• Bay State to Allow Surcharge Appeals for Recalled Vehicles
• What are 'Move Over' Laws?
• AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Follow Example of Astronauts
• Pushing for a Primary Seatbelt Law
• Why Car Repair Costs Can Vary from One Shop to Another
• Talking Traffic Safety
• Take Care of Your Car Inside and Out
• Musical Duo Has Kids Singing Seatbelt Safety

Archived Auto & Traffic Safety Stories Driving Software Given to Libraries What is a Battery Tender? Staying Safe When You Break Down AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Teach Kids To Be Safe Road Users Learn to Talk Tech Before You Take Your Car in for Repairs Talking Traffic Safety at the State House A Mother's Story: How Seat Belts Saved Our Lives Simulator Show Value of Seatbelts Auto Techs Seek the 'Right to Repair' Low Awareness of Danger of Mixing Driving & Meds Winter Battery Worries Be Gone 9 Ways to Prolong Your Battery Life Choose the Perfect Car Seat To Keep Your Child Safe Transportation Secretary Charts the Future of America's Highways Fuels of the Future: Q&A with Ford Energy Expert Booster-Seat Law Revised What Teens & Parents Should Know Before Driver's Ed Web Site for Seniors Plates for Preservation Checklist for Used-Car Buyers AAA's Top Picks for New Vehicle Features

Driving habits have the most impact on fuel economy.

 One of the most common questions I hear is, “Can I do anything to get better gas mileage out of my car?” Whether you drive a hybrid, a Hummer or anything in between, there are some things you can do to improve fuel economy.
 Start with maintenance. If you’re driving with a “check engine” light on, you’re wasting gas. Computers monitor the car’s engine system and signal a malfunction by turning on this light.
 Still, don’t assume the car is perfect because the light is off. You need to follow a maintenance schedule. Change spark plugs and filters. An out-of-tune engine could lose up to 5 percent of its fuel efficiency. A faulty coolant or oxygen sensor could easily reduce fuel economy by 25 percent.
 Something as simple as tire pressure can affect mileage. Properly inflated tires are safer, allow for better handling, last longer, and can improve your gas mileage by 3.3 percent, according to the EPA. Check tire pressure at least monthly. Find the correct pressure in your owner’s manual or on the driver’s door placard.
 In my cars, I switched to synthetic oil to take advantage of its superior lubricating properties and noted a slight fuel economy benefit. Whether or not you go synthetic, use the correct oil specified for your engine. Studies show you can improve gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. Using the wrong one can lower your gas mileage by up to 2 percent.
 Weight is the enemy of fuel economy: Don’t use your car as a storage locker. Each season, remove unnecessary items. A large cargo box is handy for carrying extras for the family vacation but can reduce fuel economy by up to 20 percent.
 All these tips can help you maximize your fuel economy, but how you drive can make the biggest impact. The old adage of “drive like there is a raw egg between your foot and the gas and brake pedals” still holds true.
 Going easy on the pedals — avoiding “jack-rabbit” starts and hard braking — is the single biggest thing you can do to not waste gas. To get your car up to speed requires energy; any time you brake quickly, you are wasting that energy. Focus your attention down the road to anticipate changing traffic conditions.
 On the highway, cars tend to be most efficient between 55 and 65 miles per hour. Stay at the speed limit: Driving faster doesn’t just increase your chance of getting a ticket, but it also wastes gas.
 When your car idles, it gets zero miles per gallon. Skip the long line at the drive through, park and get out — the exercise will do you good. When stuck in traffic for extended periods, consider shutting the car off; it works for hybrids.
 Don’t buy premium fuel unless your car requires it. It will not make your car run better and will just cost you more.
 When planning trips, think of your car on a bus route going logically from one stop to the next. If you have more than one vehicle, use the one the gets better fuel economy to run errands.
 Finally, if possible, don’t drive. Carpooling can have a dramatic effect on your yearly fuel bill. And if you can walk, ride a bike or take public transportation, you might get a little healthier, too.



Things That Don’t Work

 Tailgate up/tailgate down. Some believe driving a pickup truck with the tailgate down will increase fuel economy. In wind-tunnel and real-world testing, this actually reduces fuel economy.
 Fuel-saver devices. All the studies I have seen show add-on gadgets and gizmos do nothing to improve fuel economy. In fact, some of these devices and additives can reduce fuel economy and damage your car.
 Buy gas in the morning when it is cooler. The theory: Cooler gasoline is denser, so you get more gas for the money. Since gas is underground in insulated storage tanks, the temperature varies little based on time of the day.
 Drive with the air conditioner on or the windows open? Your best fuel economy will come with the air conditioner off. But, there is only a slight difference in real-world numbers — not enough to be uncomfortable on a hot day.

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 Massachusetts insurance regulators will allow some Toyota drivers who were involved in accidents linked to unintended acceleration to appeal insurance surcharges assessed by their carriers.
 The move follows Toyota’s decision to recall 4.2 million vehicles with potentially dangerous gas pedal mechanisms.
 Any driver who has unsuccessfully appealed their surcharge can request to have a re-hearing, if they were driving a vehicle subject to the recall. Appeals are also allowed for drivers who have been determined to be at-fault by their insurer but did not appeal that decision to the state.
 Request for rehearings must be filed by April 1.
 Hearings will be limited to issues involving unintended acceleration. Drivers will be required to demonstrate that the vehicle involved in the accident is one of the models and types recalled by Toyota and that the accident was related to the acceleration problem outlined in the recall notice.
 While the recent recall was issued by Toyota, it covers several Lexus models as well the Pontiac Vibe.

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 If “Move Over” laws exist in most states, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, but awareness still remains low. In a national poll, 71 percent of Americans said they have not heard of these laws.
 What are they? “Move Over” laws require motorists to change lanes and/or slow down when approaching emergency vehicles such as police cars, fire trucks and ambulances — or roadside assistance vehicles such as tow trucks — that are stopped on the side of the road with their lights flashing. This practice provides the margin of safety these responders need to do their jobs.
 Workers and vehicle occupants are vulnerable while stopped on the roadside. ResponderSafety.com reports an average of two emergency responders are struck each day.
 Laws vary from state to state, but here are some general answers to key questions to help keep you and roadside workers safe.
 What should I do if I see an emergency vehicle stopped on the side of the road with lights flashing? First, slow down so you can assess the situation. If you’re on a multi-lane highway and it’s safe to do so, move over by changing lanes away from the emergency vehicle. Leave at least one vacant lane between you and the emergency vehicle to provide a safe zone for vehicles or workers performing their jobs in the area.
 What should I do if I’m unable to safely change lanes away from the emergency vehicle or I’m on a two-lane road? You should slow down to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit and approach with caution.
 If I cannot change lanes safely, should I stop my vehicle in the roadway? No, you should slow down while maintaining a safe speed. Do not stop in the roadway or block the flow of traffic unless directed to do so by emergency personnel.
 How can I avoid becoming involved in a crash when traffic slows? The single most important thing you can do to protect yourself and others is to pay attention behind the wheel. By scanning the roadway for incidents that lie ahead of you and being aware of activities of vehicles around you, you will be able to anticipate problems and react safely.

