and has been the cause of several crashes and deaths around the country. Even though it only takes a few seconds to type out a message, seconds are precious time while behind the wheel of a car. So the next time you get a text or email while driving, remember that the possible consequences of responding right away far outweigh the consequences of waiting until you’re in a safer situation to respond.

For more information about car rental in Atlanta, contact Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: Auto News, General Auto by Melissa - No Comments »

How many miles-per-gallon does your vehicle get? If your answer was “not enough,” try to be patient - U.S. and foreign automakers will, over the next decade, be required to make more fuel-efficient vehicles. For the first time since 1975, Congress has passed a law requiring a change in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). The nation’s fleet of cars and trucks today are required to average 25 mpg, but by 2015 that standard will be raised to 31.6 mpg with an ultimate goal of 35 mpg by 2020, a 40% increase over the next 12 years.

While 2020 might seem like a long way off in today’s world of high gas prices, the auto industry has a lot of work cut out for them. Only 2 cars today average 35 mpg - the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid. Others, like the Honda Civic, Honda Fit, Toyota Camry Hybrid, and Toyota Yaris come close, but American car companies in particular will have to get their concepts out of the auto shows and onto the roads.

These changes in fuel-efficiency standards will cut our demand on foreign oil, and also reduce the amount of harmful carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. How much will the new law save? Estimates say that the new standards should save 55 billion gallons of oil over the life of new vehicles built between 2011 and 2015. Carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 192 million metric tons per year, which is the same as removing 27 million cars from the road. Drivers will save $700-$1,000 per year in gas costs, and oil demand will decrease by 1.1 million barrels a day when the new cars and trucks are on the road.

So if you’re stuck with an SUV that gets 15 mpg, at least take heart knowing that in about 10 years, there will be plenty of other, more fuel-efficient options to choose from.

For more information about car rental in Atlanta, contact Triangle Rent A Car today!

Tags: Auto News, General Auto by Melissa - No Comments »