For owners of used cars in New Jersey, replacing your vehicle’s air filter is one of the more simple tasks involved in routine car maintenance. When to replace it, however, is a slightly more complicated issue.

It is difficult to determine when to replace an air filter by elapsed time or mileage because it is totally dependent on the driving conditions. A filter can last up to 20,000 miles if the car is driven mostly on highways, but may only last for two months if the vehicle is driven on dirt or gravel roads, according to Yahoo Autos.

Visible dirt on the surface of an air filter is not a strong indicator that it needs to be replaced, CarJunky.com reports. Try putting the filter up to a 100-watt bulb and if light can pass through at least half it, the filter is suitable for continued use.

However, the light test will not work on extended-life factory filters. If your vehicle contains one of those, replace it at the mileage interval specified by the manufacturer.

Keep in mind that a slightly dirty filter actually cleans more efficiently than a brand new one.

Prospective owners of used cars in New Jersey beware – distracted and unsafe drivers are all over the road. What they are looking at may actually surprise you.

The University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center recently unveiled the top 10 driver distractions and found that cell phone use only accounts for 1.4 percent of the study.

The leading distraction for motorists is becoming obsessed things outside of the car, such as accidents, billboards or scenery. Many car crashes also occur when drivers take their eyes off of the road to adjust the radio, which is the second most frequent distraction in the survey.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that driver inattention is a contributing factor in over 50 percent of all car crashes.

Authors of the study suggest that drivers pull off the road if they begin to daydream or if they need to use a cell phone for an extended conversation. Researchers also recommend that you don’t drive when you are agitated or tired.

Remember, limiting distractions is the first step toward safer travel.

Last year, New Jersey Governor John Corzine signed the nation’s first state law prohibiting vehicles from driving with dangerous accumulations of snow. Owners of used cars in New Jersey may be interested in a terrifying accident outside of Chicago that could force other states to adopt Corzine’s innovative piece of legislation.

Early in January, Peter Morano was driving in Aurora, Illinois when a large block of ice slipped off of a semitrailer and crashed through his windshield.

“The sheet of ice hit directly on the windshield, broke the windshield and sprayed the glass into my face,” said 41-year-old father of two, quoted by the Chicago Tribune.

The semitrailer continued driving, but other pedestrians came to Morano’s aid. He spent two days in the hospital and had to undergo numerous facial surgeries.

Morano and his family believe that the accident could have been prevented and are now pushing for stronger regulations concerning snow removal for motorists.

“There needs to be more awareness of this,” said Debbie Morano, Peter’s wife. “Every time we’ve told the story, someone says, ‘That happened to me,’ or ‘That happened to a friend of mine.'”