How much is a gallon of gas this week? Say, $4 already? Wow.This signals you should already cut up on your frequent road trips with the rise of fuel again. And with the current uprisings in the Middle East, expect a much steeper climb in the prices in the future.

Don’t worry. There is still a glimmer of hope on the horizon for us. All we have to do is to consolidate all our efforts to remedy such problem. Good thing JourneyEtc gives us a rundown on how to save more while sacrificing our income to fuel. Small but indespensible tips like properly inflating your tires, filling up at the 1/4 mark, being light on the accelerator pedal, driving in the morning, and amongst others are important in saving up that much needed fuel.

However trivial they are, you can feel a sginificant amount of savings when you follow all of them. Read on for more.

How much is a gallon of gas these days? Obviously, we motorists are moving heaven and earth how to save up our monthly income just to fuel up our vehicles. Little that we know, even the little things can count a lot in tightening our belts and preventing to drain our wallets. Here’s a good read from Road and Travel as it lists down 10 tips in saving gas. They may seem trivial, but when done accordingly, you will be surprised by how much monies you are going to save every month. Read on here.

With an estimated 111 million viewers who watch the recent Super Bowl, it set a record for most viewers, beating last year’s event. Yes, there have been a lot of automotive ads shown during the football extravaganza. Have you seen all of them? What’s your favorite? What ads which sucked big time?

Autoblog conducted a poll on which car commercials captured the fancy of the viewers. Form the likes of Chevy, BMW, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, to the Jedi-inspired and Black Beetle ad by Volkswagen? Chrysler’s ‘Imported from Detroit’ tw-minute plug is also a show stealer, isn’t it?

The poll jots down the list of these commercials where you could choose which one is the best commercial that compelled you aside for the exciting finish when the Packers beat the Steelers. Vote now!

Aside from calling up a tow truck, which is, I think, is the safest way to get out of the rut you are in, there are several tips to manage yourself out of trouble when you get stuck in such a predicament. Consumer Reports has the full list for you to remember these safety precuations.

These are the tough times that we tighten up our belts and be conscious to whatever we are doign to save up and take care of the environment. If you read the news, mass animal deaths, floods, earthquakes, and many more apocalyptic scenarios are now happening. Not that I am scaring you off, isn’t it high time you would include economical driving in your bucketlist?

I have come across an article by Carjunky and I must definitely say, it makes a lot of sense to me. It has a lot to do with changing our driving styles to save up on fuel (which is skyrocketing high on prices) and taking care of our environment through reduced emmissions. There are also 15 ways to drive lean and clean, namely:

1. Accelerate gently

2. Maintain a steady speed

3. Anticipate traffic

4. Coast to decelerate

5. Avoid high speeds

6. Drive less often

7. Plan ahead

8. Combine trips

9. Track fuel consumption

10. Purchase a fuel efficient vehicle that suits your daily needs

11. Avoid unnecessary idling

12. Check tire pressure once a month

13. Remove roof racks not in use

14. Avoid carrying unnecessary weight

15. Use a fuel consumption display

Read more by clicking this link.

If you want a family car that will be worth your budget, it’s definitely the 2011 Hyundai Sonata that’s for you. See, it has been said that the four-door sedan “has the look and feel of cars costing way more than its as-tested price of $28,415.”

Among the primary features of the car are a one-touch  driver’s window to one-touch tilt/slide  sunroof, a snug, cozy, and supportive black leather seating inside, a dual-zone temperature control, front and rear seat heaters, turn signals in the side mirrors, and auto dimming mirror.

With the road hazard ice is providing during winter months, it is inevitable that the numbers on road-related mishaps are that high. With this in mind, AAA MIchigan is prompting automotive owners to get their heads up and brace for another season of risky road conditions by driving defensively. They have come up with a rundown of tips to ensure safety while driving during winter months.

- Before starting out in snowy weather, take time to remove the snow from the entire car so it doesn’t blow onto your windshield or the windshields of other drivers. Make sure your mirrors and lights are clean as well.