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J. Peter Kissinger President and CEO

 If you ever read an account of the early space program, you’ll learn that one of the highest priorities for the first astronauts was having a window in their capsules.
 They faced a tough fight over this: Rocket scientists designing early spacecraft didn’t see the need, especially since windows would be an expensive design feature that would push tight budgets up. Besides, they argued, the astronauts would have ample information from the control panels in front of them.
 But the seven Mercury astronauts stood firm. All experienced pilots, they understood the importance of seeing and interacting with the environment outside their vehicles, and they knew — from experience and instinct — that even the best control panels cannot provide all the information a pilot might need.
 They also knew that good pilots never allow themselves to become passive observers. That meant they must have a view of the outside to remain fully engaged in the operation of their spacecraft.
 They got their windows, and their persistence paid off. Time and again, astronauts using visual input have helped missions return home safely.
Unfortunately, too many drivers are missing the lesson the astronauts knew so well. With video screens that provide feedback around and behind cars, warning signals and proximity sensors, advanced cruise control and other features, some people are letting their vehicles “drive themselves,” rather than remaining engaged in the task of driving.
 Some technologies give the illusion of being in control, when, in fact, they’re actually distracting from the task of driving safely.
 Programming navigational devices, setting climate controls or even adjusting seats can seem like part of the driving experience, but they’re really tasks that should take place before you get on the road.
 Other technologies in today’s cars make it particularly tempting to pay attention to the control panel, rather than the road.
 Aside from the distraction that radios, CD players and phones cause, some cars now feature DVD players, Internet connections and audio-visual interfaces where users can read restaurant reviews, find movie times and gather other non-driving information.
 Many of these technologies are helpful and convenient. But, learning to use them appropriately is critical to safe driving. Following the astronauts’ lead can offer some great advice:
 • Set your systems in advance — Just as no space launch takes off without careful adjustment of all controls, drivers should set their in-car controls, such as mirrors, seats, steering wheel, environmental settings, music and other options, before you start your trip.
 • File your flight plan ahead of time — Pilots plan their trips in advance, marking their maps and setting their controls before they set out. Drivers should use the same approach with their trip-planning and GPS settings.
 • Use your crew — Pilots flying spacecraft (and planes) rely on others around them to handle non-essential tasks, such as climate settings, navigation and communication. Drivers should do the same, having passengers take on those tasks.
 • Focus on your mission — Whether you’re flying to the moon or driving to the grocery store, your primary responsibility as a driver is conducting your vehicle from Point A to Point B safely. Make that your top priority and leave everything else — including entertainment, food and talking on the phone — to another time.
 • Use your windows — Take a lesson from the astronauts and look out your windows. Keep your eyes and head moving as your drive, so you can scan everything around you and anticipate conditions.
 • Don’t “space out” — Keep yourself engaged with driving and don’t allow yourself to become “hypnotized” by the road, especially on long, boring trips.  If the astronauts can stay focused all the way to the moon, you can remain alert on the turnpike. Take breaks and pull off to a safe spot to rest for a few minutes when you feel your attention flagging.
 Following the astronauts’ example of safety and focus is a good way to help make your driving safer. Staying engaged and focusing on the task of driving can help make your next trip safer.
 For other “out of this world” advice, visit www.aaafoundation.org.

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Wearing a seatbelt is the best protection for car occupants.

 It’s time for more Rhode Islanders to buckle up, and enacting a primary-seatbelt law in the Ocean State could spur drivers to do so.
That’s the message AAA is sending state legislators as it pushes this session for legislation that governs all drivers.
 “The time has come: 31 states across the nation have passed primary-seatbelt legislation, and critical mass has been achieved,” said Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England’s Senior Vice President of Public and Government Affairs.
 While state law requires all drivers to wear seatbelts all the time, enforcement as a primary offense – where police can stop drivers who aren’t wearing their seatbelts and cite them – affects only junior operators, those under age 18.
 In Rhode Island, drivers 18 and older can be cited for failure to wear a seatbelt as a secondary offense, when they are stopped for another reason and an officer finds they’re not wearing their seatbelts.
 AAA has sent a fact sheet of information on the state’s seatbelt-use rate to state lawmakers. AAA representatives plan to meet with them to show how primary-seatbelt laws can save lives and money and to advocate for swift passage of the law.
 In Rhode Island, statistics show seatbelt-usage remains consistently lower than the national average, at 74.7 percent compared with 84 percent in 2009, Mr. Albert said.
 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates belt usage would increase by about 10 to 12 percentage points if Rhode Island were to pass a primary-seatbelt law.
 In addition to increasing use, Mr. Albert said having a primary-seatbelt law could result in:
 • Three lives saved each year;
 • 86 serious injuries prevented annually; and
 • $21 million in catastrophic-injury costs saved.
 In 2000, crashes in Rhode Island cost $767 million, or about $732 per resident, according to statistics provided by Mr. Albert.
 “The research, science and data so overwhelmingly point to the fact that’s conclusive, that seatbelts save lives and mitigate cost to society,” he said.
 Traditionally, people have opposed a seatbelt law, saying it violates their personal freedom or could lead to racial profiling.
 Yet minorities are among those most at risk, he said. And despite improvements in cockpit design, an occupant’s best protection in a crash is the seatbelt that’s in use.
 “People who don’t use belts are hoping they’ll survive without it,” said John Paul, AAA’s Traffic Safety Manager. “They don’t think they’re going to get into a crash. But relying on airbags or hoping you’re not going to get into a crash is not going to help: Airbags, head-restraint systems and other measures all rely upon the seatbelt system to keep you in your seat.”
 According to AAA’s most recent Public Affairs survey of Rhode Island members, the public pendulum has swung to support such legislation – 58 percent of Rhode Island members favor passage of a primary-seatbelt law.
 Such a law would enable law-enforcement officers to stop a vehicle solely because occupants aren’t wearing seatbelts and issue a ticket to the driver.
 “We routinely hear heart-wrenching stories about tragic loss of life involving an unrestrained motorist,” Mr. Albert said. “We hope lawmakers will agree that the time has come to pass this life-saving legislation.”

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Auto technicians should always go over the bill with you.

