Fuel Efficient Autos

It’s no secret that drivers are using their cell phones behind the wheel to text message others who are probably driving at the same time. The younger generation of drivers has become known for texting and instant communication, both of which have caused a number of arguments, debates and discussions about distracted driving.

You can find many instances in which people were killed because another driver was not paying attention. They were either texting, looking for their phone so they could text someone or they were reading a text they received. In Central Florida last year, one truck driver killed two drivers and caused a 10-car pileup on US 27 when he was reaching for his cell phone. He was given a $500 fine for careless driving.

“Everyone knows the dangers,” explained Sgt. Mark Wysocky with the Florida Highway Patrol. “We all know when you text and try to make phone calls. Where do your eyes go? Your eyes go to the phone and then your eyes are off the roadway.”

You can read the rest of the article in the Philadelphia Inquirer here. However you feel on the debate, though, nobody can argue that it is safer to be texting when driving. Keep this in mind when you are behind the wheel of your VW cars – it’s better to be safe than sorry.

On Friday, we gave you some facts about impaired driving in your VW cars. Today, we have more facts that you should know if you have ever thought you could safely drive after going out for a few drinks.

• With a blood-alcohol level of .05, you start to lose small muscle control. Your eyes begin to lose their ability to focus and you are not as alert as you are without alcohol. In addition, you lose some inhibitions and a reduced ability to coordinate. This makes it more difficult to steer and act safely in an emergency situation.
• At .08, your speech, vision, hearing and balance are all adversely affected. You have less self-control, ability to reason and your memory fades quickly. You also lose your ability to judge how fast you are going and you cannot process information rapidly or logically.
• You can be arrested for driving while impaired even if you have not reached the legal limit of intoxication.

The best thing to do is to stay off the roads as a driver if you have been drinking anything at all. Even if you think you can drive after drinking, you can still get into trouble. Always have a designated driver around or call a taxi if you want to drink alcohol. You’ll thank yourself later.

Driving your VW cars while under the influence of alcohol is a big no-no. Many drivers think they can drive after “just a couple” drinks without a problem, but according to studies done about the effects of alcohol on driving abilities, this is not true. Here are some facts you should know about impaired driving. It might change your mind the next time you think you can drive.

• A 120-pound woman can have a blood-alcohol level of .08 after only two drinks. It only takes four drinks for a 180-pound man to reach the same level.
• A “drink” consists of a five-ounce glass of wine, one beer or one shot of liquor.
• At the legal blood-alcohol level, you are 11 times more likely to get into a single-vehicle crash than a driver with no alcohol in their system.
• Twenty-five years of research shows that drivers are impaired even after just one drink.
• With a blood-alcohol level of only .02, you lose some judgment and your visual abilities begin to decrease. You also lose the ability to do two tasks at one time.

With the college season fast approaching, it’s important to know about these facts. We’ll have more facts about impaired driving in VW cars on Monday. Be sure to come back for more!

You have probably read a lot of blog posts, articles and news stories about the dangers of talking on cell phones while driving. You may have even noticed your attentiveness dwindle as you talk on your own cell phone when driving your VW cars. But there are two sides to every debate or else there would be no debate on the issue at all. Following are some of the valid points that people make in opposition to a federal ban on using cell phones while driving.

• Since cell phones and driving fall under the category of highway regulations, it should be a state’s decision to ban cell phones behind the wheel. It is not an issue that the federal government should consider.
• Studies also show that having passengers in the car reduce a driver’s focus and attention to the road. Should driving with passengers be banned, too?
• It’s extremely difficult to enforce a ban on cell phones while driving. What if the driver is using a hands-free device? That’s just as dangerous as a handheld device, according to studies.
• When dealing with the actual statistics, talking on a cell phone was the reason for only a very small number of accidents. Unfortunately, these statistics are often manipulated in favor of cell phone ban proponents.

Whether you believe in banning cell phones behind the wheel or not, the important thing is to keep your mind on the road and obey the law when driving your VW cars. If you do not agree with the law, do something to change it instead of breaking it.

