National Child Passenger Safety Week kicked off Sept. 15, and as part of the awareness effort, the organization Safe Kids Today released a new safety study with the General Motors Foundation. Titled "Buckle Up: Every Ride, Every Time," the report found that many parents are not using seatbelts effectively with their children. 

According to the study, about 21 percent of parents believe it is acceptable to drive with children unrestrained in specific circumstances, such as when they are only driving a short distance or traveling overnight. However, these instances can be among the most dangerous for passengers. Approximately 60 percent of accidents involving children occur 10 minutes or less from home, and kids are more likely to be injured in crashes at night than during the day. 

"As kids grow up, it can be easy to forget the importance of taking time to buckle up, especially on a quick or overnight trip. Unfortunately, exceptions can lead to tragedies," said Mike Robinson, a vice president at GM. "The research findings underscore the importance of remaining vigilant about buckling up throughout a child's lifetime. There is no reason important enough to take the risk." 

Safety doesn't stop when kids are old enough to drive themselves, either. New drivers need to buckle up just as much as young children, and engraining the habit of automatically using a seatbelt can protect them in many situations on the roads. 

Parents, young drivers and other motorists should be on the lookout for a vehicle that blends their desire for style with the need for safety. At New Jersey State Auto Auction, they can browse through a wide selection of CARFAX-certified cars, truck and vans, many of which are both safe and attractive.

Graduated driver licensing laws were created to give young motorists plenty of time to get used to the road before they find themselves in risky situations. Often, these good intentions fall short, as many teen drivers bypass the regulations without the knowledge of their parents. In fact, according to a recent survey from State Farm, many parents and their teen drivers are not on the same page when it comes to GDL programs. 

The study found that there are several areas where parents are not informed as to their teen's driving habits. For instance, about 69 percent of adults think their child always follows a nighttime driving curfew, when in reality, only 48 percent of teens say they almost always follow this law. Similarly, approximately 70 percent of parents believe their children adhere to rules regarding the number of passengers they can have in a car. Only 43 percent of young motorists say they always follow this restriction, which can contribute to unsafe situations and distracted driving. 

"Over the past two decades, some form of GDL has been passed in every state, and teen crash fatalities have dropped substantially, but more still needs to be done to save lives," said Kendall Pole, chairman of the Governors Highway Safety Association. "Parents can play a key role in enforcing and monitoring GDL laws and helping teens become safe drivers. Parents should not rely solely on GDL to instill good driving habits – they have to step up as well." 

Parents looking to keep their teens safe will want to make sure they are investing in a car with plenty of safety features. To do so without breaking the bank, head down to NJ State Auto Auction. There you can find a wide variety of CARFAX-certified cars, trucks and vans that could be the ideal affordable investment for you and your teen. 

As the quality of vehicles continue to improve, the supply of used cars for sale is getting better and better. This is good news for many drivers, as it means they can find pre-owned automobiles that boast some impressive features and top-notch performance, all without breaking the bank. However, as the quality goes up, so do prices. Although the sticker prices for these used cars are still much lower than new models, shoppers have to put in some work to find the best value. 

The NADA Used Car Guide predicts that the price of used cars that are between 4 and 10 years old will be 0.5 percent higher at the end of 2013 than they were the year before. At the same time, pre-owned vehicles that are under 3 years old will likely see average prices 1.5 percent lower than in 2012. Much of this has to do with the quality and reliability of older models, which are rapidly leveling the playing field in these areas when compared to more recent automobiles. 

"Historically speaking, reliability and unexpected repair cost concerns meant that vehicles over 5 years of age took a back seat to their younger, in-warranty counterparts in terms of demand," said Jonathan Banks, an analyst for the NADA Used Car Guide. "However, rapid advances in dependability over the past decade have changed consumer attitudes toward purchasing older vehicles." 

Drivers on the hunt for used cars that are both dependable and valuable are not without hope. The lot at New Jersey State Auto Auction is filled with CARFAX-certified cars, trucks and vans, and any of these pre-owned vehicles has the potential to be a great investment for any motorist.