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WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 30, 2018) –More than 1,050 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2016 during the 100 Deadliest Days, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That is an average of 10 people per day – a 14 percent increase compared to the rest of the year, according to data analyzed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. As school lets out for summer, AAA stresses the importance of preparing and educating inexperienced teen drivers for some of the most dangerous driving days of the year.

“The number of fatal crashes involving teen drivers during the summer is an important traffic safety concern and research shows that young drivers are at greater risk and have higher crash rates compared to older and more experienced drivers,” said Dr. David Yang, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety executive director. “Through education, proper training, and involvement of parents, we can help our young drivers to become better and safer drivers, which in turn keeps the roads safer for everyone.”

Speed and nighttime driving are significant factors contributing towards the number of crashes, and subsequently fatalities, involving teen drivers during the 100 Deadliest Days (statistics based on 2016 NHTSA FARS data as analyzed by the AAA Foundation):

Let's ask The Car Coach, Lauren Fix about some easy hacks to keep your car from getting too hot when it's parked outside in the sun all day.

Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge Selects Winner from 1,300 Submissions in Nationwide PSA Competition

SILVER SPRING, Md., May 22, 2018 -- To educate their peers on the dangers of distracted driving, high school seniors Kirklin "Mack" Hopkins (17) and Kellen Stadler (18) of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, North Carolina, send a clear message: A single second can have life-long consequences. Their poignant video, titled "It's Not Fine," is the winner of the Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, a national driver safety public service announcement competition, using the tools of storytelling to get through to young drivers.

More than 1,300 videos were submitted to the competition by students to help inspire safe driving habits and spark a national conversation about staying safe behind the wheel.

"It's Not Fine delivers a direct and powerful narrative that highlights the dangers of distracted driving and the ability of teens to encourage safe driving behavior," said Mike Goss, general manager at Toyota Social Innovation.

The video opens with Sarah riding in the vehicle as her older sister Ellie texts and drives. Sarah says, "Mom said not to." Ellie says, "It's fine. I do it all the time. It's only for a second." The video cuts to years later, with Sarah now old enough to drive and behind the wheel. Believing "it's fine" to text and drive, Sarah follows her sister's example, with devastating consequences.

"The driver-safety video by Mack and Kellen is professional, resolute and a great example of how teens can influence their peers and others," said Dr. Tracey Harrill, principal at Providence High School. "We are very proud of their work to communicate that 'it's not fine' to text and drive."

Leading Warranty, Low Deductible and Transferability Give Hyundai the Highest CPO Value

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., May 22, 2018 -- Hyundai was named the Best Non-Luxury Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Program by Autotrader for 2018, helping customers to make reliable choices when selecting a certified pre-owned vehicle. Experts at Autotrader recognized Hyundai CPO vehicles as the top choice for used car shoppers, noting its leading manufacturer warranty coverage, low deductible and transferability.

"If you're shopping for a mainstream vehicle, look at Hyundai, it has one of the best warranties in the entire automotive industry," said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader. "When you combine the new-car 5-year/60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper comprehensive warranty, powertrain coverage of 10 years/100,000 miles, which is better than a new-car purchase and unlimited mileage roadside assistance, Hyundai is truly offering an unprecedented value. In addition, the coverage is fully transferable to subsequent owners, which will add value to the vehicle if an owner does sell before the warranty expires."

For 2018, the 10 Best Non-Luxury and Luxury CPO Programs were identified based on a series of factors, including powertrain warranty length (with a minimum of six years or 100,000 miles of coverage from the original sale date), available inventory, bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, deductible amount and transferability to future vehicle owners.

Gas prices jumped 12 cents over the past 14 days, and six-cents since last Monday, landing the national average at $2.93 – the highest price point going into the Memorial Day weekend since 2014.

“AAA forecasts nearly 37 million travelers will hit the road for the holiday weekend. Compared to an average of the last three Memorial Day weekends, pump prices are nearly 50 cents more expensive and climbing,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “Trends are indicating that this summer is likely to bring the national average to at least $3/gallon.”

Today, 14 states tout an average of $3.00 or more. Outside of the typical West Coast states, Idaho and Utah, this count includes six Northeast and Mid-West states: Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, Washington, D.C., Illinois and Michigan. In addition, Arizona, New Jersey, and Rhode Island are all within four-cents of hitting the $3 mark.