- Drive with your low-beam headlights illuminated.

- When the roads are icy, slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination. Even better, delay your trip, stop early for the day, or take an extended break from driving. Using an online service such as the TripTik Travel Planner at AAA.com can help you find restaurants and lodgings.

- Allow sufficient room for maintenance vehicles and plows, stay at least 15 car lengths (200 feet) back and, if you need to pass, go to the other vehicle’s left.

- Watch for icy surfaces on bridges and intersections, even when the rest of the road seems to be in good condition.

- If you get stuck in snow, straighten the wheel and accelerate slowly. Add sand or salt under the drive wheels to help avoid spinning the tires.

- If your tires lose traction, continue to look and steer in the direction you want to go. If the drive wheels start to spin or slide while going up a hill, ease off the accelerator slightly and then gently resume speed.

- Look farther ahead in traffic. Actions by other drivers will alert you to problems and give you extra seconds to react.

- When changing lanes, avoid cutting in front of trucks, which need more time and distance than passenger vehicles to stop.

- Don’t use cruise control in precipitation and freezing temperatures.

- Remember that four-wheel drive helps you to get going quicker, but it won’t help you stop any faster.

- Apply constant, firm pressure to the pedal with anti-lock brakes.

- Keep emergency supplies in the vehicle, including cell phone, boots, gloves, hat, blanket, ice scraper, snow brush, flashlight, matches and candle and reflective triangle or flares.

Even if the government is doing its darnest to curb down road-related accidents and fatalities, it is still pretty high because of drug-related incidents, this was according to the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In fact, last year, 18 percent of fatal road-related accidents are drug-related. this stat is five percentage points higher than in 2005. The drugs include narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabinoids, phencyclidines, anabolic steroids and inhalants.

The report by the NHTSA also reveals that at least 3,952 of the people who died on the road last year showed “drug involvement”. While it suggests that there is a strong link between the accidents and drug use, there is no clear correlation yet between alcohol impairment and operating a vehicle.

The agency points out that while there is a strong link between crash victims and drug use, there isn’t enough research to imply a direct correlation between the two like there is for alcohol impairment and operating a vehicle.

Whatever the finding is, other agencies like the DEA should have tie up on this campaign since the increase has been alarming through the years.

I wonder why of all dates, December 15 is the most dangerous day to drive in California all year long. Wait, that’s a week from now, isn’t it? Thus, I better post this before all hell breaks loose.

Form an insurance point of view, Allstate Insurance says that the daily average of accident claims leapfrogs to 23 percent on Dec. 15 with 539 accidents. This is compared to the average over the past four years which is 435 accidents a day.

Does winter plus the holiday season have to do with it? Sure it does. But even Allstate doesn’t have a clue why weather has a bearing on California almost perfect climate. And since it is fast approaching. Nothing beats being careful all the time. Oh, also take note on Dec. 18 since it is the fourth most dangerous day of the year. Be careful now y’all!

“Driving vacations and common sense safety tips go hand in hand.” That’s the reason why if you want your whole family to be safe without killing the fun in the road trip, you must heed these simple road safety tips:

Do you need that?

Instead of picking up things randomly, making a short list of the most important things you need while on the journey is always a better option.

Check your tire and your tire pressure

Time and again, many family road trips have turned into a not-so-memorable experience because of busted tires. So to make sure such thing won’t bother you, check your tires if they have the right amount of pressure.

Check your car’s fluids and wiper blades

Regular oil change and maintenance of your car’s wiper blades can make the difference in the long run. Doing these things can help you avoid potential hassles while on your way to a vacation.

Prepare for roadside emergencies

Because anything could happen while the whole family is on the road, you must properly equip yourself to ensure that you won’t be left helpless. Make a kit that includes a flashlight, flares and first-aid basics. This could help you in certain situations like sudden repairs and small accidents.

Sources: Car Junky, Google