Latest News From Bumper Radio

What causes your car to overheat? The automotive expert tells you how to avoid having an overheated car, and gives tips on what to have with you incase your vehicle does overheat.

AAA rescued a record-breaking 32 million drivers in 2015

ORLANDO, Fla. (July 20, 2016) – Despite advances in vehicle technology, including maintenance reminders and other dashboard alerts designed to mitigate roadside trouble, AAA rescued a record-breaking 32 million drivers in 2015, with more battery, flat tire and key problems than ever before, a new study shows. Vehicles fewer than five years old in particular experienced a higher proportion of tire and key-related issues than older vehicles, suggesting that the trend toward eliminating the spare tire and moving to electronic keyless ignitions may have unintended consequences.

“Vehicles today are advanced more than ever, yet are still vulnerable to breakdowns,” said Cliff Ruud, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Solutions. “Sleek, low profile tires are highly susceptible to damage, electronic keyless ignitions can zap battery life and despite advanced warning systems, more than half a million drivers ran out of gas last year.”

School is almost back in session and students across the country will soon be packing up their cars and heading off to college. If you are searching for that perfect gift for the college-bound kid in your life, the Car Care Council suggests putting together a roadside emergency kit.

“A roadside kit is easy to assemble, not too expensive and extremely useful, plus it could be a life saver in the event of an emergency,” said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. “While it’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected while on the road, the best option is to avoid breakdowns and car trouble wherever possible. Performing basic maintenance and observing a regular service schedule can help avoid unforeseen road emergencies.”

ORLANDO, Fla. (July 28, 2016) – The most Americans in recent years are heading to national parks in recognition of the U.S. National Park Service’s 100th anniversary on Aug. 25. Visitation to the national parks reached an all-time high in 2015, with more than 307 million visitors, according to the National Park Service, and travelers can expect the parks to remain busy in the year ahead. According to a recent AAA survey, 79 percent of Americans say they are as likely (42 percent) or more likely (37 percent) to visit a national park in the next 12 months, building on the momentum of this year’s centennial celebrations.

“The demand for national parks is off the charts this year, and it’s exciting to see that Americans are poised to take even more national park vacations in the years to come,” said Bryan Shilling, managing director of AAA Travel Products and Services. “In times of global uncertainty, many people are turning to domestic vacations and the wide variety of national parks offer something for every traveler to discover.”

Working electric truck prototype to be unveiled on December 2 in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 1, 2016 -- Nikola (pronounced Neek-oh-la) Motor Company's advanced R&D team has achieved 100% zero emissions on the Nikola One commercial class 8 truck.

"While other companies have recently announced battery-powered semi-trucks, those trucks are restricted to a range of only a couple hundred miles and four to eight hours of charging between stops," said Founder and CEO Trevor Milton.  "Nikola has engineered the holy grail of the trucking industry. We are not aware of any zero emission truck in the world that can haul 80,000 pounds more than 1,000 miles and do it without stopping. The Nikola One requires only 15 minutes of downtime before heading out for the next 1,000 miles." 

Does your car have a spare tire? AAA reports that 1/3 of cars don't have one! Why is it that newer cars do not have spare tires?

Find out what Lauren has to say about this while she is live on The Daily Share on HLN.

Fourth of July travel volume will be highest on record with 43 million Americans traveling, five million more than Memorial Day

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 27, 2016) – AAA projects nearly 43 million Americans will travel this Independence Day weekend. This represents the highest fourth of July travel volume on record and five million more travelers compared to Memorial Day weekend. The holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, June 30 to Monday, July 4.

“Spurred by the lowest gas prices since 2005, more people than ever are planning to travel this Independence Day weekend,” said Marshall Doney, AAA President and CEO. “Whether they’re traveling by car, plane, train, or cruise ship, it will be exciting to see so many Americans celebrating our nation’s freedom with their friends and family over the long holiday weekend.”

U.S. drivers have saved about $20 billion on gasoline so far this year compared to the same period in 2015, which has made travel more affordable than in recent years. A more confident consumer and rising economic activity also are offsetting a cooling labor market to help boost holiday travel.

Pump prices are holding relatively steady and remain at their lowest levels for this time of year since 2005. Today’s price of $2.31 per gallon represents a savings of three cents per gallon on the week and two cents per gallon on the month. Year-over-year drivers continue to benefit from noticeable discounts in the price to refuel their vehicles, and prices are down 47 cents per gallon versus this same date last year.

This year’s summer driving season is likely to set new records for both gasoline demand and vehicle miles traveled, and the latest data from the U.S. EIA shows that gasoline demand is currently at an all-time high. Strong demand can put additional pressure on refineries, and their ability to sustain output and keep gasoline flowing to markets directly impacts the price consumers pay at the pump. However, refineries are reportedly increasing output and gasoline supply has more than kept pace with growing demand. In fact, the refinery utilization rates reached its highest level since April and gasoline inventories posted an increase in the face of these record numbers. Gas prices have fallen for 16 consecutive days, and if the market can remain adequately supplied drivers are likely to continue paying prices unseen for the summer months in more than a decade.

ATLANTA, June 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA today announced pricing for the 2017 smart fortwo cabrio.  Arriving in U.S. dealers this fall, the smart fortwo cabrio will start at just $18,900, launching as the most affordable convertible on the market. A twinamic dual-clutch automatic transmission-equipped smart fortwo cabrio starts at $19,890.*

The introduction of the all-new smart fortwo cabrio represents the most expressive variant of the new model series.  Last offered as a 2015 model, the new smart fortwo cabrio is the only convertible priced under $20,000 available in the United States.  Customers can now park virtually anywhere and navigate narrow or city streets and highways effortlessly, all while enjoying the cabriolet lifestyle at an affordable cost. 
   

If you own a certain Hondas or Acuras, the federal safety regulator is saying "Stop driving your car now!"

Car Expert Lauren Fix, The Car Coach is live as she discusses the seriousness of this recall, the cars under the new NHTSA high-risk airbag.