I thought about this and realized that other than a rare French fry nabbed from the bag on occasion – and once a juicy red apple I simply couldn’t resist! – my eating habits behind the wheel are almost non-existent, however, I’m certainly guilty of consuming cola and iced tea while driving!  

According to a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, eating while driving is one of the most distracting things we can do. They go on to say that eighty percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve driver distraction.

According to the NHTSA, distraction is most likely to be involved in rear-end collisions where the lead vehicle is stopped, as well as in single-vehicle crashes. The NHTSA also reports that eating distractions can become a problem for drivers who can’t react quickly to sharp bends in the road or another driver’s sudden stop.

Unfortunately, just one accident may increase your car insurance rates as much as 25 percent.  Exxon surveyed 1,000 drivers and discovered more than 70 percent of drivers eat while driving and 83 percent drink beverages.

According to Insurance.com, here are the 10 Foods to Avoid While Driving:

1. Coffee: Even with a travel lid, hot coffee can find its way out of the opening when you hit a bump.
2. Soup: Many people drink it like coffee and run the same risks.
3. Tacos: Any food that can disassemble itself will leave your car looking like a salad bar.
4. Chili Dogs: Huge potential for drips and slops down the front of clothing.
5. Hamburgers: From the grease to the toppings, it could end up on your hands and the steering wheel.
6. Ribs and Wings: What’s more distracting than licking your fingers?
7. Fried Chicken: Greasy hands. You’ve got to wipe them off while you’re driving.
8. Jelly Donuts: It’s not possible to eat one without watching the center ooze out.
9. Drinking Soda: Carbonation. Fizz in the nose. Lids that leak. 
10. Chocolate: Try to clean melted chocolate off the steering wheel without swerving.

The NHTSA study also cites the following driver distractions as even more reasons for car crashes - and ultimately higher auto insurance rates:

• Using a cell phone
• Reaching for a moving object
• Looking at an object or event outside of the vehicle
• Reading. Or tweeting for the closest BBQ?
• Applying makeup

Have you considered a gas credit card recently? With gas prices currently around $3 a gallon, saving between 5 and 25 cents per gallon is more than worth it to most people. Gas credit cards are one of the best ways to save money on gasoline because they offer rebates on gas purchases between 1% and 10%. Here’s a guide to the best ways to save money with gas credit cards.

1. Compare gas cards and find one that’s best suited to you
Always compare different gas credit cards before applying and look for a number of features to get the best card for your needs and credit history. Something that’s particularly important with gas cards is the introductory period, which often gives you double rebates during a set period of time. Gas cards may advertise that they’ll give you 6% cash back on gas purchases but upon reading the terms and conditions you’ll find that you only receive 6% for the first three months; afterwards your rebate drops to 3%. It’s also important to understand how you redeem rewards, if there is any expiration and other important rebate information. The best gas credit cards generally give you 5% cash back on your fuel purchases.

2. Decide whether you want a station-specific card or one that can be used anywhere
This is an important decision to make when choosing a gas credit card. There are many on the market that offer you the chance to use your credit card at any location and earn rebates or cash back on any gasoline purchases. One of the best is the Discover Open Road card, which gives you up to 5% cash back on gas purchases and 1% cash back anywhere else. If you shop at a particular gas station exclusively, a station-specific gas card may be a great pick. One of the top picks is the Chase BP Visa Rewards Card, which can earn you a whopping 10% cash back at BP stations for the first 60 days and 5% afterward. You also earn 1% cash back with this card at any other location.

3. Don’t carry a balance!
Carrying a balance on a gas credit card is the worst thing you can do and will obliterate any savings you earn. Think about this: gas credit cards often have higher-than-average APRs. If you’re carrying a balance and paying 14.99% interest and only earning 4% rebates, you’re actually losing money. Credit card companies are hoping that you’ll do this because it makes them money. Whatever you do, don’t carry a balance on any rewards card!

4. Stay up-to-date on new offers and features
Alawys keep on top of new offers from your gas card issuer, watching for extra savings at specific locations and new features that can save you even more money. You also need to make sure you’re aware of any changes to your account terms, which can end up costing you. This is a step many people overlook but it’s very important if you expect to come out ahead.

5. Use your gas card on all gas purchases!
This is the easy part: use your new gas rewards card on every gasoline purchase to watch the rewards add up. Some credit card issuers even allow you to use your credit card to purchase discount gas gift cards which can save you a ton, especially when gas prices are low. Another tip: use a website like gasbuddy.com to check gas prices in your area. This will help you save even more on gasoline while using your gas card to earn rebates everyday.

The government subsidized program is designed to help consumers turn in their older, less efficient vehicles and apply the government credit towards the purchase of a new vehicle with improved gas mileage.

If you’re in the market to lease or buy, you can search through a large selection of fuel efficient vehicles (yes – that includes hybrids!) for sale or lease over at Swapalease.com’s online marketplace.

Richard Joseph, who is President and Co-founder of Swapalease.com, believes the Cash for Clunkers program will have a positive impact on the environment and the economy:

“Swapalease.com strongly supports the Cash for Clunkers program. It is good for leasing and good for the auto industry. We have even added a new section to our web site to assist consumers who have questions about the program, as well as explaining which option is best for their unique situation, whether it be a new lease origination or a lease transfer.”

Swapalease.com is a large automotive lease marketplace, online since 1999.  It has assisted consumers with exiting their car leases early – and with no penalties - using a patented online process. Consumers who would like to get into short-term leases with no money down and low payments can take over the remaining payments on in-process leases. The company says lease transfers are a win-win-win situation for the buyer, the seller and the leasing company, since it saves everyone money and reduces repossessions.

The company is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

For more information, call 1-866-SWAPNOW or visit www.swapalease.com.

