When I think about my driving habits as a teenager, I shudder to think about either of my kids climbing behind the wheel in a couple of years. The increased congestion on the roads and the alarming stats about vehicle fatalities involving teens only compound my fears.

Posted By Mike

But 20-year-old Jonathan Fischer has invented a device that may help alleviate some of my worries. The Speed Demon is a black box of a different kind. It mounts inside your vehicle and will alert you by email or text message when your teenager exceeds pre-set speed limits and will tell you where your teenager is at the time. It combines a GPS unit, cell data modem and software to determine which roadway your teenager is traveling on and can accommodate different pre-set limits  for various types of roads, such as highway and secondary.

The device also features a curfew alarm, which will alert you if the car is driven during off-limit hours. You’ll also receive an alert if your teen tries to outsmart the device by turning it off. For emergencies, Speed Demon features a panic button that will phone home for help.

While Speed Demon will tell you where your young driver is traveling when he/she speeds, it doesn’t track a vehicle’s every move. For that level of tracking, you’ll need a different device. “As a teenager, I feel that teens deserve their privacy,” Fischer said. “My device only alerts when you’re driving dangerously. Drive safe, and you get to keep your privacy.”

Fischer has been working on Speed Demon since he was 16, inspired by the tragic death of a friend in a high-speed collision. The device is available at www.livefastdriveslow.com for $250 and a $15 per month service fee. For me, the invesment may be nothing compared to the peace of mind I get when I send my oldest out onto the road by himself.

Source: Boston.com

One million miles … it’s a feat that’s hard to visualize, especially on odometers that are designed to display up to 999,999 miles.

It’s a thrilling milestone for a vehicle owner when his or her car reaches 100,000 miles, so you can imagine the excitement generated when articles were written about two vehicle owners whose cars made it past 1 million miles on the odometer: Peter Gilbert in his Saab 1989 900 SPG and Frank Oresnik in his 1991 Chevrolet Silverado (Watch this video about Frank and his truck).

For most people, driving any car for more than 1 million miles seems like a long shot, mostly because owners want to sell or trade in their vehicles for the newer models after a number of years. Still, the milestone is a testament to the power of maintenance.

Both million-mile vehicle owners say they were religious about oil changes—and surely other preventive maintenance services, too. When you think about the cost of an oil change and other maintenance compared to the longevity it can provide for you and your vehicle, there’s just no reason why you’d want to neglect it.

With a little bit of maintenance and a lot of driving, we hope to read about even more vehicle owners attaining the distinction of being million milers.

Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , GM Next blog

As we’ve watched gas prices escalate steadily in the past few years, many have debated the magical price point that will motivate motorists to change their driving habits.

According to a recent survey by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), nearly six in 10 respondents have already changed their behaviors.

One-third of those surveyed said $3 per gallon would trigger (or has triggered changes), and another 32 percent said they would significantly change their behavior if gas prices reach $4 per gallon.

When asked how driving habits have changed, 90 percent said they are driving less and 75 percent said they are doing a better job of maintaining their vehicles.

Other changes include carpooling more (31 percent), purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles (30 percent) and using public transportation (24 percent).

Interviews were conducted online with 500 people, 21 years or older, who are responsible for purchasing fuel, maintenance and repairs on the vehicle they drive. According to Opinion Research Corp., the company that conducted the survey, the data was weighted according to gender, age and geographic region. The maximum error range is plus or minus four points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Source: National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE