Is Behavior Based insurance the wave of the future?

Pay-as-you-go auto insurance is breaking through globally, starting in the United Kingdom. This behavior based insurance works by insurance companies using telematics devices to measure various consumer behaviors while driving. This helps the insurance company to properly gauge insurance rates for its clients.

This type of insurance is a really cool phenomenon. Being held accountable for everyday actions while driving will inevitably make the roads safer. It's so easy to lose track of how fast you go when you don't have a constant reminder to be mindful. These devices also provide safer driving tips to the individuals who on the car.

This new technology seems like it will be popular and hopefully will be available to the US in the near future.

For more information, check out:
http://www.connectedworldmag.com/latestNews.aspx?id=NEWS101215065232850

Happy Customers!!

Check out this review courtesy of Google reviews:

"Picked up my Genesis today(4/23/09) Pros: Beauty and technology coming together with great price Cons: None yet. My first day. Picked up my Genesis V6 with tech today. Wonderfull car. White Satin pearl with beige interior. Great experience with Tamiami Hyundai in Naples Fl. ..."‎ - bill2006

http://www.google.com/maps/place?cid=10324105397975003868&q=tamiami+hyundai&fb=1&gl=us&hq=tamiami+hyundai&ei=wOb_TLz0C4H88Abf_7nHBg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=placepage-link&resnum=4&ved=0CDUQ4gkwAw

Customer Testimonials Courtesy of Google Reviews!

Tamiami hyundai sales (Teddy)

I want to tell you if you are looking for a hyundai look no further then Tamiami Hyundai. I bought 3 cars from naples Hyundai now Tamiami Hyundai and every time i went with Teddy, and let me tell you, we all know buying a car sucks. If you are looking for no pressure sales you have to see Teddy. truly he listen to your needs and works hard to get you the car and deal you are looking for with no pressure. I will only buy a car from Teddy at Tamiami Hyundai in Naples
- John

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=tamiami+hyundai&fb=1&gl=us&hq=tamiami+hyundai&cid=10324105397975003868&ei=v6X2TMjPIYOC8gb-yZjJBQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=placepage-link&resnum=4&ved=0CDIQ4gkwAw

How to change your own tire

Nothing puts the damper on a road trip like a flat tire. Many of you out there have AAA or some form of roadside assistance, but what happens if your stuck on the side of the road with no cell reception? Unfortunately these scenarios don't just happen in horror flicks. But never fear, we're here to teach you a few easy steps to change your own tire.

First, pull safely off the side of the road, giving your call every sign of distress. Put your car in park, preferably with the emergency brake on and put on your hazard lights. Make it obvious you are there to give yourself the most amount of safety precautions. Next, get out all the tools and spare tire from car. If you do not have emergency tools or a spare tire, invest in that ASAP!!! The most basic tools you need are lug nut wrench and a jack. Remove the hub cap and loosen lug nuts without actually removing them. Jack up your car far enough off the ground so that the fully inflated tire can replace the old flat one.

Now comes the actual change. Remove the lug nuts and flat tire and place the spare tire in alignment with the holes with the air valve facing you. Secure the flat tire with the lug nuts and replace the hub cap. Lower the vehicle with the jack.

Now that wasn't so bad was it??

For more information go to:
http://automotive.hardwarestore.com/learning/how-to-change-a-tire.aspx

Night Driving Made Safe

Now that daylight savings has taken effect we are all driving in the dark just a tad bit more. Some say they would rather drive at night, but that can be more dangerous. Traffic fatalities are actually 3 times higher at night due to several different obstacles not faced during daytime driving.

Humans are not built with night vision, therefore we need to rely on technology to be able to see in the dark. Unfortunately, technology fails us sometimes so we need to be vigilant and ensure that headlights are all working properly. As a courtesy to other drivers, make sure that your head lights are not too bright and turned on before its pitch black in those hours that the sun is setting. To avoid glare keep internal lights off and dash lights dim.