 You checked the owner’s manual and noticed that your car is due for a timing-belt replacement at 90,000 miles.
 You stop into a couple of repair shops and ask how much the repair costs. One shop has a posted price and hands you a brochure with prices listed. In another shop, they look up the job online and give you a written estimate. In a third shop, they give you a vague estimate on the back on a business card.
 You have decided to go with the shop that gave you the written estimate. According to the estimate, the job will take about four-and-a-half hours, plus the cost of the parts, with a total of $495. You like the shop and they seem professional, so you set up an appointment.
 You bring the car in with your favorite book and decide to wait for it to be repaired. To your surprise, three-and-a-half hours later, someone hands you your keys and says you are all set. You know the shop charges $92 an hour for labor and the job took an hour less than the time estimated, so it looks like you saved enough money for a nice dinner at your favorite restaurant.
 You go to see the cashier and get a bill for nearly $500. You are thinking you were ripped off — what happened?
 Repair shops use several methods to price out repair work. Some charge by the hour: The technician starts a job, and you are charged by the clock hour.  If the job takes three hours, you are charged three hours. If the same job takes six hours, you are charged six hours. This may seem fair, but it also means you could be charged for phone calls, coffee breaks, idle time waiting for parts or what could amount to on-the-job training.
 Many shops use menu pricing. In this case, they estimate an average cost of repairs for “most” cars. If you drive a Buick Regal and want front brake pads replaced, theoretically the repair would be the same as for a Toyota Camry.  In this model, the shop assumes that “most” vehicles will take about the same time for a repair and the parts generally cost about the same. In the law of averages, the less expensive parts make up for the more expensive parts and the job that is simple makes up for the one that is more labor intensive.   For the consumer, this system may offer a savings for some repairs, but not always.
 Finally, there is flat rate or book time. Flat rate is the price you pay for a specific repair. These repair times are calculated based on time studies performed by the industry on nearly every service job. The calculations are based on an “average” technician working in a typical shop environment. The customer advantage to flat rate is you pay the same price regardless of how long the job takes.
 In the case of the timing belt repair, a technician who is competent but not as proficient may take six hours to complete the repair. The advantage in this case is you still pay for the labor rate based on four-and-a-half hours to complete the repair.
 Conversely, the technician that is very proficient or perhaps even specializes in this type of repair may be able to “beat the book.” If this is the case, the technician may be paid a bonus for being competent and efficient. The customer benefits by having the service completed faster. Since time is money to both you and the repair shop, you both benefited. Although you didn’t save any money and will have to skip your favorite restaurant, you got your car repaired professionally at the price you were originally quoted — and were certainly not ripped off.
 Remember, a quality repair shop will always provide an estimate, post their labor rate and call you if the scope of the repair is going to change. For a complete listing of AAA Approved Repair shops, go to AAA.com.

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 AAA Southern New England President and CEO Mark A. Shaw (right) recently met with Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray (second from right) at the Statehouse to discuss traffic safety initiatives of mutual interest. Joining the conversation were AAA Senior Vice President of Public and Government Affairs Lloyd P. Albert and Director of Legislative Affairs Mary Maguire.

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To maintain your car’s value, wash it roughly every two weeks.

 When many motorists think of vehicle maintenance, the first things that comes to mind are oil changes and other engine upkeep.
 However, the steps to maintaining a vehicle — and its resale value — extend beyond what is under the hood.
 AAA recommends the following maintenance tasks:
Vehicle Interior
1. Vacuum regularly and lightly shampoo the carpets as needed. Dirt remaining in the carpet greatly accelerates wear, but be careful not to soak carpets with too much moisture.
2. Use floor mats to protect carpet. Carpeted floor mats will collect dust and dirt and are best for dry climates, while protective vinyl floor mats are recommended in wet and snowy areas. However, don’t stack winter mats on top of carpeted mats because this could interfere with the accelerator pedal.
3. Wipe dusty or soiled surfaces with a damp cloth. Follow with a UV-protective coating on vinyl and rubber surfaces. A solution with a matte or semi-gloss finish is preferred on the dashboard to reduce reflections in the windshield. Be careful not to apply petroleum-based products to plastic surfaces, especially clear ones. If the interior has leather, use products designed for cleaning and maintaining this material.
4. Clean stains from seats and other surfaces promptly to prevent them from setting. Use a cleaner recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer to prevent fabric, vinyl or leather damage. Test any non-approved product in an inconspicuous spot before use to be sure it’s safe.
Vehicle Exterior
1. Wash the vehicle roughly every two weeks and wax it twice a year. More frequent washing and waxing could be advisable depending on climate and driving conditions. A good coat of wax looks great, protects the finish from contaminants and contains filtering chemicals that help reduce paint fading from the UV rays in sunlight.
2. When washing the vehicle, be sure to rinse out the wheel wells and accessible areas of the undercarriage. This is especially important where salt is used on roads in the winter as it will help prevent rust.
3. Have small windshield chips repaired to prevent them from becoming cracks that require complete windshield replacement. Most such repairs can be made easily by a AAA Auto Glass technician coming to the vehicle’s location.
4. Consider headlight restoration if the headlight lenses have developed a frosted yellow surface. This process restores a clear finish to the lens, which improves both vehicle appearance and nighttime vision. You can buy restoration kits at auto parts stores for about $20. Commercial services will typically do the job for between $50 and $100.

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Ilene Altman and Tamara Hey say parents need to model seatbelt safety to get their children to follow suit.

 Kids love to sing. And sing. And sing.
 But what are they singing about?  The latest top-40 radio hits?  Couldn’t they learn something while they sang?
 How about a tune that teaches them the virtues of wearing a seatbelt? And, really, would it be too much to ask that it doesn’t offend the ears of anyone older than 6?
Leeny and Tamara to the rescue!
“Climbing in the back seat/Safety first, before you turn the key/Listen for the click/Make it nice and tight/When everybody’s buckled up/We’ll drive, drive, drive, drive, drive.”
 “Put On My Seatbelt” is the opening song on “Sharing the Same Stars,” a 14-song album that spans topics from safety to breech babies to the importance of vitamin C.
 The album is the result of a musical reunion between Ilene Altman and Tamara Hey — college friends who hadn’t written music together since they were students together at Berklee College of Music.
Ms. Altman, a Massachusetts-based children’s musician, and Ms. Hey, a New York-based folk-and-rock musician, are full of goofy stories, sound advice and even geography facts.
 “Parents are always suggest­ing song ideas,” Ms. Altman said. “One of the themes … is struggling to get kids in the cars, buckled in and ready for trips.”
But it’s not just about kids, Ms. Hey said. Sometimes, parents will take every precaution in the world with their kids, then hop in the car and take off, unbuckled.
 “I’d imagine the song” – and listening to your kids singing it — “makes it less attractive to parents to drive without seatbelts,” she said.
The pair offers free use of the song for organizations involved with child-passenger safety.
 Ms. Altman and Ms. Hey are concerned about safety, but there’s still plenty of fun in the song, reminiscent of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”
 “It’s not something to preach about,” Ms. Altman said.
The rest of the album bears the same philosophy – fun. There’s the girl-group-inspired “Little Sister” and the 1950’s, Buddy Holly-esque “Ladybug, Ladybug, Ladybu-u-ug,” which is used by the Lost Ladybug Project, which tracks ladybug populations.
 Sure to be a hit: “Hold It,” on a subject every kid can identify with. “Astronauts are cool/They go in their suits/Maybe that’s/because/There aren’t any bathrooms on the moon.” (Remember this summer’s mishaps with the International Space Station toilets?)
 The album’s final song will be a favorite for travelers. Ms. Altman had the idea for “Across the USA” while working on her first album, “Be Nice,” written with Steve Equi.
 She wanted a song with a line about every state. AAA’s TripTik Travel Planner inspired it, she said. She wants to visit all 50 states.
She hasn’t yet made the tour, but you and the kids will learn a little something as you sing along.
 Fun, educational music you can grow with.
 “It’s an album about feelings, about respect for yourself and the world around you,” Ms. Hey said. And, just as important, Ms. Altman reminds us, “It totally rocks!”
 Find information about using the songs for educational purposes, as well as buying a copy for your kids at www.leenyandtamara.com.

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Massachusetts Registrar Rachel Kaprelian and AAA Senior Vice President Lloyd Albert announced the donation during a press conference at the Newton Public Library.

