Every vehicle should have an emergency supply kit in the trunk. Kits should be checked every six months, and expired items should be replaced regularly. Vehicle emergency supply kits should include:

• A properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod jack
• Jumper cables
• Tool kit and/or a multipurpose utility tool
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Reflective triangles and brightly colored cloth to make your vehicle more visible
• Compass
• First aid kit with gauze, tape, bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, a blanket, nonlatex gloves, scissors, hydrocortisone, thermometer, tweezers and instant cold compress
• Nonperishable, high-energy foods, such as unsalted nuts, dried fruits and hard candy
• Drinking water
• Reflective vest in case you need to walk to get help
• Car charger for your cell phone
• Fire extinguisher
• Duct tape
• Rain poncho
• Snow brush
• Shovel
• Windshield washer fluid
• Warm clothing
• Cat litter for traction
• Blankets

It's also a good idea to keep family and emergency phone numbers, including your auto insurance provider and a towing company, in your phone.

Source: NSC.org

Being a new parent can be an exciting time, but what about your vehicle? Did you consider that you will need to childproof each vehicle to ensure your children’s safety while on the open road? And what does childproofing a vehicle even look like?

USE THE RIGHT CAR SEAT FOR YOUR CHILD

Not only should children under the age of 13 sit in the back seat at all times, but you should also ensure that they are securely fastened in the appropriate car seat, depending on their age, height, and weight.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

From birth until ages 2 to 4: When your child is a baby, you should use a rear-facing car seat, which should be placed in the middle seat of the back seat. The middle seat is the safest position for a car seat. Children should be placed in rear-facing car seats with a harness until they reach the car seat’s maximum height or weight limit.

Until 5 or 6 years old: Once your child has outgrown their first car seat, they should be securely fastened into a seat that’s now forward-facing. The seat should come with a harness, and you can use this car seat until your child reaches the maximum height or weight limit of the seat.

Until 9 to 12 years old: After they have outgrown the front-facing car seat, they are ready for a booster seat. Your child should be securely fastened into a booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belt fits properly. Proper seat belt fit typically occurs when children are between 9 to 12, depending on their size.

ACTIVATE CHILD LOCKS h3

Imagine taking your child on their first camping trip to get them off their screens and into the wilderness, and they suddenly open the door as you are cruising down the freeway at 70 miles per hour. This is an incredibly dangerous and scary scenario that can easily be prevented by making sure the child locks on your back passenger doors are activated.

Activating the child locks in your vehicle is easy. Simply open both rear passenger doors and find the metal toggle switches that turn the child locks on and off and flip them on.

LOCK WINDOWS

Arriving at your destination does not have to be the only goal of traveling. It’s an incredible way for your kids to learn about the joy of the journey. It’s time spent together, fun playing games, and experiencing beautiful scenery along the way; however, do it safely. Always keep the passenger windows locked. Most vehicles have a window lock button on the window control panel on the driver’s side front door.

Ensure the window lock button is pushed in to prevent your child from opening the windows on their own and hanging their head or limbs out the window. Also, keeping the windows closed can help prevent rocks or other debris from flying into the car and striking your child.

SECURE UNUSED SEAT BELTS

Unsecured seat belts could pose a strangulation hazard to your child if left unbuckled. Before starting the car, you should secure all unused seatbelts by buckling in the belt, slowly pulling the shoulder strap out, and slowly releasing it until you hear a clicking sound. The clicking sound means that the retractor is in the locked position and will remain tight enough that your child will be unable to pull on the belt.

SECURE ALL ITEMS IN YOUR VEHICLE

Any item not secured in your vehicle could become a dangerous projectile in the event of a car crash. Sports equipment, toys, tools, and essentially anything heavy or hard could potentially become dangerous if you are in an accident, hit a speed bump, or take a corner too fast. Protect your child by putting all heavy and hard items in the trunk of your car or the back of your truck, van, or SUV or by ensuring that the items are properly secured.

CONDUCT REGULAR CAR SAFETY CHECKS

It’s crucial to check the safety of your car at regular intervals, especially if you’re often traveling with children. Your tires are what keep your car on the road, so proper tire maintenance is essential. Check tire pressure regularly and ensure tires have enough tread for better control.

Also, don’t forget the brakes. These should be checked every six months to ensure the brake pads aren’t worn out.

Source: safesearchkids.com

There are things you can do to keep your gas expenses down. Among them:

Use a gas station app or website. Smartphone apps, such as those from GasBuddy, AAA, and Gas Guru, are particularly convenient when you’re traveling and away from your computer. They’re available for Apple and Android devices. Many are free. You can filter results by fuel grade and sort by distance and price, as well as get GPS-guided directions to the station you choose.

