In 2001, Taylor was critically injured in a car crash when the driver of the car reached for his cell phone and lost control of the vehicle before running into a utility pole. After numerous operations and substantial physical therapy, Taylor has recovered from the accident and now speaks out to help bring attention to the issue.

According to statistics, automobile crashes are the number one killer among teens, however many teen driver-related injuries and deaths can be prevented by raising awareness and providing solutions to teen driving fatalities.

According to State Farm’s claims database, from 2003 through 2007, October averaged the highest number of teen vehicle crashes and on average, the number of 16 and 17 year old driver claims involving injury or collision increases nearly 20 percent in October as compared to other months.

As part of their efforts to address the issue, State Farm Insurance and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have formed the Young Driver Research Initiative (YDRI) to help reduce teen driver fatalities through scientific research. A new study from the YDRI, which was published on September 28, 2009 in the medical journal of Pediatrics, revealed that the way parents communicate with their teens about safe driving can strongly influence their teens’ likelihood of a car crash.

The study is based on the National Young Driver Survey of more than 5,500 teenagers. The study, “Associations Between Parenting Styles and Teen Driving, Safety-Related Behaviors and Attitudes,” revealed that teens who said their parents set clear rules, paid attention to who they were with and where they were going, and did so in a supportive way were half as likely to be involved in an automobile crash, twice as likely to wear seatbelts, less likely to drive while intoxicated and less likely to use a cell phone while driving.  Teens who also said their parents set rules in a supportive way were half as likely to be in an automobile crash as compared with teens who said their parents were less involved.

To highlight these new research findings, State Farm Insurance, together with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, developed an online resource at www.statefarm.com/teendriving, which assists parents about how to talk to their teens and yung adults about safe driving and good driving habits. The site also includes teen driving facts and statistics, an interactive quiz, and video demonstrations, as well as important tips for setting rules that are most likely to protect teens.

The purpose of National Teen Driver Safety Week is to raise awareness about the tragedy of teen vehicle crashes, and to encourage communication between teens and parents about the causes of and solutions to teen crashes. To learn more about National Teen Driver Safety week or to view the online parent resource, visit: www.statefarm.com/teendriving.

Results from the National Road Safety Foundation show that while 60 percent of motorists have driven while fatigued, 37 percent have admitted to falling asleep while driving. 

It’s important to recognise the warning signs of drowsiness while driving, especially when driving while tired is a significant factor in automobile crashes.

Symptoms of  drowsiness while driving include:

• Difficulty focusing
• Frequent blinking
• Rubbing eyes
• Failure to recall the last few miles driven
• Yawning
• Head Snaps
• Tailgaiting
• Drifting out of the proper driving lane

If you find yourself tired while behind the wheel, it’s time to take a break.  Stop for a cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverage, or have a snack.  Pulling over in a safe, well lit area for a little power nap can also help beat fatigue, and if you’re more than a few miles from home, perhaps getting a hotel room to catch up on your Z’s is really the best idea yet.

Remember to avoid alcohol and never take medications which may increase drowsiness while driving.

A special Warriors in Pink episode of “The Martha Stewart Show” aired on October 16 when the entire hour was devoted to this important cause. Martha Stewart hosted a special studio audience of Warriors whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.

Said Janet Balis, EVP Media Sales and Marketing at Martha Stewart Living:

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Ford Warriors in Pink to help raise awareness about breast cancer. Breast cancer touches the lives of so many women and their families. We’re proud to be tapping the power of our media platforms to develop a creative, integrated program that resonates with our passionate consumers and spurs action.”

For years, Ford has created special “Warriors in Pink” vehicle editions and this year, Ford paired up with Stewart to create two “Warriors in Pink” 2010 Ford Tauruses. On the October 16 special edition of “The Martha Stewart Show,” one of the cars was given away.

Ford creates limited-edition Warriors in Pink apparel and accessories featuring important symbols signifying the message of hope, strength and unity in its commitment to the fight against breast cancer. Sold on FordCares.com, Ford donates 100 percent of net proceeds to Susan G. Komen for the Cure 365 days a year.

Said Connie Fontaine, Brand Content and Alliances manager for Ford Motor Company:

“One of the unique elements of the Warriors in Pink initiative is its ability to unite people who have been touched by breast cancer. As a 15-year partner of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, we know that awareness leads to early detection and early detection saves lives. Warriors in Pink apparel and accessories demonstrate support for the cause while making a contribution…It allows people to feel as though they are a part of a larger force – an army of Warriors fighting the disease together.”

As a long-standing partner of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ford has dedicated more than $100 million to the breast cancer cause and remains committed to innovative ways to drive breast cancer awareness. The company’s commitment runs well beyond raising funds – as a national series sponsor of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Ford is present at all 121 races nationwide.

Between now and December 31, 2009, when you test-drive a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle, Ford will donate $20.00 on your behalf to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  

For more information, visit www.FordCares.com.

Last week, Green Car Journal announced the five finalists for its 2010 Green Car of the Year awards, with the winner announced during the LA Auto Show press Conference, scheduled for December 3.

The Audi A3 TDI, Honda Insight, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Golf TDI are all top picks for this year’s list. 