 Better brains means better drivers – that’s the message AAA Southern New England is sending seniors with a product it’s made available to public libraries throughout Massachusetts.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety teamed up with California-based Posit Science to offer DriveSharp, computer software that can help improve reaction times – reducing the odds of a crash by 50 percent – and increase users’ useful field of vision to improve accuracy, attention and memory.
As a result of the partnership, Posit Science worked with AAA to donate $1 million in DriveSharp software to public libraries in Massachusetts to help their senior patrons improve their driving skills.
With DriveSharp, spending a few hours a week playing “computer games” designed to better necessary skills to safe driving may result in fewer keys confiscated and more safe drivers on the road.
“We’re hoping this makes a big difference to the people who need this product,” said Lloyd Albert, AAA’s Senior Vice President of Public and Government Affairs.
AAA members can take a risk assessment test for free at AAA.com.

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Battery tenders are on sale at all local AAA offices.

 Are you a snowbird who winters in the sun and leaves the car behind? Perhaps your college student’s car sits idle in the garage while he or she is away at campus? Or maybe you have a convertible or classic car that hibernates in the off-season?
 If your vehicle battery is allowed to discharge completely a few times, you will end up replacing your battery because the lead coating on the battery’s internal plates will fail — and so will the battery.
 Use a AAA Battery Tender to keep the battery charged during times you are not driving your vehicle — especially if those times last for two weeks or more. The Battery Tender is easy to use and keeps your battery fully charged so it is ready to go when you are.
 In addition to car batteries, they’re also good for motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, RVs, boats, airplanes and golf carts.
 AAA Battery Tenders are on sale at all AAA Southern New England offices. The member price is $29.95 for a Battery Tender Junior (12 volt, .75 amps) and $49.95 for a Battery Tender Plus (12 volt, 1.25 amps).

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 The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety offers the following tips for staying safe in the event your car breaks down in winter weather:
 • Stay in your car and out of the way of other cars that may be sliding on slick roads.
 • Stay warm and dry to avoid hypothermia. Keep blankets and extra warm clothes with you. Huddle with other passengers to maintain body heat.
 • Call for help on your cell phone, if you get stuck. Never talk on the phone while you’re driving in bad weather.
 • Run your engine and heater for a few minutes every hour, if you have enough gas. (Check to make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t blocked first.)
 • Keep a window cracked for fresh air, in case doors and windows freeze.
 • Set flares outside your car and tie bright-colored rags to your antenna so rescuers can spot you.
 Learn more about driving safely, and find out how you can help support the AAA Foundation’s work on traffic safety through charitable giving at www.aaafoundation.org.

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J. Peter Kissinger President and CEO

 From the moment your parents bundled you into the car to come home from the hospital as a newborn, you began interacting with the complex world of people, vehicles, roadways, conditions and other factors that will surround you all your life.
 These days, many hospitals won’t release newborn “road users” until they’ve confirmed parents have proper child-safety seats installed. This is a great way to start people off in life with safety in mind, and it helps ensure that from the very first trip, children stay safe.
 For too many families, though, the safety-consciousness of that first trip fades into the background. While most keep their children in car seats until they properly fit the seatbelt — as they are legally required to do — they don’t give enough thought to teaching their children to be safe road users throughout life.
 At the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, raising this awareness is part of the comprehensive effort to foster a “traffic safety culture,” where safety is the highest priority for every road user. The Foundation believes families cannot start early enough to show children safety is a virtue everyone should value above any other aspect of transportation. 
 That first car ride should be the start of a dialogue you continue with your children into adulthood. Even when they are babies, tell them with smiles and a pleasant tone of voice that you’re putting them in the seats that keep them safe. As you put your seatbelt on, tell them about that, too. They’ll begin to understand that keeping everyone safe in the car is an important thing that makes you happy.
 As children get older, you’ll have countless opportunities to teach them about traffic safety. Start by teaching them to be good passengers. Talk to them about buckling their seatbelts, keeping hands and feet (and everything else) inside the car at all times, and looking to make sure it’s clear before opening a car door or stepping into the street. Make sure they understand these aren’t just your rules for your car, but values they should take into every vehicle.
 Instead of yelling at them when they misbehave, pull over to discipline them, so they know safety is so important, no trip can continue without it. Explain that when passengers distract drivers it can cause crashes. They’ll get the message that this isn’t just a matter of adults being no fun, this is a safety issue.
 You also can enlist children in keeping your trips safe by giving them “jobs” inside the car, like setting the navigation system, changing CDs, folding maps and keeping younger children quietly occupied, so Mommy and Daddy can stay focused on driving. Not only will that teach children that avoiding distraction is vital to safety, it will make your trips safer and more pleasant, since you won’t be as distracted.
 Be sure to point out dangerous situations, so children can begin gaining experience in assessing risks. For example, if a ball rolls into the street, explain that you’re stopping because other kids often run out to chase balls without looking for cars. That helps plant the seeds for safe driving when they become licensed themselves and will demonstrate why they must always look before running into the street.
 Or, when someone is honking at you and you dismiss it with a light, “I guess he’s got a problem!” as you move over, children will learn that aggressive drivers just aren’t worth engaging. Tell them people sometimes do silly, or even angry, things when they drive, but that’s their business. Keeping yourself safe is yours.
 Above all, be a good role model. If kids see you put on your seatbelt, avoid distraction and drive in a courteous, safe way, they’ll get the message this is the way things should be. You’ll help build a strong safety culture that your children will value and perpetuate. It’s an important gift that will last their entire lives.
 To learn more about traffic safety and find tips for children, visit the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety at www.aaafoundation.org.

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Ask questions if you hear jargon you don’t understand.

 A trip to the auto repair shop can feel like visiting a foreign country for some motorists — they do not understand the language and are worried about being taken advantage of by the locals. However, a trip to the repair shop can be much easier — and less stressful — if you select a quality facility and learn to speak “auto tech.”
 When communicating with an automotive technician, AAA recommends motorists do the following:
• Before taking the vehicle to a repair facility, write down notes on the vehicle’s symptoms and performance so important information is not overlooked or forgotten. Include any observations, even if they seem silly or irrelevant.
• Describe to the technician the symptoms rather than solutions. Explain what has been seen, smelled, heard and felt while driving the vehicle. For example, does it vibrate or pull to the left? Explain under what type of driving conditions the problems takes place and how long ago they started.
• Try to be precise. Explain that a rattle under the hood starts at 40 mph or an issue occurs only on cold days after the engine has been running for 10 minutes.
• When describing symptoms, refer to the driver side and passenger side instead of the right or left side of the vehicle.
• Whenever possible, test-drive the vehicle with the technician.
• Resist the temptation to use technical jargon unless you’re sure what it means. Explain what is being experienced in terms that do not direct the technician to a single solution. This will help eliminate unnecessary or ineffective work being performed due to misinterpretation or misdiagnosis.
• If the vehicle has been serviced recently, bring copies of the previous repair orders rather than try to explain what work was done.
There also are some things motorists can do to help protect themselves from unexpected charges or unneeded repairs. AAA recommends motorists:
• Ask questions if the technician uses jargon that is not understood or if something is not clearly explained. A quality technician should be willing to take time to clearly explain the problem in advance of the repair and the proposed solution. If the technician does not explain the problem and the remedy in a clear and convincing manner, or suggests the repair is too complicated to explain, consider seeking a second opinion from another shop.
• Always read the repair order before signing it and authorizing any work. Look for specific instructions detailing the maintenance to be done, or the condition to be corrected and work to be performed. If the language is vague or unclear, such as “fix engine noise,” ask that it be rewritten. In some cases, it makes sense to ask that a diagnosis be performed and an estimate provided before a final repair is authorized.
• Read over the bill, and question any charges that are not clear. Insist that descriptions of parts, not just the serial numbers, be listed on the final invoice. In some cases, motorists might want to specify in advance that the shop will show them the parts that are to be removed and replaced on the vehicle.
• Before authorizing a repair, be sure to obtain a written description of the warranty the shop provides, including the warranty on parts and labor. Most repairs should carry a warranty of at least 12 months and 10,000 miles.
 To better understand some of the technical terms associated with auto repair, check out AAA’s Auto Repair Dictionary at AAA.com/ PublicAffairs.