Do not be a deer in headlights! Instead of looking directly into the headlights of an oncoming vehicles look a little bit to the side to avoid seeing spots and getting distracted. Depth perception is a little bit off at night, so make sure that you leave an even bigger distance between you and the car in front of you than you would during the day.

We can all be creatures of the night if we just follow a few extra safety guidelines. For more information on night time driving safety, please visit: http://www.roadandtravel.com/safetyandsecurity/safenightdrivingtips.htm

Why you should keep tires well maintained

If you do not wear shoes that fit correctly, aren't weather appropriate, or falling apart, your feet would not be very happy with you. Can you imagine how your car feels when it's tires are not well maintained? Think about it. How can your car properly cruise you around town safely when the parts that come in contact with the road the most are not taken care of? Talk about a blister for your car.

Besides the obvious safety benefits for you and your family, keeping up with your tires is healthy for the function and life of your car.

One of the main causes of tire failure is under inflation, which can easily go unnoticed by the naked eye. All you need to do to prevent this is regularly check the air pressure in your tires. Check regularly for objects that may have gotten stuck in your tire as a result of driving through debris.

For more information on how to maintain tire safety, check out: http://www.tiresafety.com/

Buying a Repossessed Vehicle May Be the Right Move for You!

With today's economy it is not so uncommon to find repossessed vehicles. If you are not a victim of having your vehicle repossessed, this could be good new for you!

Repossessed vehicles have the potential to be a great deal as long as you do your research first. Make sure that the vehicle in question is in good shape, because some repossessed vehicles were not taken care quite like they should have been.

Be aware that there are 3 ways to purchase repossessed vehicles: by auction, dealer, or lender.

Auctions are the most common ways to purchase repossessed vehicles. The main thing you should be aware of is to ensure that the auctioneer actually has the title of the vehicle before any transactions are made. Buying from a dealer can be simple and easy if you find a dealer that specializes in repossessed vehicles - this just requires some research prior to shopping. Buying from a lender such as a bank can be a great way to get your repossessed vehicle as well. For more information on how to go through the process of buying a repossessed vehicle check out: http://autos.aol.com/article/how-to-buy-repo-vehicle/

Back Seat Safety

A new study shows that back seat passengers have a higher risk of injury compared to front seat passengers in the occurrence of an automobile accident. These findings are surprising as previous tests had found that back seat passengers were at less risk than front seat passengers.

The cause for this unbalance seems to stem from the fact that during last quarter century a lot of emphasis has been placed on developing safety features for front seat passengers, making the gap between the safety of those in the front and the back far more pronounced. Improvements on airbags, seat belts, and driver ergonomics has helped to improve front seat passenger ratings.

This means that more attention needs to be paid on the safety of the back seats of the cars to protect both children and adults.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/back-seat-car-safety-3511848.html#ixzz13abQ2MIC

Will Your Car Be the New Smart Phone?

A week long series by CNN on smartphones and their effects on society makes us ask ourselves, will your car become your next smartphone?

The notion really makes sense looking at new technology evolving for automobiles. Electronic companies are developing ways to enable talking and texting through the dashboard of your car. Eventually you will be able to surf the web and update facebook through voice commands while driving. Talk about multi-tasking!

Now the big question is whether or not this technology will make for safer roadways. On the one hand, this may reduce drivers from using their actual mobile phone while driving. Usage of phones while driving provides many dangers including not having both hands on the wheel. On the other hand, will people realistically embrace the new hands-free technology? Some may argue that even hand-free surfing the web and texting while driving is a huge distraction.

For more information, check out http://11thr.com/blog/?p=1332.

Get the Correct Tire Fitting for Safety Purposes

Avoid tire failure or poor handling performance by selecting the proper tires for your vehicle. Check your owner's manual or consult a tire technician specialist for size, weight limits and inflation rate before buying new tires.

Considerations

Choosing the right tires for your vehicle contributes to your safety while driving. Always select tires able to carry the full weight of your car or truck. Even the best tire is not safe if overloaded and unable to respond quickly in an emergency, according to TireTrack.com. Tires too large or too small for the vehicle can affect safety and performance.

