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(ARA) - Every day, thousands of speeding tickets are issued to motorists on our nation's roads and highways. According to various sources, an estimated 40 million speeding tickets are issued each year (one for every five motorists) with an average fine of $150.

What can you do to avoid a speeding ticket? And what should you do if you're stopped for speeding? Here are some tips from FindLaw.com, the nation's leading online source for legal information.

Be familiar with speed limits. You should always be aware of the speed limits on the roads and highways that you drive. Being unaware or unsure is not an excuse. Also keep in mind that it's possible to receive a speeding or reckless driving ticket under special circumstances even when you're not driving faster than the posted limit, such as driving faster than severe weather would allow.

Give yourself enough time. One of the reasons many people speed is because they didn't give themselves enough time to get where they're going. Plan ahead and give yourself enough time to arrive early so you can avoid going over the speed limit to make up time.

Be aware of speed traps. Pay attention to signs alerting drivers to speed zones, especially when nearing schools, small towns or suburban neighborhoods - where the speed limit abruptly changes from 55 mph to 30 mph, for example. These are often areas where police step up traffic enforcement.

Say cheese! More than a dozen states use photo radar to issue motor vehicle violation tickets for speeding or going through a red light at an intersection. Is your state one of them? Cameras are strategically set up to record speed or other traffic violations, and are used by local police departments to free up police officers for other types of law enforcement work. Make a traffic violation and days later you'll receive a ticket in the mail.

Pull over. If you're stopped for speeding, it's important to cooperate with the police officer. Here's what you should do: Pull over quickly and safely, pulling over as far to the right as you can. Turn off your engine and put your keys on the dashboard. Roll down your window and put your hands on the wheel in plain sight of the officer. Do not get your driver's license and proof of insurance out - let the officer ask you to get them so he or she can see your hands at all times. Take off your sunglasses if you're wearing them. If you're stopped at night, turn on your interior light. Be friendly, polite and cooperative, and avoid arguing.

Let the officer do the talking. When you're stopped for a motor vehicle violation, let the officer do the talking. Don't say anything that can be recorded or used against you at a later time, such as in traffic court. Officers are trained to let you incriminate yourself by letting you admit to violations or admit that you were careless or negligent. Respond politely to an officer's questions, and never get into an argument with an officer.

Avoid a car search. If an officer asks to search your vehicle and you do not believe you have anything to hide, you could save yourself time and effort by letting the search proceed. If you don't want the search to proceed, you should state clearly that you don't give the officer your consent. Taking this path does not imply guilt, but it may mean that the officer will seek a search warrant or put you under arrest, if the officer has probable cause for his or her suspicions.

Paying the ticket. If you plead guilty to a traffic charge, the court will automatically require you to pay the maximum fine allowed by law and will record the conviction on your Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) record for a period of years (varies by state). Pleading guilty to a speeding ticket can increase your insurance premiums. Also, traffic violations can mean you'll accumulate points against your driver's license (if you have other motor vehicle violations) that could lead to the loss of your driving privileges. If having a clean record matters to you, you may want to seek the help of an attorney who specializes in traffic violations.

Challenging a ticket. Speed limits and how they're defined can vary by state. It's important to know how your state defines speed limits before attempting to challenge them. There are limited defenses for challenging a speeding ticket. The three most common are: claiming that you were speeding because of an emergency; claiming that the officer misread your speed; or claiming that the officer mistook your vehicle for a similar one that was traveling near your car or motorcycle. You can attempt to challenge a ticket on your own, or with the assistance of an attorney experienced in traffic violations.

Americans have an undisputed love for their automobiles, but it's a double faceted adoration. There's a love for tradition - you'll feel it any time you see a beautiful vintage cruiser headed to a car show or just out for a Sunday drive. But there's also a passion for innovation - the newest cars are in high demand for their new bells and whistles that make the driving experience better.

While the admiration for classic cars won't soon fade away, today's drivers want a car that meets their current needs - one that is easy to drive, low-maintenance and a good value. Increasingly, they're finding the solution to all those needs in hybrid cars.

Where just a few years ago, hybrids were rare, they've come to be a common feature on American streets and highways. Initially, there was a bit of a stigma about hybrids, despite their excellent gas mileage rates: they had a reputation for being expensive, for presenting repair challenges and even for being a little bit "granola." But with the passing of each model year, car makers have worked to make hybrids more attractive by keeping the appeal of great gas mileage and better hybrid performance, improved design and making prices more affordable.

With those combined amenities, it's little wonder that hybrids are taking up a great portion of market share - estimates show that as many as 2 million have been sold in the U.S. If you're looking to buy new cars, consider these reasons to look at hybrids when you take a trip to the dealership.