The Viper, which was introduced as a concept car in 1989 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, was designed and engineered to test public reaction to the concept of a back-to-basics, high-performance, limited production sports car. The reaction by consumers was a positive one, so much so that orders began to come in even before the auto show was over, so Chrysler took an active approach and immediately decided to determine the production feasibility on transforming the crowd-pleaser into a limited production sports car in no more than three years.

Production on the Viper began in May 1992 at the New Mack Assembly Plant and was moved to Conner Avenue in October, 1995. Viper V-10 engine production transferred from Mound Road Engine to Conner Avenue Assembly in May 2001. In 2008, Dodge introduced the all-new, fourth generation Dodge Viper SRT10. With more horsepower, more torque and more factory customization options.

For 2009, the Dodge Viper SRT10 offers an 8.4-liter, 600-horsepower V-10 engine contributing to blistering acceleration - 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds; 0 to 100-0 mph in the low 12-second range - setting an American sports car benchmark.

So far, more than 25,000 Dodge Vipers have been built.

So, with that, she’s certainly got some tire choices ahead of her and she’s been looking into different manufacturers, prices and availability.

Tire wear depends on several factors, which includes your personal driving style and tire maintenance habits. One way to know if it’s time to replace tires is when tread-wear indicators appear, such as “wear bars” that look like narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tread and will appear when it’s time to replace the tire.

There are other ways to know when it’s time to replace the tires on your ride:

• The indicators at three or more places around the tire are visible.
• Cord or fabric is showing through the tire’s rubber.
• The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep enough to show cord or fabric.
• The tire has a bulge or split.
• The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that can’t be repaired well because of the size or location of the damage.

Now that you know your car needs new tires, here’s how to buy them:

• Consider where you live.  You’ll want to choose your tires based on worst case driving conditions for your area. All season tires are a good choice if weather conditions consist of light snow in winter, a little rain in the spring and a mildly warm summer.

• Manufacturers design different tires for specific results,  For example, if you live in an area where you have summer and winter, you may want to have two sets of performance tires; one set for the fall/winter seasons and one for the spring/summer seasons. 

• On the other hand, if you live where the weather basically stays the same all year, you can get by with one set.

• Generally, it’s a good idea to replace tires with the same brand, design and size.

• Look for the letter ‘P’ (which means “Passenger Vehicle”) and the tire’s width, height, ‘R’ (for Radial) and the last number - which is the diameter of the wheel the tire fits – all imprinted on the tire itself.

• Choose where you’ll buy your new tires. You can find new tires at car dealerships, service garages, stores like Sears and Farm and Fleet, or even the Internet. 

• Remember that tires need special equipment for installation, so I think it’s handy to buy tires at the same place you’ll have them installed.  They will also dispose of the old tires for you.

• Shop around for the best price.  Tires are available in almost all price ranges, so be sure to get tires that fit into your budget. You can purchase a good set of tires at an affordable price.

• Keep tire wear to a minimum by rotating them as the manufacturer suggests.

Around a year and a half ago, while browsing YouTube I discovered a little gem of a TV show called Top Gear. Ok maybe it’s just more then a little gem over in the U.K. and Europe, and over the years the show has developed a cult like following in the U.S. If you’ve never heard of Top Gear its basically a car review show, where they tend to.. well, push cars to their limit.

A video can probably explain just how awesome this show is better than I ever could:

Produced by the BBC and directed by Ben Silverman, the show is so entertaining that often I find myself almost falling out of my seat from laughing so hard. The guys on Top Gear have done everything from playing a giant game of soccer with Toyota Aygos, to transforming a Reliant Robin into a space shuttle and literally blasting it thousands of feet into the air.

Needless to say, when I heard that U.S. version of Top Gear was in the works, I was extremely excited. However after that first rumor, I never heard anything else. A few days ago I saw an article about Top Gear somewhere which made me curious as to what every happened with the planned U.S. version, so I thought I would look into the matter. I soon discovered that the U.S. version is a no go after all.

Apparently the BBC did try to export Top Gear to the United States back in 2007, however it looks a deal was never reached and NBC decided to pass. This is really a shame because I always thought that if they could manage to produce an American version of this classic British show, the way they did with a show like “The Office” it would definitely be a hit.

However according to Jeremy Clarkson, who is a host of the BBC version of the show, The NBC focus groups weren’t a fan of the proposed American version. Yes these are the same groups that give two thumbs up for shows like “I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here”.

For now it looks like fans of the show are stuck with the British Version on cable or satellite TV, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Who knows what the future holds however, I think its time for Cars For Girls readers to write into NBC and start a Top Gear USA movement!

• Inventory
Perhaps you’re interested in a reliable, certified used vehicle and don’t really mind a lot of miles.  Maybe you’re in the market for an environmentally savvy hybrid or you prefer an import instead. On the other hand, maybe you’re interested in a specific make or model or you want to test drive a few different vehicles to determine which is best for you.  If so, you’ll want a dealership that offers a variety of different types of vehicles to choose from, all in one convenient location.

• Financing
Many dealerships provide special-rate or low-credit financing, so be sure to consider just how much of a down payment you can afford or what amount of monthly payments best fit your budget.

• Communication
If you need to do business in a language other than English, you can research the languages spoken at dealerships. Buying a car is a big investment, so understanding everything about the vehicle you are interested in purchasing is very important.

• Services
Different dealerships offer different services, so choose the one that’s right for you.  For example, if you hate waiting, seek out a dealership that offers a courtesy shuttle or loaner car.  If your vehicle needs bodywork, look for a dealer that also has a body shop.

• Amenities
If you bring your children with you while you wait for your car to be serviced, find a dealer that offers a children’s play area. If it’s important to get work completed or catch up on the news, find a dealer that offers Internet access.