Tire Size

The tire wall has letters and numbers that signify their intended use and their size. Those designed for passenger vehicles, meaning cars, sport utility vehicles, minivans and light duty pickup trucks, are marked with a "P". The numbers indicate the diameter. When fitting a new tire to a rim, be sure the wheel diameter number and tire number match.

Correct Inflation

Of equal importance is correct inflation. Check your tires to ensure the number identified by the psi--pounds per square inch--number on the tire wall matches the number on the gauge you use. Over-inflated or under-inflated tires are not safe. Too much pressure in a tire may cause it to explode. Never inflate to pressure greater than 45 psi, as cautioned by CDX Online eTextbook.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Toughens Safety Ratings for Vehicles

The U.S. Department of Transportation Tuesday unveiled a more rigorous safety-ratings system for vehicles, one that will use “female” crash dummies in tests, as well as evaluate side-pole crashing and crash-prevention technologies like electronic stability control (ESC).

The updated system will make it much harder for automakers to achieve the “Five-Star” ratings that they have in the past, but this system does seem like it will be more meaningful and accurate for consumers, especially women.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator David Strickland unveiled the “enhanced Five-Star Safety Ratings System” for new vehicles and released the safety ratings for the first model year 2011 vehicles tested under the program.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/NHTSA-13-10

Safety officials stressed that for the first time, the ratings system will use female crash test dummies to simulate crash scenarios involving women, not just men. The new system will also simulate hitting a pole on the driver’s side.

“More stars equal safer cars,” LaHood said in a press release. “With our upgraded Five-Star Safety Ratings System, we’re raising the bar on safety. Through new tests, better crash data, and higher standards, we are making the safety ratings tougher and more meaningful for consumers.”

Vehicle safety ratings range from one to five stars, with one star being the lowest and five stars the highest.

“Because so many vehicles had reached the highest rating under the old rating criteria, and because the new standards are much more rigorous, not all previously rated five-star vehicles will remain at five stars,” the transportation department bluntly said in its press release.

The new Five-Star Safety Ratings System evaluates the safety of passenger cars, SUVs, vans and pickup trucks in three broad areas — frontal crash, side crash and rollover resistance.

For model year 2011, NHTSA will rate 24 passenger cars, 20 sport utility vehicles, two vans and nine pickups under the new ratings system.

“We want consumers to embrace these new safety technologies as a way to make vehicles safer,” NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said in the press release. “We believe electronic stability control, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning offer significant safety benefits and consumers should consider them when buying a new car.”

One biggest changes to the ratings program is the addition of an Overall Vehicle Score for each vehicle tested.

“The Overall Vehicle Score combines the results of a frontal crash test, side crash tests and rollover resistance tests and compares those results to the average risk of injury and potential for vehicle rollover of other vehicles,” the transportation department press release said.

NHTSA recommends consumers consider vehicles with crash avoidance technologies that meet the five-Star Safety Ratings minimum performance tests, not only ESC but also forward collision warning (FCW) and lane departure warning (LDW).

All of the 2011 model year vehicles currently rated have ESC as standard, except for the Nissan Versa, in which it is optional.

Myths and Facts about Seat Belt Safety

MYTH: In a crash, it is almost always safer to be thrown out of the car.
FACT: The chances of being fatally injured are almost 25 times greater if you're thrown from the car than if you're safely buckled in your seat. If you aren't wearing your safety belt you could be thrown through the windshield, thrown into trees, rocks, or other cars, scraped along the ground or pavement or run over by your own or another car

MYTH: The use of a seat belt can cause more serious injuries during a crash than if the driver were not belted.
FACT: In a crash, a safety belt may produce injuries if it is not worn properly. But, if the occupant is tossed around or ejected from the vehicle they are likely to sustain much more serious injuries or death, and could injure others in the vehicle. The problem of misuse typically takes on one of three forms: lap belts are worn across the abdomen rather than low on the thighs, with the potential for serious abdominal or spinal injuries; shoulder belts are worn under the arm resulting in excessive pressure on the chest and internal organs in the event of a crash; and seat belts are worn with too much slack, rather than snugly to prevent unnecessary movement.

