New drivers tend to be at a higher risk of getting into car accidents as they are still learning the ropes, but teens at a high school in Denver are working to find ways to encourage safe driving habits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teens are four times more likely to be involved in crashes than older drivers, making safety a priority for this demographic.

A group of high school juniors from Cherry Creek High School have been working with a driver safety system known as ROVR, which is used in commercial fleets around the world, to see if the advanced technology can help younger drivers. This system tracks teens' driving habits, including dangerous behaviors like speeding, hard braking and rapid acceleration and then ranks participants on a ROVR Scorecard.

"The program still has a few weeks to go, but the results confirm that young drivers can and will adjust their behavior behind the wheel," explained Keaton Skudneski, a junior at Cherry Creek and the leader of the DECA team that developed the ROVR. "… Kids are motivated to drive safer because it is fun to compete with their peers, and they like the rewards program, which provides participants with free gas money."

While good driving practices are key to keeping young motorists safe behind the wheel, the type of vehicle they drive can also contribute. Many new safety features have been introduced over the years, from brake assist and lane departure warning to rearview cameras and new materials to minimize crash impact. Since some of these advancements have been available for a few years, drivers can find used cars that are stocked with safety features. New Jersey State Auto Auction provides a wide selection of makes and models to choose from, and every car on the lot is CARFAX certified as well.

It's no secret that men and women are different in many ways, and a new study reveals that they also have different risk levels when it comes to drinking and driving. While both sexes have a higher chance of getting into an accident if they get behind the wheel after drinking alcoholic beverages, VroomGirls, an online automotive information provider for women, found that the risk may be a bit higher for ladies.

The study examined car accident statistics from across the nation and found that women who were involved in fatal car accidents were 7 percent more likely than men in the these types of car crashes to have blood alcohol levels at or below 0.08 percent, the most common legal limit. Conversely, men were more likely to be involved in alcohol-related car accidents than women, as 17.5 percent of accidents involving male drivers also involved alcohol. Only 9.5 percent of fatal accidents with female drivers were alcohol related.

While these findings are interesting, it is important for men and women alike to take precautions on New Year's Eve and the following day, as this holiday has been found to be one of the most dangerous for drivers. Those planning to indulge in a few glasses of Champagne may want to designate a driver or call a cab to get home from their festivities safely.

"We encourage every driver to be safe and responsible on the road year-round, but it's especially important during the holiday party season that concludes on New Year's Eve," said Tara Weingarten, co-founder and editor-in-chief of VroomGirls. "Drinking and driving never mix."

Should drivers get into fender benders, they can get their cars repaired after the holiday at New Jersey State Auto Auction's Total Car Care Center. The expert mechanics can address most major repair needs and give your car a tune-up to ensure it is running well in the 2013.

It's no secret that many people consume excessive amounts of alcohol to welcome in the new year, so it should come as no surprise that New Year's Day has been named the deadliest day for alcohol related traffic accident deaths. This is a major part of the reason AAA recently announced its support for devices that help monitor those who have been convicted of drunk driving.

To ensure that anyone, even a first-time offender, who has gotten behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated does not repeat their actions, AAA believes anyone who has been charged with drunk driving should be required to install ignition interlock devices (IIDs) that would prevent them from using their vehicle if they're intoxicated
. IIDs have been proven to reduce the risk of repeat offenses and keep drunk drivers off the road.

AAA is not the only organization showing its support for such devices, as the National Transportation Safety Board is also standing behind these helpful devices as an excellent way to curb drunk driving.

"Safety can be improved by requiring ignition interlock device use for all first-time DUI offenders," Anita Lorz, the NTSB's traffic safety and community programs manager, told the Los Angeles Times. "… However, simply mandating the device is not enough. We need to ensure that judges actally order IID use and that there is effective oversight and enforcements to ensure offenders have the devices in place on their vehicles."

The technology can be installed on nearly any vehicle, so drivers can still choose which car they'll be driving. They can find a safe, reliable model at New Jersey State Auto Auction, which carries a wide selection of makes and models at affordable prices.

Now that Christmas, Hanukkah and other winter holidays are over, most people are stocking up on champagne, noisemakers and silly hats to ring in the New Year. Since this holiday is so commonly celebrated with late night parties where people are drinking alcoholic beverages, it also means that the likelihood of car accidents increases in the hours leading up to and following the stroke of midnight on January 1. According to a report conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2007, New Year's was the winter holiday with the most traffic fatalities between 2001 and 2005.

Designate a Driver
If you are planning to indulge in a glass or two of champagne this New Year's Eve, you should also organize a contingency plan to get home from your party safely. Leave the car at home, so you don't even have the option of getting behind the wheel, and call a taxi or use another transportation service. You can also choose someone in your group of friends to be a designated driver and ensure everyone arrives home safely once the festivities are over.

Be Cautious Behind the Wheel
If possible, you may want to avoid driving on New Year's Eve and in the wee hours of New Year's Day. However, if you have chosen to be the designated driver or you need to be on the road for other reasons, you should pay more attention to other drivers than usual. Watch for dangerous behaviors such as swerving and fluctuating speeds that could indicate they may be inebriated. Even if a car seems to be fine, you may still want to keep your distance so you have plenty of time to react if something happens.

Following these tips can help keep you safe this New Year's Eve, but if you do get into an accident, the experts at New Jersey State Auto Auction's Total Car Care Center can help get your vehicle back in working order.

Distraction behind the wheel is a serious issue for all drivers, but technological advances, such as voice commands and hands-free phone connectivity are helping to reduce the risk of distraction-related accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 18 percent of all accidents in 2010 were affected by distractions. This includes everything from texting or talking on the phone to eating and taking your eyes off the road to check a display screen in the car.

Many studies focus on the risk that distractions can create for younger drivers, but aging motorists need to be considered as well, as approximately 10,000 adults turn 65 every day. As people age, their sensory abilities may wane, making it even more dangerous for them to use in-car technologies.

However, a recent study by automotive technology company Agero Connected Services found that voice activated technology can help senior drivers stay safer on the roads. When compared to drivers between the ages of 18 and 30, those aged 65 to 75 demonstrated similar driving capabilities while using voice technology.

"Using either a speech-only interface of a speech interface combined with brief glances to a display screen helped senior drivers improve their driving and leveled the performance gap between the two generations," explained Tom Schalk, vice president of voice technology for Agero.

Without speech recognition technology, seniors only detected 74 percent of peripheral signals in a driving test. This number rose to 94 percent with the introduction of voice activated technology, comparable to the 95 percent rate for younger drivers without the technology.

This feature can be found on some older vehicles, but can also be installed as an aftermarket accessory to make any car safer. Older drivers can find the ride they want at New Jersey State Auto Auction, which carries a wide selection of makes and models.