* Fuel efficiency. Gas prices continue to take American consumers on a rollercoaster ride - and not a fun one, either. Hybrids bring together gas engines and electric motors, which allows them to minimize the amount of gas needed to operate the vehicle. In some vehicles, you can operate at slower speeds (up to 30 mph) completely in electric mode - that can translate into big savings for all those little trips around town. And with gas mileage at about 40 mpg (highway), you'll still be stretching your fuel dollars further even outside electric mode. When gas prices are good, you'll still appreciate your hybrid, but when they're bad, you'll fall in love with it all over again.

* Ease of ownership. The misconception about hybrids being more challenging to own is rightfully falling by the wayside. Auto manufacturers know that consumers want cars that are just as easy to own as a conventional vehicle, so they're designing hybrid cars that are completely user-friendly. Of course, there will be some differences, such as knowing when to opt for electric-only use, but they don't require a lot of study. Dealerships will always provide service for hybrids, but you can be sure that independent mechanics, seeing the increased numbers of hybrids on the road, will also start servicing them as well.

* Good returns. Hybrid cars are in high demand, which makes them more valuable. If you end up buying one, you can feel better about your investment - it's likely that your car will not only provide you with years of reliable service, but it will keep better resale value than many conventional cars.

* Eco-friendliness. Cars and pollution have always notoriously gone hand in hand. But hybrids, which have lower demands for fossil fuels - which, when burned, produce pollutants - cut down on that problem. Using less fuel has benefits for both the earth and your wallet, so you can feel doubly good about making fewer trips to the pump.

(ARA) - It's fall. It's getting colder, the leaves are falling and winter is looming. Most likely, you haven't given much thought to the road crews who are working this fall, preparing equipment and resources in order to keep roads clear and safe this winter.

Keeping the roads clear and traffic flowing when the snow is falling requires an enormous effort. It takes a lot of equipment - trucks, snow plows, snow blowers and salt spreaders. It also takes a good number of dedicated, highly skilled people to drive, maintain and schedule the equipment. And by definition, much of their work comes in the worst weather, so snow fighters can spend long hours behind the wheel in extremely challenging conditions.

"The folks who drive the plows and spread the salt truly are winter warriors," says Jerry Poe of North American Salt Company, one of the key companies that provide salt to highway transportation departments. Poe, director of research and development for the Overland Park, Kan.-based company, says snow fighters have a tough, important job. "It's business-as-usual for snow fighters to work throughout the night to get roads clear before the rush hour, and to work long hours over many days."

The safety issues provided by highway departments that clear the roads are dramatic. Drivers face far greater risks of a crash when driving in a snowstorm than when under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the Salt Institute. In fact, studies by the Roadway Safety Foundation say that icy, slushy pavements cause 115,000 injuries and more than 1,000 deaths on America's highways every year. Plus, those figures do not reflect the additional toll when snow and ice keep ambulances and fire trucks from responding quickly.

Most transportation departments depend on salt to clear roads because no other product matches its combination of cost and effectiveness. Salt works by lowering the freezing point of water, slowing the ability for snow to turn into ice once it hits the salted road surface. Salt also breaks the bond ice has to the road surface, making it easier for snow plows to remove ice and packed snow.

Winter driving risks are greatly reduced when snow is plowed and salt is spread. For example, a study by Marquette University found that effective snow fighting, including spreading salt on roads, reduced traffic accidents by 85 percent and injury-causing accidents by 88 percent. The study also found deicing with salt makes a difference within the first 25 minutes after the salt is spread.

Snowstorms also impose enormous economic costs. The potential economic impact of snowstorms in 16 states and two Canadian provinces can cost those governments $300 million to $700 million a day in both direct and indirect economic costs from the slowdown in activity when roads are impassible, according to a study by IHS Global Insight. And nearly two-thirds of the direct economic losses fall on hourly workers, who are often the least able to afford them.

The economic cost of a single day of icy paralysis is greater than the cost of fighting snow for an entire season, says Poe.

So the next time you drive on clear pavement after a snowstorm, remember the men and women who worked through the night to clear the roads and spread the salt.

At first glance, the dozens of vehicles chosen as top safety picks this year by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) appear to have little in common other than doing a good job of protecting drivers and passengers. The list includes everything from mini cars to minivans, luxury sedans and pickup trucks, all built according to their own design specifications by different automakers.

But one safety feature shared by each of those vehicles pops out: electronic stability control (ESC), a crash-avoidance technology that is a prerequisite for inclusion on safe vehicle lists compiled by IIHS and federal safety officials and one that became mandatory for all new cars made in the United States as of September.

Safety and automotive experts have long recognized that ESC systems - which use computer-controlled braking to reduce the risk of rollovers and other crashes - save lives and prevent injuries. Now insurance industry insiders are saying ESC can lessen the financial toll caused by some types of accidents and may even help motorists save money on their insurance premiums in the near future.

