• Of the drivers who tested positive for alcohol impairment, men outnumbered women.
• Most drivers who had blood alcohol levels above the legal limit were on the roads between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.
• Motorcycles and pickup trucks were the most common vehicles for those drivers who were drunk.
• About 90 percent of the drivers asked were willing to give a breath sample. Only 70 percent agreed to a saliva sample. Researchers conducting the survey offered $10 for saliva samples and $50 for blood samples. If a driver did not want to participate, the researchers offered $100 for an extra incentive.
• If a driver was found to be impaired during the survey, they were not arrested but they were forced to find another way home. “The important thing was we didn’t want to allow anybody back into traffic that appeared to be impaired,” explained Jeff Michael with the NHTSA.

It does not matter if you are just a little impaired or a lot impaired. Do not get behind the wheel of your VW cars if you have had anything that could alter your judgment or your reflexes. It’s dangerous, illegal and irresponsible.

A recent wave of random roadside checks shows some good news: Fewer Americans are driving while under the influence of alcohol. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, there is no significant decline in drug use among today’s drivers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) selected random drivers in 300 locations across the Unite States. They administered blood tests, breath tests, saliva tests and questionnaires to see if alcohol still plays a prominent role on today’s highways. The results were good in that the problem of drunk driving has decline a great deal since 1973 when about 7.5 percent of American drivers had a blood alcohol level of at least .08. The most recent test shows only about 2.2 percent of drivers are above the legal limit.

On the other hand, the survey showed that about 16.3 percent of nighttime drivers had drugs in their system. About 9 percent had marijuana in their system while about 4 percent had cocaine and another 4 percent had prescription drugs.

There is much more to this story and the results that the NHTSA found. Come back on Wednesday to learn more. Until then, be safe behind the wheel of your VW cars. Don’t drink and drive and don’t do drugs. Any type of unnatural influence when you are driving is unsafe and irresponsible.

1. Keep the proper tire pressure. Check the pressure in your tires at least once a month to ensure they are inflated properly for optimum fuel economy.

2. Get a tune up. Getting a tune up on your car can increase your gas mileage by as much as four percent.

3. Replace the air filter. A clogged air filter makes the engine work harder than necessary. You can increase your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent by changing your dirty air filter.

4. Make sure the gas cap is tight. If you leave your gas cap loose, your fuel could evaporate. The Car Care Council estimates loose gas caps has resulted in 147 million gallons of evaporated fuel every year.

5. Park your car in the shade. If your car gets too hot, the fuel is more likely to evaporate. Staying in the shade helps prevent that from happening.

Use these tips with your VW cars and you can spend less money on fuel this summer!

According to psychiatrist Richard Winer, drivers taking out their frustrations on the road ways is becoming more and more common as people become “much more stressed and more likely to talk about road rage.” Many of his patients describe the feelings they get when they are behind the wheel and many of those feelings cause them to act out. A lack of control, feelings of being trapped and scared and other emotions cause some drivers to lash out in various ways.

From the list of the top cities for road rage, we can also conclude that external stressors are helping to contribute to the problem. The crash of Wall Street and the flailing auto industry are probably major reasons why New York City and Detroit top this list.

Winer has one piece of advice for drivers – turn off the loud rock music and try something more comforting like Mozart of Beethoven. The cliché “music calms the savage beast” has some truth to it when it comes to driving.

Here’s the lesson: Do not use your VW cars or any other cars as weapons or avenues for exerting your stress and emotions. Regardless of your individual situation, take some steps to calm down and be a safer driver. Getting angry and taking things to the next level just makes everything worse.

• More than 40 percent of the drivers surveyed said they honk their horn at another driver at least one time per month.
• About 35 percent of the drivers asked said they yell at other drivers and curse at them when they get mad and frustrated.
• 13 percent of the drivers surveyed said they wave their fists or arms at other drivers.
• Only 10 percent said they make obscene gestures to other drivers when they get mad.
• Seven percent of drivers said they call the police to report drivers who have made them mad.
• One percent of the drivers surveyed said they slam into the car in front of them when they get angry enough.