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House Speaker Robert DeLeo and AAA President Mark A. Shaw spoke at the State House.

 AAA Southern New England’s traffic safety initiatives highlighted the agenda when auto club President and CEO Mark A. Shaw met with House Speaker Robert DeLeo at the Massachusetts State House recently.
 With seatbelt usage in the Bay State significantly lower than the national average, Mr. Shaw articulated his club members’ support of a primary seatbelt law and explained how AAA is part of a broad-based coalition advocating for passage of the law before year-end.
 He cited recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics indicating that 27 lives could be saved and $260 million in catastrophic health care costs eliminated in Massachusetts each year through passage of comprehensive seatbelt legislation.
 In anticipation of a national Distracted Driving Summit in the nation’s capital hosted by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood, Mr. Shaw also discussed the urgent need for a texting-while-driving ban in the state. He shared with the Speaker statistics showing that texting is one of the most dangerous – and deadly – activities engaged in by motorists. The passage of texting bans in all 50 states by 2013 is one of AAA’s major public policy goals, said Mr. Shaw.
 A brief discussion of the new AAA-RMV partnership concluded the conversation. Mr. Shaw updated the Speaker on the status of a pilot program – drawing rave reviews across eastern and central Massachusetts – that lets AAA members renew their auto registrations and drivers’ licenses at the Newton and Worcester AAA offices. This public-private partnership affords members shorter lines, Saturday hours and a valuable alternative to doing business at a state RMV office. At a time when state revenues are declining, the expansion of this successful program may prove to be an extraordinary win-win for the state and its 4.7 million motorists.

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Thanks to seatbelts and car seats, Courtney Palek and her children were not seriously injured — though their car was.

 The first patent for a seatbelt was issued in 1849. In 1949, the first factory-installed seatbelts appeared in a few cars. In 1966, the Highway Safety Act and National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act were passed, giving the federal government the authority to require seatbelts in all cars. In 2001, seatbelt usage hit 73 percent.
And in 2009, seatbelts and child restraints likely saved the lives of Courtney Palek and her three young children, four of the hundreds of thousands of lives that have been saved by seatbelts since the1960s, according to the National Institutes of Health.
 Ms. Palek wasted no time turning a near-tragedy into an educational tool; days after the February crash, she called the Hingham Police to see how she could spread the word about the importance of safety belts and child restraints.
 The week after the accident, Ms. Palek said, “We were still shaken. And then the bruises started to appear.”
 Little bruises on her little passengers showed up where their safety straps had prevented them from flying out of their seats.
 “The bruises drove home the point that we were all so fortunate,” Ms. Palek said. “If we were not buckled in, who knows what might have happened?”
Ms. Palek was driving her infant and two toddlers the few miles home from their grandmother’s house, a little before 7 p.m. Feb. 19. As she approached the top of a hill, she could see a driver coming toward her at what turned out to be twice the speed limit.
 “His headlights were all over the place,” Ms. Palek said.
 “The driver, allegedly drunk with a previous drunk-driving conviction, was driving 60 to 70 mph in a 30-mph zone,” said Sgt. Steven Dearth of the Hingham Police Department.
 Since Ms. Palek saw the oncoming car, she was able to do some maneuvering to avoid a head-on collision, instead directing the brunt of the impact into her front passenger side – where no one was sitting.
“I’m so thankful that I was paying attention,” she said. “I wasn’t on my cell phone or changing the station.”
 The impact threw her minivan into the oncoming traffic lane – luckily, she said, there were no cars. The other driver’s car flipped over, landing on its roof. He, too, was wearing a seatbelt and was not seriously injured.
 Pictures of the aftermath suggest that, as Ms. Palek said, the outcome could have been much worse than it was. The front right side of the van is demolished, a door hangs tentatively from the body of the vehicle, and the windshield is warped and shattered.
 When asked if the crash could have been deadly, Sgt. Dearth said simply: “It was bad. It was a head-on collision, as far as we’re concerned. Courtney’s van was struck, spun around, off the road and onto the sidewalk.”
 And no one died. There were no broken bones. That’s the message Ms. Palek and Sgt. Dearth have been trying to spread. You’ve heard it many times before, but you can see it in this mother and her three children: Seatbelts save lives.

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State Trooper Steven J. Haynes and the DOT’s Dan DiBiasio used dummies to show what happens in a rollover.

   The car body twirled around, mesmerizing the crowd that had gathered.
It was no accident the Rhode Island State Police were on hand – they brought their rollover simulator to AAA’s Providence Headquarters parking lot to show how harmful it can be not to buckle up.
   “It’s amazing,” said Harry Hunt, whose son James is a member of Warwick’s Wolf Pack 4, one of the many scouting dens, packs and troops attending the seatbelt-safety event.
   AAA’s Traffic Safety Education Specialist Diana Imondi Dias organized the demonstration to help reinforce and increase seatbelt use in the Ocean State.
“When a car rolls over and the people inside aren’t wearing their seatbelts, what happens?” Ms. Imondi Dias asked to open the program.
“People fly,” a boy answered.
   “That’s right. People fly around and can be ejected,” Ms. Imondi Dias said.
Before Trooper Steven J. Haynes began the simulations, she shared a story about a friend who wore her seatbelt “99 percent of the time.”
   “She was in a hurry this one morning and thought she would put it on at the stop sign at the end of her street, before she got to the highway,” Ms. Imondi Dias began. “The only problem is she never made it to the end of her street – she hit a big patch of black ice. She had an SUV and skidded up on an embankment, and it rolled over.
   “It wasn’t traveling fast, and she survived, but she had a lot of serious injuries,” Ms. Imondi Dias said. “Afterward, she said it was the first time in years she had not worn her seatbelt. So, remember every trip, every time, you have to buckle up.”
   The rollover simulation gave a glimpse at how the laws of physics play out during a rollover, when force and motion can be catastrophic for occupants.
In the first round of the de­monstration, dummies were belted in to show how secure a driver and passengers are during a rollover if they’re wearing their seatbelts.
   In the second part, seatbelts were unbuckled, and people saw how the lifeless bodies flopped around the vehicle – a child’s falling out of an open window in the back and onto the pavement.
   Rhode Island Department of Transportation Highway Safe­ty Program Coordinator Dan DiBiasio asked the group how many play video games.
When several children rais­ed their hands, he asked them what they do if something crashes or goes wrong in the video game.
   “Hit the reset button,” many shouted.
   “There’s no reset button in life, guys,” Mr. DiBiasio said. “This isn’t a game. It’s serious.”
   