MYTH: If an individual chooses not to wear a seat belt, that individual is only endangering his or her own safety.
FACT: If not buckled during a crash the vehicle occupant may be thrown into other people in the car. People being thrown into each other cause one out of four serious injuries occurring to passengers of motor vehicles. One of the more common causes of death and injury to children in automobile crashes is being crushed by adults who are not wearing safety belts. Being belted also gives the driver an improved chance of controlling his or her vehicle during an accident, thereby reducing the risk of causing harm to others.

MYTH: Safety belts are not necessary when taking short trips at slow speeds.
FACT: Three out of four crashes occur within 25 miles of home. Eighty per cent of deaths and serious injury occur in cars traveling under 40 mph.

MYTH: It is not necessary for good drivers to use safety belts.
FACT: No matter how good a driver you may be, you can't control the other car. Mechanical failure, bad driving and poor judgment may cause another car to involve you in an accident.

MYTH: In a burning or submerged car, occupants can be trapped by their safety belts.
FACT: Less than one-half of one per cent of all injury-producing collisions involves fire or submersion. If such an accident does occur, a safety belt can save your life by keeping you unhurt, alert and able to escape quickly.

MYTH: Pregnant women should not wear safety belts.
FACT: The greatest cause of fetal death in auto accidents is the death of the mother so her survival must be the first priority. A lap belt worn below the "bulge" and a snug shoulder belt above will give the mother and fetus a better chance of survival.

Car Cameras Ensure Safety and Security to Cars

Have you ever wondered to keep watching your car with car cameras? If you are not watching your car, then start to have close eye for the sake of your vehicle’s security. Nowadays, car cameras are very popular to protect your vehicles against theft and vandalism. The cameras have been introduced in order to provide safety to your vehicles as millions of cars stolen or vandalized each year. Previously, they were big in their sizes, but, now, their sizes have been reduced greatly due to the advent of modern technologies. Available in a number of shapes and sizes, the cameras can be put anywhere in vehicles.
A car camera is a also known as a spy camera, which can be installed in cars enabling people to monitor and record any activity in and around their vehicles. In addition, it also alerts them to any attempts to steal or vandalize it. Of late, such cameras allow them to install a tiny GPS tracking device enabling car owners to keep track whereabouts of their vehicles. Some of the common benefits of car cameras include:
Capture photo of all driving activities on the road.
Keep proof to offer to insurance companies.
Help owners to watch and monitor their cars.
With technological advancements, such cameras can capture high-resolution pictures depending on the model. Some of the car cameras have built in an SD card, enabling customers to capture very high quality images and keep them safe on the device for extended periods of time.
Nowadays, businessmen, administration, and even parents employ the spy cameras, the hidden cameras, and the car cameras for various purposes. The reason of using such cameras may differ, but the results and motivations are simply to provide security. Because these cameras are very economical everyone can afford such cameras to offer complete protection.

Roadside Safety Tips If Your Car Breaks Down

One of the most dangerous parts of having car trouble on the road is that when it happens, your attention immediately shifts from driving or traffic, to the problem, and that can lead to accidents. Thus, it’s good to keep some safety tips in mind if your car breaks down.

The first thing is to notice that something has gone wrong; your engine might be overheating, you’ve run out of oil, or maybe you have a flat tire. Whatever it is, accept the fact that something bad is happening so that you can get your car out of traffic as quickly and safely as you possibly can. Then, don’t panic, do your best to move in a safe manner to the lane that is closest to the shoulder, then ease onto the shoulder. If you can’t get the vehicle out of traffic, wait until no cars are coming and then try to get away from the car, because if it gets hit, you don’t want to be in it. Also, be aware of the other passengers in your car, do whatever you can to help them get out of the car and away from traffic as well.