The Green Car of the Year award honors environmental leadership in the automotive field and recognizes vehicles that are available during the award year.  Green Car Journal editors review qualifying vehicles and narrow it all down to the top five finalists. The winner is decided by jurors, as well as Green Car Journal editors.   In recent years, jurors have been such notable persons as Jay Leno, Carroll Shelby and Matt Petersen of Global Green USA.

For the first time, Audi makes its entrance into the foray of the final five with its sporty A3 TDI clean diesel, while Volkswagen’s new Golf TDI is an expanding focus on clean diesel technology. The Honda Insight is a completely new hybrid sedan and the 2010 Toyota Prius is a totally redesigned, third-generation version of the already popular hybrid. The Mercury Milan hybrid is advanced-hybrid technology in an upscale mid-size sedan.

The 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show will be held on December 2 and 3 for press and December 4 through 13 for the public.

On Thursday, Infiniti announced production of the M35 Hybrid, a luxury performance sedan scheduled to make its’ entrance in 2012. This is Infiniti’s first foray into the hybrid market.

The M35 Hybrid is based on the Infinity M luxury sedans.

The M35 Hybrid has a single electric motor/twin clutch arrangement.  The first clutch is installed between the 3.5-liter V6 and the electric motor. The electric motor acts as both propulsion unit, boosting the V6 in “power assist” mode when maximum acceleration is required, and also as a generator. Along with charging the battery in the normal way, the motor recovers energy otherwise lost during deceleration and braking.

In certain driving conditions, the M35 Hybrid will also be able to perform solely on the electric motor. Details of driving range, performance and transmission are said to be forthcoming. 

Several new technologies will be introduced in the new M35 Hybrid, including a laminated lithium-ion battery pack that’s the same size as conventional batteries but which will offer twice the power. Lamination enhances the pack’s cooling performance, while temperature stability is further improved by the use of manganese positive electrodes.

All About Suicide Doors – Car Lust

21 Cars You Can’t Drive in the U.S. – Business Week

Toyota’s Answer To Deadly Floor Mats: Zip Ties! – The Car Connection

Random Breathalyzer Testing Coming To A Road Near You? – Car Envy

2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid Greenlighted for Production – Ride Lust

Top 10: Beatles’ Rides – Anything on Wheels

Demand for Compact Cars Plummets – Pittsburg Post-Gazette

A New Global Advertising Campaign Reveals a Tougher Side to the Michelin Man – CNN Money

Buying a Used Car Without the Haggling – New York Times

Don’t Dodge it, Ram it. – Jil McIntosh

Economy Car Catch 22 – National Motorists Association Blog

Lincoln’s Smallest Car Tries to Shake Midsize Blues – The Car Tech Blog

Toyota May Face Another Recall – MSN Autos

All About “Art Cars” - How Stuff Works

New Car Sales Slump After ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Ends – Los Angeles Times

New Car Rebate Incentives – MPG-O-Matic

Rebel Without a Car – Los Angeles Times

- Thanks to Jackie R., Lisa G., Jared T., Jenna P., Amy C. and Dawne J. for some of this weeks’ links.

That said, when we communicate with an automotive technician, AAA recommends the following:

1. Before taking the vehicle to a repair facility, write down notes on the vehicle’s symptoms and performance so important information is not overlooked or forgotten. Include any observations, even if they seem silly or irrelevant.

2. Describe the symptoms to the technician rather than solutions. Explain what has been seen, smelled, heard and felt while driving the vehicle. For example, does it vibrate or pull to the left? Explain under what type of driving conditions the problems takes place and how long ago it started.

3. Try to be precise. Such as explaining a rattle under the hood starts at 40 mph or an issue occurs only on cold days after the engine has been running for 10 minutes.

4. When describing symptoms, refer to the driver side and passenger side instead of the right or left side of the vehicle.

5. Resist the temptation to use technical jargon unless absolutely sure what it means. Explain what is being experienced in terms that do not direct the technician to a single solution. This will help eliminate unnecessary or ineffective work being performed due to misinterpretation or misdiagnosis.

6. If the vehicle has been serviced recently, bring copies of the previous repair orders rather than trying to explain what work was done.

There also are some things motorists can do to help protect themselves from unexpected charges or unneeded repairs:

7. Ask questions if the technician uses jargon that is not understood or if something is not clearly explained. A quality auto technician should be willing to take time to clearly explain the problem in advance of the repair and the proposed solution. If the technician does not explain the problem and the remedy in a clear and convincing manner, or suggests the repair is too complicated to explain, consider seeking a second opinion from another shop.

8. Always read the repair order before signing it and authorizing any work. Look for specific instructions detailing the maintenance to be done, or the condition to be corrected and work to be performed. If the language is vague or unclear, such has ‘fix engine noise,’ ask that it be rewritten. In some cases it makes sense to ask that a diagnosis be performed and an estimate provided before a final repair is authorized.

9. Read over the bill and ask about charges that are not clear. Insist that the descriptions of parts and not merely just the serial numbers be listed on the final invoice. In some cases, you might want to specify in advance that the shop show you the parts that are to be removed and replaced on the vehicle.

10. Before authorizing a repair, be sure to obtain a written description of the warranty the shop provides, including the warranty on parts as well as labor. Most repairs should carry a warranty of at least 12 months and 10,000 miles.