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AAA’s Traffic Safety Manager and Car Doctor John Paul spoke in favor of proposed “Right to Repair” legislation.

   Barry Steinberg may preside over a chain of automotive repair facilities, but when he encountered a problem with his own Audi, he had to bring it back to the dealer.
   Despite investing thousands of dollars in equipment to read the sophisticated computer codes on today’s vehicles, Mr. Steinberg could not access the information he needed to figure out what was happening with his oxygen sensor.
   “It’s kind of embarrassing,” he said. “I’m a disgruntled consumer.”
   Mr. Steinberg shared his story with the Massachusetts’ Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure in a recent hearing at the State House. He was one of dozens to speak in favor of proposed “Right to Repair” legislation.
   If passed, the law would guarantee repair shops and consumers access to automotive service information and tools. It would prohibit the current practice of auto manufacturers restricting access to repair information.
   AAA Southern New England supports “Right to Repair” because it would let consumers choose where to have their cars fixed and because proper maintenance equals better vehicle safety, said John Paul, AAA’s Car Doctor and a certified master automobile technician.
   “I believe a person who owns a car owns everything in the car, including the technology — not trade secrets, but the information needed to get the car repaired,” Mr. Paul said.
   When he first entered the business 35 years ago, a typical vehicle repair manual was the size of a typical big-city Yellow Pages that any shop could follow. Today, on the popular online database ALLDATA, there are millions of pages of technical information on repairing and servicing cars. But even at that, car manufacturers hold the easy secrets to unlocking many computer codes that control everything from tire pressure to oil changes and ignition keys to brakes.
   “I get e-mails from all over the country from people who can’t get their cars fixed at an independent shop,” Mr. Paul said. “The lack of information seems to be a problem.
   “Can a local repair shop fix a car with enough time?” he added. “Sure, but time is money, and the consumer ends up paying for it.”
   
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Ask your doctor if a medication could impair your driving.

   Most motorists older than 55 are not aware of the potential danger of combining medications and driving, according to a recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
   The study found that while 78 percent of respondents in that age group take medications, just over one in four did not know about the possible impacts on driving.
   “Health-care professionals need to educate patients about their potentially drive-impairing medications to help them make safe driving decisions,” said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. “One of our goals is to help older drivers stay mobile as long as safely possible; so, it is imperative that we do a better job of educating drivers on known risks, such as the side effects of medications.”
   According to the study, 95 percent of respondents have one or more medical conditions and 78 percent use one or more medications; yet only 28 percent indicated some awareness of the potential impact on driving performance associated with those medications.
   Few respondents — 18 percent — had received a warning about potentially driver-impairing medications (such as ACE inhibitors, sedatives and beta blockers) from a health-care professional.
   Further, the study found that such warnings do not increase with additional numbers of medications or medical conditions.
   Previous research indicates that use of a single potentially driver-impairing medication and use of multiple medications increases the risk of being in a crash.
Study participants ranged in age from 56 to 93, and the level of awareness of potentially driver-impairing medications decreased with age; in contrast, the number of prescription medications people were taking increased.
   Of those surveyed, 69 percent use one or more potentially driver-impairing prescription medication, and 10 percent use five or more potentially driver-impairing prescription medications.
   With the number of drivers aged 55 years and older expected to increase by more than half, this issue will only continue to grow unless measures are taken to increase awareness about medications that can impact safe diving.
   For more information or to see the full report, visit www.AAAFoundation.org.
   
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AAA Battery Service offers free diagnostics.

   Consulting our magic snow globe, we can confidently make this seasonal prediction: Thousands of drivers will find themselves with a car that won’t start this winter, thanks to a dead battery. Understanding what keeps your battery cranking can help you avoid being left out in the cold.
   As air cools, the oil in your car thickens. Parts move more slowly and it requires more energy for the battery to turn over and start the engine. A battery loses a third of its power in freezing weather. If the temperature drops to zero or below, your battery has only half its power.
   To keep your battery operating reliably in any season, have a trained technician clean battery cables and check that the charging system is charging at the correct rate. The AAA network of Approved Auto Repair facilities is an additional source for requesting a diagnosis of your vehicle’s charging system.
   One way to protect your battery from the cold is to use a block heater. Pre-warming your engine reduces winter wear and tear on your battery and starter — and reduces emissions and increases fuel economy.
   What do you do if your battery has been exposed to cold weather? A fully charged battery will not freeze unless the temperature drops very low. If it does freeze, it destroys the lead coating and the battery cannot charge. If the sides of your battery seem to bow out, this is a sign the battery is frozen. Never try to boost a frozen battery because it may explode.
   Maybe you are a snowbird who winters in the sun and leaves the car behind. If your battery is allowed to discharge completely a few times, you will end up replacing it because the lead coating on the battery’s internal plates will fail — and so will the battery. Use a AAA Battery Tender to keep the battery charged during periods you are not driving your vehicle.
   No matter what precautions you take, your battery will probably be reliable for three to five years. An aging battery increases the odds you could spend some unscheduled time in your driveway or parking lot.
   Here’s some good news about batteries to make your season a little brighter. If you do have battery problems, AAA can help. AAA Battery Service offers free diagnostics — and technicians come to you. They can test your charging system and, at your request, install a quality AAA battery right on the spot.
   Every battery AAA replaces is recycled, so if you’re looking to take on a little more environmental responsibility, you’re covered there, too.
   
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   Batteries have an average life of three to five years. Simple care and maintenance can keep your battery performing reliably throughout its life.
1. Keep your battery case and brackets free of corrosion. If you see cracks/oozing on top of the case, replace the battery.
2. Corrosion and deposits interfere with the flow of electric current. Have your battery terminals and posts cleaned regularly by a trained technician.
3. Inspect brackets. If they are heavily corroded, replace them or have them replaced. Also make sure they secure the battery firmly. Loose brackets will allow the battery to vibrate, shortening its life and possibly damaging other components.
4. Tighten any loose cables.
5. Check the tension and condition of your fan belt. A loose fan belt can affect the battery’s ability to recharge. If a fan belt is frayed or cracked, replace it or have a professional do so.
6. Turn off accessories before turning off your vehicle. Leaving on your radio, car alarm, wipers, headlights, navigation device and inside lights can drain your battery.
7. Keep your battery fully charged when your car is not in use, especially if you won’t be using it for two weeks or more. Use a AAA Battery Tender to keep the battery charged.
8. Jump-starting a battery may restart your car and get you back on the go, but it doesn’t fix the reason the car didn’t start. If your car needs a jump, have the battery and electrical system checked.
9. Watch and listen for warning signs. If your headlights dim when you idle but brighten when you rev the engine, it could signal an electrical problem. If you hear grinding/clicking when cranking the ignition, the battery may be weak.
   