If you are able to pull your car off the road, do so as far as is humanly possible from the road; many cars and people are struck alongside roadways because other drivers fail to see them in time. Next, get yourself and your passengers out of the car. Get the passengers to all exit the vehicle on the side that is the farthest from traffic, so that won’t be getting out next to speeding vehicles. Then, get all your passengers to get even farther off the road if possible. Being anywhere near a broken down vehicle on a roadway is a very dangerous place to be.

Then, call for help; whether it’s AAA, a local garage or whatever. Call the police if you have too. Call someone to come tow your vehicle to wherever it will be repaired. If it’s a flat, only change it next to the roadway if there is a lot of room between the car and the road. And if its possible, you might want to try turning the car around so that the flat tire is facing away from traffic so you won’t be working so close to the road.

If you have flares, use them. Better is if you have some red flags on a pole that you can put near your vehicle so that cars coming can see your car sooner. Also, put on your blinkers. In short, do whatever you can to alert other drivers to the fact that your car is broken down on the side of the road.

And then, just wait for someone to come help you.

Camping Tips

Camping is an outdoor recreational activity with about as many meanings as there are campers. This means we use our time to relax doing what we like and resting our mind and body. That pretty much sums it up. Learn many tips for camping from experts. Whatever your reasoning and rationale for going camping it can lead you in many directions to many places.

Your camping experience and ability will influence your planning and in selecting a location where to go camping. Many campgrounds have campsites with facilities such as fire rings, barbecue grills, restrooms and utilities such as water and electricity. These are ideal for families and occasional campers but are less challenging for the more experienced adventurer looking to exercise their survival skills and techniques to venture into uncharted wilderness.

Locations of campsites vary and range from primitive sites in forests to well groomed sites such as those found in many of the state parks, national parks and private sites. Fee's will also vary depending on location and services provided.

HowToCampingTips.com will help you polish your current skills and prepare you for advancing to the next level. This includes those that are planning their first outing and don't know where to start. We will show you how to successfully plan your camping trip and using our camping checklists make sure you don't forget any items of importance, necessity or luxury.

How Secure Is Towing A Camper

There's nothing better than a family vacation, than hitting the road with a caravan in tow. During this option, you can enjoy some of the greatest freedoms can never offer him a price. The towing of a camper requires a special touch and certainly a lot of attention to detail.

Before you head, there are things about driving a camper you need know. To avoid solving your camper and your vacation dreams go up in smoke, you should follow these steps:Suggestions:

Ensure that the correct vehicle for the job? Towing a trailer behind a two-seater sports giant can not be the best idea. Make sure you know the towing capacity of the car you plan on driving the weight of the camper. Could it be that it is necessary to reduce a vehicle to tow handle, or even rent the plans for the camper. In both cases, it is safe to play and the pull of mathematics.

Make sure you have the hook right? Not all joints are equal. You mustto know what kind of clutch is for your camper and / or a trailer and have installed is recommended. RV Sales Center can usually help on this front.

Keep in mind the weight if the package? It 's too attractive to be a camper at the edge of the pack before going on vacation. Although this may seem like a good idea, can cause problems. Keep weight in mind and try to form the load will certainly not be exceeded. Also make sure to distribute the weight inside the camper with about 60Percent front and 40 percent in the rear. Better yet, pack only the essentials for maintaining the appropriate weight campers.

Safe products carefully? All items are subject packaged in a mobile home before moving trawlers and even decreasing. Attention, are properly fastened to face roughness of the road.

Consider carefully brake systems? Make sure that the brakes of the towing vehicle to the task. It 's a good idea to have visited before going on tour. It can also berecommends that the braking system have even installed a separate trailer. Some states require.

Make sure the lamps? Every state in America requires followers have driven signaling systems. This means, stop lights and direction indicators. If these are not installed, make sure you understand. Test before leaving on a regular basis and if they are on the road.

take extra precautions? During a hitch, Barra do is usually the task, additional safety chainsnot a bad idea. This is simply a second connection between the trailer and towing vehicle.