According to Chuck Raison, MD, road rage occurs so frequently because drivers are simply “competitive.” He also said it is unhealthy to engage in road rage or get so angry when driving, but it is so common because your anger can be directed toward someone who is anonymous.

How do you deal with road rage when driving your VW cars? Let us know if you are productive or if you have ever done anything you are ashamed of when behind the wheel.

Cell phones – Nearly 85 percent of drivers surveyed said other drivers talking on their cell phones were a major pet peeve.

Speeding – Driving faster than you are supposed to drive was a major stressor for 58 percent of drivers surveyed.

Tailgating – Drivers who “ride the bumpers” of other drivers bothered 53 percent of those surveyed.

Eating and Drinking – Nearly half of drivers surveyed get majorly annoyed when they see other drivers eating or drinking behind the wheel.

Texting – About 37 percent of drivers are bothered when they see other drivers texting on their cell phone.

The survey was conducted by Auto Vantage’s survey firm and included more than 2500 drivers in major metro areas across the country. Are you committing any of these “violations” when driving your VW cars? Many of these are against the law and dangerous so let’s keep an eye on our behaviors rather getting mad at others.

A study done by Auto Vantage, a nationwide roadside assistance company, recently listed the top cities in the United States for drivers with road rage. Some of the answers may surprise you while you probably already know a couple of the other cities.

Topping the list is, of course, New York City. That city has a reputation for angry drivers, though. You drive too slow in the fast lane and you might just get run over. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area comes in at the second spot followed by none other than Detroit. I’m surprised there are enough people left in Detroit for them to take any of the top five spots!

The next few cities on the list may surprise you. Atlanta, Georgia takes the number four spot followed by Minneapolis-St. Paul and Phoenix respectively.

On the other hand, Portland, Oregon and Cleveland, Ohio were listed as the two cities with the most courteous drivers.

Keep these findings in mind if you drive your VW cars around any of these cities this summer. Just follow the traffic laws and be courteous to avoid any major conflicts on the roadways.

Even when the weather is mild, the inside of a car can get as much as 50 degrees hotter than the temperature on the outside. Within just a few minutes, the interior temperature can rise as much as 20 degrees. Within an hour, it can get as high as 50 degrees hotter. Contrary to what many parents believe, cracking the window does very little to dissipate the heat and cool of the inside of the car.

Never leave your child or pet in your VW cars alone. Even if you think it’s going to be for just a minute, you never know what is going to happen. Too many things can go wrong and it’s just better to be safe. Remember, it really CAN happen to you. That’s why it is important to take precautions to prevent it from happening.

Customize It
Most GPS units have several different vehicles and voices that you can choose from right out of the box. Whether you want to be a fire truck, a bicycle or a 4×4 truck, you can make your car icon match your personality. You can also choose different voices to find the one that you like. If you don’t find something that tickles your fancy, you can go online with a simple search and download a number of icons and voices to install on your GPS unit.

Find Cheap Gas
You may need to a pay a yearly fee to some service for this program, but it’s well worth it. Services like MSN and others have programs you can install on your GPS that will tell you where the least expensive gas is in the area.

Find Your Favorite Restaurant
Are you a thousand miles from home and looking for the nearest Taco Bell? If so, your GPS device can tell you were to find one. The best part is that it also tells you exactly how to get there!

If you have not purchased a GPS device for your VW cars, what are you waiting for? Just a few hours with one of these things and you will wonder how you ever lived without one!

• The first satellite for GPS purposes was launched in 1978.
• By 1994, 24 satellites were launched mainly for GPS purposes.
• The GPS technology was initially created by Ivan Getting for the United States Department of Defense. The cost was $12 billion.
• GPS satellites run on solar energy.
• The official U.S. Department of Defense term for GPS is NAVSTAR.
• GPS technology is also used to pinpoint ships and submarines. It has also been used to measure the height of Mount Everest.
• Many GPS devices are accurate to one centimeter or better.
• The GPS technology used in portable devices for cars today is the same that is used by the United States military for finding enemies.

How cool are GPS devices? I recently bought one and I cannot figure out how I ever lived without it. Get one for your VW cars and you’ll feel the same way.