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   Read. Read. Read – and then read some more.
That’s the advice AAA Public Affairs’ Fran Mayko has for parents looking for the perfect car seat for their newborn or the first forward-facing car seat for bigger babes.
   “There’s no right or wrong way to choose a car seat,” she said. “You have to research car seats, and once your homework is done, the best car seat is the one that fits your child, that fits your car and that fits your pocketbook.”
Infants
   The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all infants ride rear-facing starting with their first ride home until they are at least 1 year of age and weight at least 20 pounds.
   There are two types of rear-facing car-safety seats – infant-only seats and convertible seats.
Ms. Mayko recommends infant-only seats, which are small and have carrying handles. Many come with a base that can be left in the car.
   “First, it fits the child perfectly,” Ms. Mayko said. “Second, it’s convenient – it’s easier to handle a newborn in a carrier, and they’re making these to go to higher weights.”
   Convertible seats can be used rear-facing then converted to forward-facing for older children.
   While this means the seat can be used longer, these seats are bulkier than infant- only seats and don’t come with carrying handles or a separate base.
Forward-Facing
   Once your child has reached the highest weight or height allowed by the rear-facing seat manufacturer, the child can ride forward-facing in a convertible seat.
However, it’s best for him or her to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the seat manufacturer.
   While some state laws might permit children to move to a forward-facing position after 1 year and 20 pounds, this is the minimum requirement, and Ms. Mayko recommends parents keep their children rear-facing as long as possible.
“If you saw the crash-dynamic videos and realized how it affects the human body – let alone an infant, before the spinal cord and neck have developed – you, as an adult, would want to ride rear-facing,” she said.
   Several types of car-safety seats can be used forward-facing:
   • Convertible seats – converts from rear-facing to forward-facing seats.
   • Forward-facing toddler seats – can be used forward-facing with a harness for children who weigh up to 40 to 65 pounds or without the harness, as a booster, up to 80 to 120 pounds.
   • Combination forward-facing/booster seats – can be used forward-facing with a harness for children who weigh up to 40 to 65 pounds or without the harness, as a booster, up to 80 to 120 pounds.
   • Integrated child-safety seats – forward-facing seats come built-in in some vehicles such as Mercedes and BMWs. Weight and height limits vary.
   “The ability to change a baby to forward-facing all depends on the seat requirements, and each seat is different,” Ms. Mayko said. “When the baby is the appropriate weight and height, parents can turn them forward-facing.”
   
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   As one of the rare members of his party to support Amtrak funding, Ray LaHood proved to be no ordinary Republican during his seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
   This is seen as one of the traits that earned the former Congressman from Illinois a spot in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as transportation secretary. Mr. LaHood’s friendship with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel didn’t hurt his chances for the post, either.
   Between administering the roughly $48 billion dedicated to transportation projects in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (a.k.a. the $787 billion federal stimulus package) and helping Congress develop a new, long-term transportation spending plan, Mr. LaHood was thrust into action from the get-go.
   In an exclusive interview, AAA caught up with the man who holds the keys to the nation’s surface, air and maritime networks to discuss the future of America’s transportation infrastructure.
   Now that you’ve been in charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation for a few months, how would you describe the current state of the nation’s roads, bridges and mass transit systems?
   America is one big pothole right now. We’ve ignored our infrastructure for too long, and I’m proud to be a part of an administration that’s really stepping up, providing the money not only to fill potholes but to rebuild roads, resurface roads and, in some instances, build some new roads. It’s the first time, in a long time, because the states haven’t had the money. The priority on infrastructure and roads just has not been the kind of priority that it is today.
   What are some of the ways transportation projects funded by the Recovery Act will revive the economy?
   I was with the Vice President in St. Cloud, Minn., at a com­pany where they make buses, and this bus company was actually going to shutter its doors. As a result of the fact that we are going to give $8 billion to transit districts, they had to put on another shift.
   That’s a clear example. I believe, as this construction season phases out as winter comes on this year, we’ll be able to show that we put thousands of people to work in good-paying jobs and that roads in America will be rebuilt.
   The so-called Bridge to Nowhere created an unfavorable opinion of how the government funds transportation projects. What components are there in the Recovery Act to restore the public trust?
   There are no boondoggles, no earmarks, no sweetheart deals. None. We have a Web site called recovery.gov. I hope you’ll put it in your story, recovery.gov, so everybody who reads your story can click onto that Web site and see the map of where these dollars are going. They can see these are not ear­mark dollars. They are not sweetheart deals. They are not contracts that somebody was given because they know somebody’s uncle who works for a politician. These were given on the merits of these projects, and eventual­ly, we’ll be able to tell how many people are going to work.
   How do the administration’s goals on transportation fit in with the goals of other cabinet departments?
   On climate change, high-speed rail is all about making America greener, and livable communities is about climate change and making America greener. The new CAFE [Corporate Average Fuel Economy] standards are about working with automobile manufacturers to cut down on CO2 [carbon dioxide] and make our country greener.
   How did you get so interested in trains?
   It has more to do with creating this concept of livable communities. The model for it is Portland, Ore., and it has to do with the opportunities for people who want to ride their bike to work, or walk to work, or take light rail to work or take a bus. The idea for this really comes from the president and his team. The president lived in Chicago, and people who live in Chicago use a lot of mass transit.
   What’s it going to take to get more Americans to use mass transit?
   Providing mass transit that people feel comfortable riding — whether it’s a bus, light rail or a streetcar — and making them efficient and cost effective. There’s a light-rail system in Houston that goes from downtown out to their medical center.    This is a marvelous thing for people who can’t afford an automobile, because they can get to their doctor or their hospital.
   What role can government play in improving safety?
   As someone who has run for public office seven times and been in politics for 30 years, I know that if you tell someone something often enough, they start to believe it. If you tell somebody they can save their life by buckling their seatbelt, and you tell it often enough, and you give examples, they’ll start to do it.
   Our job really is to get the message out. We’ve tried to do it through “Click It or Ticket,” and we’ve tried to do it with other things to promote safety. People can see DOT as a place they can look to to find out about the safest vehicles to drive, because we perform crash tests on vehicles, and we put out a whole scorecard on all the vehicles on our Web site [www.safercar.gov].
   Last summer’s $4-a-gallon gasoline prices were unnerving for a lot of people.          What is the administration doing to avoid a repeat of these conditions?
   I think the bill that came out of the [U.S. House] Energy and Commerce Committee [the American Clean Energy and Security Act] is an example of where the administration is taking great steps to relieve our dependence on crude oil, particularly imported crude oil. The CAFE standards for 2011, 2012 and 2016 are another example where the administration is taking steps to send a message to people that America can build cars that can get 35 miles to the gallon.
   The other positive thing that happened with $4-a-gallon gasoline is that people started riding Amtrak a lot more and found it to be efficient and cost effective.    People started riding the metro systems, the mass transit systems and found them to be pretty good systems. It helped people understand that you don’t always have to get in your car if you want to go somewhere.
   Rob Bhatt is senior editor for AAA Washington.
   