Get the complete motor vehicle inspected? Beyond the braking system is very wise idea to ensure that the towing vehicle to travel. This means that fluids and filters checked and also check the tire pressure correct and performance.

Drive carefully? Towing a caravan is a lot of work for the car or truck in question. Drive carefully and be sure to leave enough spacebetween you and vehicles ahead of you. Stay within speed limits and never forget that a car or truck is a motor home towing much more than it seems.

family vacations, which include motor homes give you the freedom to go where you really want. Do not take the time to get everything set up with security in mind before you pull. Some precautions can help, a journey that is safe, solid and enjoyable.

Tire Inflation Lamp Confounds U.S. Drivers

Talk about your idiot lights.

A recent study by TPMS-maker Schrader showed that 33% of drivers have no idea what the low tire pressure warning lamp on their dashboards means.

The TPMS icon, which now shows up on all consumer vehicles sold in the U.S., illuminates when the inflation pressure of one or more of a vehicle’s tires falls to 25% below the vehicle maker’s recommended inflation pressure.

Schrader's study, however, showed that driver familiarity with the new “idiot light” is wanting. And NHTSA’s designed and mandated icon is not helping.

Schrader’s survey also found that 46% of drivers had no idea that the icon was supposed to represent a tire, and 14% thought it was a warning lamp for another vehicle system.

The study also showed that while 96% of drivers agree that driving on underinflated tires is a safety issue, 44% claim to rarely check their tire pressures.

Driving with Pets: A Dangerous Distraction

Driving with your pets can be a dangerous business.

In 2008, there were 6,000 fatalities due to accidents caused by distracted drivers, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

And, in a recent survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and Kurgo, a pet product company, an overwhelming 80 percent of respondents said they've driven with their pets on a variety of car trips including day trips, local errands and leisure trips, the pet store, dog parks and to work.

But only 17 percent said they use any form of pet restraint system when driving with their dog, causing a distraction AAA says is equal to talking on a cell phone or texting while driving.

To help make the ride safer for you and your pet, "Early Show" Correspondent and Resident Veterinarian Dr. Debbye Turner Bell shared some easy ways drivers with pets can prevent some of these dangers:

The most important headline for pet owners: Restrain your pet. Keep them in an enclosed area. This is safer for a number of reasons. First of all, keeping your pet in a tighter space will keep them from wandering around. If you have a pet wandering while you are driving, the chances you will be distracted are pretty good. Whether it's to get them from scratching the seats, or to stop them from barking, almost inevitably, your attention is going to be drawn away from the road. Having a driver distracted by a pet can be just as dangerous as a driving while texting or talking on the phone. Secondly, a dog or cat in an accident can create a deadly amount of force if thrown from the car.

TIP: USE SAFETY BARRIERS THROUGHOUT THE CAR
Safety barriers are important to your pets for two reasons. First, they stop your bet from being projected in case of a short stop. Second, they stop your pet from becoming a distraction by keeping them in one place. There are two different sets of barriers for your car. One fits in the opening between your trunk and your back seat. These are most often metal or plastic bars. These stop your pet from being projected forward in case of an accident. They vary in size depending on your model of car, so make sure that you get the proper one for your vehicle. These will run you somewhere between $50 and $100.

The other barrier sits in between the front seats and back seats. Most often these are made of netting, strong fabric or plastic. These created mostly for the driver, to stop a dog from suddenly jumping in your lap, or onto the gear shift. Again, you need to make sure when purchasing a barrier like this that it fits into your particular model. These are a bit cheaper than the cage barriers, and will run you between generally between $10 and $40.

TIP: MATCH DOG SIZE TO PROPER SEATBELT RESTRAINT
Dog seat belts are adjustable straps that keep your dog in place while he or she is inside your car. This is the best safety device intended to reduce the possibility of getting injured, especially for agitated animals like dog. Seat belt restraint ensures that your dog will behave properly while riding and prevents him from hitting the hard interior of your vehicle when there's a sudden stop.