Quick Stats

The largest monthly increases are: Minnesota (+28 cents), Wisconsin (+27 cents), Missouri (+25 cents), Connecticut (+23 cents), Delaware (+23 cents), Illinois (+23 cents), Wyoming (+22 cents), Kansas (+22 cents), Arizona (+21 cents) and Texas (+21 cents).

The nation’s topten most expensive markets are: California ($3.71), Hawaii ($3.68), Washington ($3.41), Alaska ($3.36), Nevada ($3.32), Oregon ($3.31), Idaho ($3.16), Utah ($3.14), Connecticut ($3.11) and Pennsylvania ($3.08).

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 22, 2018) – Following high-profile incidents involving autonomous vehicle technologies, a new report from AAA’s multi-year tracking study indicates that consumer trust in these vehicles has quickly eroded. Today, three-quarters (73 percent) of American drivers report they would be too afraid to ride in a fully self-driving vehicle, up significantly from 63 percent in late 2017. Additionally, two-thirds (63 percent) of U.S. adults report they would actually feel less safe sharing the road with a self-driving vehicle while walking or riding a bicycle.

“Despite their potential to make our roads safer in the long run, consumers have high expectations for safety,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of Automotive Engineering and Industry Relations. “Our results show that any incident involving an autonomous vehicle is likely to shake consumer trust, which is a critical component to the widespread acceptance of autonomous vehicles.”

Surprisingly, AAA’s latest survey found that Millennials – the group that has been the quickest to embrace automated vehicle technologies — were the most impacted by these incidents. The percentage of Millennial drivers too afraid to ride in a fully self-driving vehicle has jumped from 49 percent to 64 percent since late 2017, representing the largest increase of any generation surveyed.

At $2.87, the national gas price average jumped six cents on the week in part due to the White House’s decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran. As a result, 36 states are seeing gas prices that are a nickel or more expensive than last Monday.

“The Administration’s move combined with the switchover to summer blend, growing global demand and shrinking supply continues to fuel pump prices as we approach the summer driving season,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “AAA predicts that the national average may reach $3/gallon this summer, especially if crude oil prices continue to increase.”

Motorists are seeing 19 percent of gas stations selling gas for $3.01 or more. Today’s gas price is 16-cents more expensive than one month ago and 53-cents more than one year ago.

Quick Stats

The nation’s top 10 most expensive markets are: California ($3.69), Hawaii ($3.67), Washington ($3.38), Alaska ($3.31), Nevada ($3.30), Oregon ($3.28), Utah ($3.15), Idaho ($3.14), Connecticut ($3.04) and Pennsylvania ($3.04).
The nation’s top 10 states with the largest weekly increases are: Ohio (+15 cents), Missouri (+12 cents), Kentucky (+11 cents), Minnesota (+11 cents), Delaware (+10 cents), Florida (+10 cents), Colorado (+9 cents), Maryland (+8 cents), Oklahoma (+8 cents) and West Virginia (+8 cents).

INRIX predicts travel delays could be up to three times longer than normal over the holiday week

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 14, 2018) – Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and Americans will kick off the season by traveling in near-record numbers. According to AAA, more than 41.5 million Americans will travel this Memorial Day weekend, nearly 5 percent more than last year and the most in more than a dozen years. With nearly 2 million additional people taking to planes, trains, automobiles and other modes of transportation, INRIX, a global transportation analytics company, expects travel delays on major roads could be up to three times longer than normal, with the busiest days being Thursday and Friday (May 24-25) as commuters mix with holiday travelers.

“The highest gas prices since 2014 won’t keep travelers home this Memorial Day weekend,” said Bill Sutherland, senior vice president, AAA Travel and Publishing. “A strong economy and growing consumer confidence are giving Americans all the motivation they need to kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season with a Memorial Day getaway.”

What do you need to be aware of as we enter the summer season? Lauren Fix, The Car Coach® joins The Weather Channel with some easy hacks to help prevent your car from getting too hot in the sun.

H & I Automotive in Mesa and Gilbert would like to invite you to help them make a difference by visiting them Monday through Thursday of next week and mentioning this post for Red Nose Day.

Red Nose Day is Thursday May 24th. Every customer that comes in and mentions this post will receive $10 off their service and H & I Automotive will donate $10 to Comic Relief.

For more information on Red Nose Day, click here.

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