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   As petroleum supplies dwindle and prices seesaw wildly, many attempts to create new-age fuel substitutes are slowed by a variety of barriers.
   Batteries tend to be expensive, require long periods to charge, are heavy and promise only a limited range.
   Hydrogen presents major challenges in energy generation, storage, transport, use and overall efficiency, while converting corn to ethanol triggers public concerns about the impact on food prices and greenhouse gas emissions.
Wind and sun, the two most abundant sustainable energy technologies, are not available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and would require storage in batteries or conversion to hydrogen fuel to meet current energy needs.
All options have their pros and cons and will have to be considered.
   AAA asked Charles Wyman, Ford Motor Co. chair in Environmental Engineering at the University of California’s Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering in Riverside, Calif., to explain biofuels and how they might contribute to helping solve the nation’s energy challenges.
   Q. In layman’s terms, explain biomass and how it’s produced.
   A. Biomass is a broad category of living materials that can include a range of organisms and plants. Our focus is on cellulosic biomass, which is the material that forms the structural portion of plants. It could be an excellent fuel source due to its abundance, low cost and limited value for other uses.
   Common examples are poplar trees and switchgrass, along with agricultural and forestry residues, such as corn plants and sawdust, respectively, and substantial portions of municipal solid waste, such as yard and paper materials.
   Q. How much biomass material would it take to produce a gallon of gas?
   A. That depends on the process and technologies employed for both making and using the fuel. In simple terms, we can refine the equivalent of about 70 gallons of gasoline from one ton of dry biomass. An acre of land could yield about 10 tons a year, so about 700 gallons of fuel could be produced per acre of land. 
   Replacing the 140 billion gallons of gasoline we use each year in the U.S. would require something like 200 million acres of land, but if we combine use of more efficient vehicles and biomass technology, we can cut the land requirement to something like 50 million to 70 million acres.
   For comparison purposes, about 450 million acres of land are used for agriculture in the U.S. today.
   Q. Would a gallon of biofuel cost more, less or about the same as a gallon gasoline?
   A. Again, this depends on the process, technology and location. In general terms, biomass costing about $60 a ton could produce about 60 to 70 gallons of gasoline equivalent fuel resulting in a cost of less than $1 a gallon. 
   However, adding in other factors, such as refining, personnel, transportation and facilities costs could add up to about $2.50 per gallon of gasoline equivalent with current technology, although this will drop with experience.
   Q. Where would biofuels be produced, and how would they be made available to consumers? Do we have the infrastructure in place?
   A. Biofuels would be produced near the source of biomass. Generally speaking, this means where land and water are available.
   Unfortunately, the fuel would have to be moved by truck and rail from manufacturing facilities to the pump because there are no pipelines available for its use, but such pipelines could be implemented.
   Q. How would biofuels impact today’s vehicle fleet?
   A. Cellulosic biomass can be converted into diesel-like fuel, jet fuel, biodiesel and ethanol that all are compatible for use in existing vehicles. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, the choice of fuel type should come down to cost, customer preferences and environmental impacts.
   
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   A small change in Rhode Island’s booster-seat law aims to make big changes in child safety.
   On June 30, the age and height requirements for booster seats were revised. Now, children ages 8 and younger and 57 inches (4-foot-9-inches) or shorter must be secured in a child safety seat.
   Children older than 8 or taller than 57 inches can be transported using a standard adult seat belt.
   “The law is important because the rules had been deceiving to parents,” said AAA Southern New England Traffic Safety Education Specialist Diana Imondi Dias. “They have a false sense of security. Parents may know the law went up to age 7 but may not have realized that a great number of 7-year-olds don’t meet the height and weight requirements.”
   Once children outgrow their car seats, parents may think an adult seat belt is sufficient for their child’s safety. But the belts are too large for children who are shorter than four-foot-nine, according to Dr. Jeffrey W. Runge, a former emergency-room doctor who later headed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
   Lap belts should be fitted low and snug across the child’s hips – not across the stomach, which can lead to internal damage in the event of a crash. And the shoulder strap can cut across a child’s neck, causing the child to pivot over the belt in a crash.
   These injuries are known as “lap-belt syndrome.”
   According to the group Partners for Passenger Safety, a booster seat reduces a child’s risk of injury by 38 percent compared with an adult seat belt and by 59 percent compared with no restraints at all.
   The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is promoting Sept. 12 as National Seat Check Saturday. Find a local technician for a free seat check and help with installation by calling (866) 732-8243 or visiting www.seatcheck.org.
In Rhode Island, any family receiving public assistance — including Rite Care — that needs a booster seat can contact Courtney Tanguay, coordinator of the Rhode Island SafeKids Coalition at (401) 444-5018 or ctanguay@lifespan.org.
   The Office of Highway Safety is also developing a program to help low-income families who need booster seats, according to Jim Barden, the Highway Safety Program Coordinator at the Office.
   
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   If you Google “teen driving,” you’ll find more than 3 million sites, most containing statistics on the obscene number of teen fatalities and serious injuries.
   Legislators, traffic safety/en­gineering researchers, law enforcement, driving school instructors and insurance companies have communicated the clear message that teens, because of inexperience (and often unsafe behavior), are statistically the most dangerous drivers on our roadways.
   For four years, AAA has offered Dare to Prepare, a 90-minute session presented to teens and parents prior to getting a learner’s permit. Within the walls of these sessions, I have the opportunity to learn about the issue from a perspective beyond the crash statistics and fatality reports. This interaction with families enlightens me to the “social norms” of teen driving.
   I’ve found the teens haven’t changed much since I was one. They dream of finding a car in the driveway with a big bow for their birthday (many expect higher-end vehicles). They want a vehicle to take them to social activities, school and their part-time job (in that order). Parents seem concerned about the safety of their children, asking about the best driver’s education programs. They also worry about their bank accounts and the cost of adding a teen to their insurance policy.
   By the end of the program, however, parents are surprised by all that has changed in the world of teen driving. The process of obtaining a driver’s license alone has changed drastically.
   I am concerned by the countless parents who view driving as a “coming of age” milestone. Nearly every day, I hear some form of this phrase, “My son/daughter is 16, so I need to get him/her driving lessons.” Teens tell me about the calendar where they’ve been counting down to their 16th birthday; there’s even a Facebook app that counts down the days until permit eligibility. But is 16 the best age to begin?
   While each state must decide on the age a teen can begin learning to drive, many parents don’t question their own child’s readiness based on the more significant factor of maturity. If a teen is not performing well in school or is displaying irresponsible behavior, that should indicate they may not be prepared to take on this new responsibility.
   Driving is possibly the most dangerous skill a person will learn. Until a new driver can reasonably master this skill, they should not have a license. Studies show it takes five years for a new driver to become experienced enough to handle most complex situations and environments. A passing grade on a road test does not indicate a safe driver. I’m concerned when I speak to the parent of a teen who has failed a road test and demands an immediate re-test. These parents worry about having “make their teen wait another month” for their license rather than contemplate the potential disaster of having an unsafe driver behind the wheel.
   AAA encourages parents and teens to draft a driving contract prior to obtaining a license. This will spell out the household rules for driving — everything from monetary obligations to vehicle maintenance, grades and the number of passengers allowed in the vehicle. It should cover all facets of driving and be enforced according to the agreement. It should contain non-negotiable rules (such as complete loss of this privilege for drinking and driving), as well as negotiable items that can be amended over time.
   I advise parents to be extremely observant of their teen’s habits, behaviors and challenges. Most parents know their children well enough to give an honest assessment of their ability to take on this task. Once the teen is ready for a permit, don’t rush to the road test. The permit and test date can be extended until you are both confident and have completed more than enough practice time behind the wheel. Formulate a solid driving contract and post it in a highly visible location.
   Don’t let the state’s rules become the only rules in your household; in other words, don’t push it to the limit, know your teen’s limits. Above all, instill the fact that driving is a privilege, not a right (of passage).
   Diana Imondi Dias is AAA’s Traffic Safety Education Specialist.

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