Online Features
Automotive
Six rules to help keep your teen driver safe
(BPT) - If you worry about the kind of car your teen will drive, you’re not alone. In a survey commissioned by USAA, 81 percent of parents put reliability first when choosing a vehicle for their teens, followed by a high safety rating. The good news is that teens also want cars with the latest safety features. “Being ...
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Road trip tire tips
(BPT) - The weather’s heating up and that means one thing: road trips. Before you grab the family and hit the highway, make sure your vehicle’s ready to roll. And the first place to check is actually what rolls – your tires. Often ignored – except when they are flat – tires are one of the most important components on a...
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Save time and money with easy DIY auto maintenance tips
(BPT) - Vehicles are a big investment for families – usually the second highest valued item in a household after the home itself. While the purchase price for cars, trucks and SUVs keeps going up, the cost of maintenance is holding steady or even dropping for most vehicles. Better materials, sophisticated computers and ...
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Surprising ways older drivers can stay safer on the road
(BPT) - For baby boomers and beyond, a lot has changed since they first received their drivers’ license, from car technology and traffic rules, to even road conditions. Many older drivers are taking a proactive approach to staying safe on the road. Most wear a seat belt – 77 percent of drivers age 65 and older according...
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Secrets of what's driving American travelers this season
(BPT) - Now that spring has sprung, drivers will be hitting the road in earnest to enjoy the warmer weather. In fact, according to Hankook Tire’s latest Quarterly Gauge Index, 56 percent of Americans are planning to take a road trip that involves driving 50 miles or more. On average, they estimate they will drive 1,02...
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Improving automobile fuel efficiency - with plastics
While most Americans know that drastically improving automobile fuel efficiency will reduce gasoline consumption and tailpipe emissions, it may be less clear how today’s cars and trucks are evolving to make that happen. The U.S. government recently announced stringent new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards...
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Five fast fixes and tips for a summer-ready car
(BPT) - With summer just around the corner, it’s time to get your car in tip-top shape to withstand hot days and long road trips. Summer driving requires your car to run differently; some adjustments and inspections are important to ensure your vehicle lasts season to season. Follow these five fast fixes and inspections...
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Keep your cool: Don't get stuck on the road this summer
(BPT) - Summer is the time for road trips, whether they cover thousands of miles across the country, or are “staycation” day trips. As we head into the summer months, gasoline prices continue to fluctuate and are expected to average $3.56 per gallon for regular-grade gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Ad...
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Tips for motorcycle riders: Hit the road and ride responsibly
(BPT) - Freedom. The open road. There’s nothing quite like the big sky ahead of you and feeling the rumble of your motorcycle. It’s motorcycle season across the United States and Canada. Warm weather accompanied by clear roads means it’s time to seek adventure, even if that means ditching your car for your daily commute...
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Going the extra mile: Secrets to keeping cars running longer on the roads
(BPT) - Hitting 100,000 miles on the odometer for most people means it’s time to start car shopping. But for others it’s a personal challenge to go the extra mile, save a little cash and take their cars another 100,000 miles. Racking up miles can evoke pride in some, but it is more than just bragging rights. Many peopl...
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Rattling down the highway? What those common car noises mean
(BPT) - “What is that rattling? Is it serious?” We all can get a little paranoid about a new sound our car is making. Those sounds can certainly be annoying, but what people don’t realize is sometimes those sounds may be linked to something more serious. About 7 percent of car crashes are caused by some kind of vehicle...
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By Alice Mannette and Ian Simpson MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - At least 91 people, including 20 children, were feared killed when a 2 mile wide tornado tore through an Oklahoma City suburb, trapping victims beneath the rubble as one elementary school took a direct hit and another was destroyed. President Barack Obama declared a major disaster area in Oklahoma, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local efforts in Moore after the deadliest U.S. tornado since one killed 161 people in Joplin, Missouri, two years ago. ...
By Tabassum Zakaria and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration has decided to give the Pentagon control of some drone operations against terrorism suspects overseas that are currently run by the CIA, several U.S. government sources said on Monday. Obama has pledged more transparency on controversial counterterrorism programs, and giving the Pentagon the responsibility for part of the drone program could open it to greater congressional oversight. ...
By Richard Weizel WESTPORT, Connecticut (Reuters) - Connecticut rail commuters endured crowded and rerouted rides in to work on Monday, as Metro-North worked to repair the busiest U.S. rail line after a two-train collision and derailment injured more than 70 people late last week. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said commuters should expect "serious disruptions," and encouraged riders to stay home if possible as repair crews worked to fix or replace more than 2,000 feet of track as well as overhead wires and other equipment. ...