Once a dog car harness is worn on your pet during your long road trip, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your pet will not roam or create damage inside you car. At the same time, you dog can't jump over the window because he is properly secured. This will eliminate pet driver distraction.
The proper use of seat belt harnesses DEPEND SOLELY on the size of your dog. Big dogs require big seat belt restraints, and smaller dogs will only be restrained with smaller devices. Matching your dog's size to the belt is the only way that these restraints can be effective, and depending on the size the price can run you from $10 to $50.

TIP: DOGGY BOOSTER SEATS ARE ALSO SAFE AND COMFORTABLE
Another option to seat belt restraints are booster seats. Booster seats for dogs are a safe, effective way to keep your dogs safe in the car, providing a comfortable seat for the dog to enjoy while strapped in through the car's seat belt or booster seat attachments. Smaller breed dogs, especially, can benefit from a booster seat, as they can easily get jostled around in a seat belt restraint or large carrier.
If you have a mid to large breed dog, a booster seat is probably not a good option for you. Most booster seats on the market are only equipped for dogs up to 40 pounds. There are many other options available however, including back seat hammocks, seat belt restraint systems and zipline and harness restraint systems. For smaller breed dogs, booster seats are ideal.

TIP: WHEN USING A CARRIER, SECURE PROPERLY
First and foremost, if you are using a carrier to put your cat or dog in the car, make sure you have the proper sized carrier for your animal. If you get a carrier that is too small, the animal won't be comfortable, and if it's too large, the animal will get bounced around during the ride. But when using a pet carrier, it's important that it is secured properly, so that it doesn't fly around during a collision.

© MMX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Driver Education Battles Texting Obsession

Never before have inattentive drivers had a distraction like this.

Texting while behind the wheel has made our roads less safe, especially when you consider that inexperienced teenage drivers are doing most of the clicking. So, driver safety instructors are stepping up efforts to combat the trend.

"It's a big problem," said Prince Boparai, who operates United Driving School on Calhoun Road in Brookfield. The school draws many of its students from the Elm Grove and Brookfield area.

"It's gotten to the point where we've started an exercise where we have the kids doing simple things, like trying to walk in a straight line, while they're texting. They'll realize it's not so easy. If that's the case, how can you be texting while driving a car?

"We're also going to get a new driving game that simulates what it's like to operate a car while texting. We've got to get the point across," he said.

Message getting stronger
Elm Grove's Gabbi Zierath, a 16-year-old enrolled in the class, said the exercises have been eye-openers.

"They showed us how hard it is to multitask," she said. "Our instructor would send us a text message while we were doing a math problem or riding on a bike, and we'd have to answer. I didn't think it would be that hard; actually, it really was."

Instructors aren't the only ones laying down the law. The state is bringing down the hammer, too, making texting while driving illegal starting Dec. 1.

Wisconsin is the 25th state to pass such legislation, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Penalties for sending text messages while driving will range from $20 to $400 - the same as for inattentive driving.

Beyond a ticket, Boparai hopes these alarming facts about the risks of texting will help get kids' attention:

• Eighty percent of all accidents are the result of being distracted.

• Texting raises the likelihood of getting into an accident by 23 times.

• A car travels 100 feet per second at 60 mph, so if a driver glances away to text for just five seconds while driving at that speed, he or she has just traveled 500 feet with their eyes off the road.

Some will take the risk
Even more convincing, Zierath said, were the graphic photos of texting-related crashes shown to her class.

"They were very scary," she said. "People die because of this."

As a result, Zierath said, texting while driving will be something she'll avoid, but she adds that not all her peers are convinced.

"No, I won't do that," she said, "but I think it's split. Some won't do it, but others will take the risk."

Meanwhile, Boparai is not only fighting the idea of texting on the road, but in his classroom - it happens even when the topic is inattentive driving.

"Yeah, it happens," he said. "The kids just can't seem to do without their text messages.

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