"Safety innovations such as ESC, which can improve driver safety and help reduce damages resulting from vehicle crashes, are a tremendous benefit to everyone," says Cesar Diaz, founder of http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/ and a veteran agent.

ESC's effect on insurance claims

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), ESC systems have had little demonstrable effect on liability claims filed by drivers who have damaged other cars in an accident. But HLDI found that losses under collision coverage - which pays for damage to a policyholder's vehicle caused by his or her colliding with another car or object or by flipping over - were from 15 percent to 17 percent lower for vehicles equipped with ESC than for earlier models that did not include the technology.

Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute (III), says lower policy rates can be expected at some point, particularly for SUVs, which have shown the greatest decline in crash involvement.

"So those vehicles would likely see greater rate reductions in auto premiums than smaller cars," Worters says.

While collision claims have fallen, it may be some time before consumers find price breaks for ESC while doing an auto insurance comparison in search of the best deals, she cautions.

Officials forecast significant injury avoidance from use of ESC

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), vehicle crash fatalities have steadily declined in recent years, with the roughly 37,000 roadway deaths reported in 2008, the fewest since 1961. The federal agency reported in 2010 that the introduction of "significant life-saving vehicle technologies like electronic stability control" into the nation's auto fleet have contributed to that decline.

NHTSA officials have estimated that ESC could save between 5,300 and 9,600 lives and prevent as many as 238,000 injuries a year in all types of crashes once all cars and other light vehicles in the U.S. are outfitted with the technology.

Agency officials project that ESC will reduce single-vehicle crashes of cars by 34 percent and the same accidents involving SUVs, which have a higher center of gravity and are more prone to tipping over, by as much as 59 percent.

ESC ensures vehicles are responsive

Federal regulations stipulate that all cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles weighing under a half-ton that are manufactured in the U.S. must now include ESC, but because the technology is only being phased in, not all vehicles on the road are currently equipped with it.

IIHS officials say ESC - which was originally introduced in sports and luxury cars but has since spread to other vehicles - is designed to help drivers stay in control of their vehicles on slippery roads and during high-speed maneuvers. ESC systems use sensors to continuously track how well a vehicle is responding to the driver's steering.

IIHS says those sensors can detect when a driver is on the verge of losing control due to taking a curve too quickly or otherwise straying from the car's intended line of travel, and ESC restores driver control by braking individual wheels automatically.

(ARA) - Shopping for cars online is easier than ever, and more and more buyers are turning to the Internet during the shopping process. According to the 2011 Automotive Buyer Influence Study, conducted by Polk and AutoTrader.com, new and used vehicle buyers spend 18 to 19 hours researching cars before purchasing, and they spend 60 percent of their shopping time online.

While the Internet has made used-car shopping easier than ever, consumers need to be cautious in order to protect themselves from fraud. Most automotive classified sites connect shoppers and sellers, but the actual purchase transactions take place through other avenues - offline and online. Consumers who want to make the move from shopping to purchasing online should exhibit the most caution.

Using ads that look legitimate, fraudsters work tirelessly to convince shoppers, particularly out-of-state shoppers, to send them money to purchase a car. One method of payment for these sellers is money transfers. However, the Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to avoid using wire transfers for online purchases to reduce their risk of getting defrauded online.

Much in the same way you wouldn't send cash through the mail to a complete stranger, don't use a money transfer to pay for a car you've never seen.

AutoTrader.com and Western Union recommend these helpful tips to help you protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud if buying a car online:

* Choose and contact a reputable escrow service yourself after verifying their legitimacy by checking with state regulators or the Better Business Bureau. Scammers will try to make you believe they are using an escrow service, when they have actually set up fake accounts using real company names.

* Do not use money transfer services to purchase a vehicle online. Money transfer services are fast, easy and convenient ways to send funds to people you know. They are not intended to be a payment vehicle when doing business with a stranger you have not personally met.

* Be a cautious buyer and be prepared to walk away. Make sure you see the car and have it checked out before purchasing it. If the seller does not allow this and tells you that he or she will only accept a money transfer before allowing you to see the car, be prepared to walk away. If the seller tells you how to safeguard your purchase by putting the transaction in the name of a friend, don't believe it. It won't protect you from a fraudulent seller. Learn more at http://www.westernunion.com/stopfraud.

* If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you can't find a comparable deal on a car locally, it may be too good to be true. Fraudulent sellers often have long stories about why they aren't available to show you the car, why they can only be reached via email or why they have to sell it fast and therefore priced the car below market value, so be suspicious if you hear reasons along those lines. These sellers promise that they can ship the car to you immediately and will escrow your payment, but that is not the case. All the above are red flags for fraud.

You work hard to make your money, and the last thing you want is for someone to steal it from you. If you are going to buy a car you find in an online ad, make sure you take the proper precautions to safeguard your cash.