GasBuddy and Fuel Finder also let you check stations for amenities such as ATMs, restaurants, and car washes. GasBuddy has station reviews, which might tell you, for instance, which restrooms to avoid. And Gas Guru lets you save your favorite stations, so you can remember where to stop on your way back.

The Google Maps and Waze apps, which many people use for real-time traffic alerts and driving directions, also offer gas-price info.

You’re likely to find that you may be able to get a better deal at stations that are not located on major highways. Of course, making a big detour to pay less might not make sense.

Check the prices in the different states you’ll visit. Prices can vary significantly among states, often because of differences in state gas taxes.

Think about how best to pay. Some stations offer a lower price if you pay with cash instead of a credit card. The difference between the cash and credit price usually ranges from around 10 to 15 cents per gallon though he adds that it can be as much as a dollar.

Another option is to pay with a cash-back credit card. While the credit card price may be higher than the cash price, the reward you receive could make using the credit card a better deal.

If you plan to pay by debit card, don’t assume that you are getting the cash price. Some stations could charge you the credit card rate instead. Check the posted prices at the pump. Selecting the debit option and entering a pin when you pump your gas is often a good indication that your transaction will be handled as cash.

Slow down. It may sound silly, but with prices being as high as they are, it’s a good idea to keep your foot out of the accelerator pedal. Around town, that means reducing your rate of acceleration, and on the highway, keeping your speed below 75 mph, above which he says wind resistance eats into your fuel economy. Reducing your speed to 65 on the highway can increase fuel economy by as much as 15 to 20 percent.

Check your tire pressure. Making sure your car’s tires are properly inflated to the pressure indicated on the sticker inside the driver’s door will make it run more efficiently.

Reduce the number of car trips. If you can avoid traveling by car, either by walking, taking public transportation, or staying home, you’ll save money at the pump. If you do have to drive somewhere, try to bundle errands and appointments so you don’t have to make multiple trips and use more fuel.

Source: consumerreports.org

There are tax deductions you can take as a rideshare driver. The truth is, insurance and phone mounts only scratch the surface. You can also write off gas, parking fees, car payments, and more. (Check out our list of tax deductions for rideshare drivers to make sure you’re not missing any!)

To actually take all those deductions, you’ll have to keep track of your car expenses. The IRS requires you to keep records for when you file your Uber taxes. And in any case, tracking all your deductions will make sure you don’t miss any.

Not the recordkeeping type? Don’t worry — apps like Keeper can automatically scan your purchases for qualified deductions, so you don’t need to keep a spreadsheet or hoard receipts.

If your small business uses cars for deliveries, transporting passengers or if you want to brand your vehicle with a company logo, it might make sense to purchase and register a vehicle in your business' name. Company cars could also give you more control over things like GPS tracking, driving policies and more. Some companies choose to use mileage reimbursement instead of purchasing company cars, but when the upfront investment is worth it for your business, it pays to know the ins and outs of the registration process.

Business and insurance basic

In order to title a vehicle in your company's name, you will need to produce articles of incorporation and show that your business is a legitimate organization. If you are a gig-worker who has not officially registered your business, this is your first step. You might also need an EIN number, credit profile and an official bank account for your business, depending on how you intend to pay fees.

Your small business will need to provide proof of insurance as part of the registration process for your state's department of motor vehicles. Car insurance is different for businesses, and is often more costly, so contact your insurance agent to find out about pricing and set this up in advance. Once you purchase the vehicle, your agent will need to know the make, model, VIN, odometer reading and more in order to add the vehicle to your policy.

Transferring your personal vehicle

Transferring your personal vehicle to your small business is often less involved than buying a car from a third party because you will be able to sign both the seller and buyer portions of the registration paperwork. However, if you still owe money on the vehicle that you plan to transfer to your business, you will need to contact your lender for the appropriate paperwork that could allow your business to take over the payments instead of you. Some lenders might require you to pay off the vehicle before a transfer can occur.

Buying a car for your business

If you purchase a car for your business from an individual, arrange to meet them at your local registrar's office to complete the paperwork together. This will give both parties peace of mind in knowing everything is done by the books. If you purchase the vehicle through a dealership, they often have individuals or departments that specialize in commercial sales and have all the right paperwork set aside in advance. Should your business obtain a loan to finance a vehicle, keep in mind that the lender's name will be listed on the title and not your business's name. Paperwork, fees and the dmv

The paperwork and fees required to register a business vehicle vary slightly from state to state. In any state, be prepared to offer proof of insurance, as well as identification for you and your business.

Because requirements vary by location, contact your local department of motor vehicles in order to determine which forms to fill out and what your business needs to budget for fees.

Source: bizfluent.com