Nobody likes getting stuck in traffic. We all just want to get home or wherever we are going in a timely manner. But did you know that driving your VW cars like a jerk could prevent traffic jams?

Now before you go cutting people off or tailgating a slow driver, the study that revealed this phenomenon is not exactly concrete facts. Although it was conducted by physicists at Sweden’s Umea University, there is a fine line between driving to avoid traffic jams and causing traffic jams with the way you drive.

The study did find, however, that “logjams begin to ease as the percentage of drivers willing to pass on the right or zip past a pack of trundling cars…actually help to keep the traffic flowing smoothly.”

We are not really sure if this type of argument will hold up in traffic court if you get a ticket for being a “maverick driver.” And we certainly do not endorse or encourage any drivers to break the traffic laws in hopes of preventing traffic jams. It is just an interesting finding.

As always, we encourage you to be safe behind the wheel of your VW cars. Getting stuck in a traffic jam is better than getting a ticket for breaking a law or, worse yet, causing an accident by trying to avoid bottlenecks.

We know that VW cars are always setting records. That’s why it should come as no surprise that the Volkswagen AG Jetta TDI accomplished another “first” in the industry.

Last week, the Jetta TDI, a clean-burning diesel sedan, won the coveted “Green Car of the Year” award. This is the first time a diesel-powered car won the award which is the industry’s “top environmental honor.”

“This signals that clean diesel has arrived,” said Ron Cogan, the editor of Green Car Journal, which is the publication that awards this particular prize. Although diesel engines have received a bad reputation in the United States, they are becoming a direct competitor of hybrids on the market today.

“It’s a breakthrough in this country,” said Stefan Jacoby, Volkswagen’s U.S. chief. “I don’t want to say it’s better than other technologies, but it’s a real alternative to hybrids. It brings fuel consumption down, it’s environmentally friendly and – this is a difference with a Prius – this is really fun to drive.”

These fuel-efficient VW cars get approximately 41 miles to the gallon and they start at a base price of less than $22,000. That’s not bad considering the base price for a traditional Jetta starts above $17,000. Check these VW cars out at a Volkswagen dealer today!

With other automakers reporting record losses, declaring bankruptcy and asking for bailouts, the makers of VW cars have survived these tough economic times and come through them much stronger.

One of the reasons VW cars and sales have survived is because their main focus is in other parts of the world besides just the United States. Although the US is the world’s largest auto market at this time, VW cars sell extremely well in Latin America and China. In these two places, Volkswagen is the leading automaker.

According to this article in Time Magazine, the automaker’s “weak position in the U.S. market, the world’s largest, has turned out to be a blessing in disguise during this crisis.” Since other automakers have placed many of their proverbial eggs in the US basket, they have suffered lower sales in recent months.

The maker of VW cars, on the other hand, is refocusing its efforts in the United States market. It has a new mid-sized vehicle that is designed mainly to compete with the Toyota Camry. Officials at Volkswagen call this new model the “Toyota Killer.”

See why VW cars have continued to be strong in this global economic crisis. Visit your VW dealer today and see the latest innovations in the auto industry.

The federal government does not usually create programs that work as well as the CARS program did. It was originally scheduled to last until November 1, but so many people were taking advantage of the vouchers that the program actually ran out of money within five days of going into effect. But that does not mean you cannot turn your clunker in for new VW cars right now.

On Friday, the House approved an extra $2 billion to keep the “cash for clunkers” program going. It was going to be suspended while the feds reviewed options, but the overwhelming demand and the benefits the program is providing for automakers, dealers and buyers caused legislators to keep it going.

“Thanks to quick bipartisan responses, we’re doing everything possible to continue this program and to help consumers and the auto industry contribute to our recovery,” President Obama said following the vote in the House. He went on to say that the program worked “well beyond our expectations” and dealers are experiencing a huge surge in sales as a result of the vouchers.

Senator Carl Levin of Michigan had this to say about the program and its popularity: “We don’t know how long it will last so people should go to their car dealers now if they want to take advantage of the program.”

Heed these words and go out this weekend to check the eligible VW cars. You never know when an opportunity like this is going to come along again!