Nearly 250 ice-related crashes reported in the Houston area overnight: How to drive safely in arctic freeze
The Houston Police Department is urging drivers to stay safe on the roads after more than 580 crashes were reported in the area overnight. Of those, Mayor John Whitmire confirmed that 251 crashes were ice-related.
Catastrophe losses double at Travelers as insurance industry and more regions absorb severe weather
Travelers, considered a bellwether for the insurance industry due to its size, said catastrophe losses doubled in its most recent quarter and the company swung to a loss as severe wind and hail storms in a number of regions led to rising coverage claims.
Trying to squeeze the most out of your fuel tank, donโt drive until youโre on โEโ
With higher gas prices lingering, some drivers are trying to squeeze every drop out of their tanks before filling up. For some drivers, that means driving until their gas gauge hits โE,โ and then some. However, AAA officials say thatโs a bad idea.
Houstonโs ultra-opulent Post Oak Hotel named best hotel in Texas
U.S. News & World Report ranked Houstonโs ultra-luxe Post Oak Hotel the best hotel in Texas and the 13th best in the nation. Several other Houston hotels received high praise (and high rankings) on U.S. News & World Reportโs list of the best hotels in the Lone Star State, including The Lancaster Hotel (No.7), Hotel Zaza Houston Memorial City (No. 8), Four Seasons Hotel Houston (No. U.S. News & World Reportโs hotel rankings are based on an analysis of industry awards, hotel star ratings and user ratings. The Post Oak Hotel (Houston) Hotel Emma (San Antonio) Rosewood Mansion (Dallas) The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas (Dallas) Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas (Dallas) The Driskill (Austin) Archer Hotel Austin (Austin) The Lancaster Hotel (Houston) Hotel Zaza Houston Memorial City Four Seasons Hotel Houston (Houston) The St. Regis Houston (Houston) Hotel Crescent Court (Dallas) Mokara Hotel & Spa (San Antonio) Four Seasons Hotel Austin (Austin) Hotel Granduca, Houston (Houston) Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa (San Antonio) JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country (San Antonio) JW Marriott Houston Downtown (Houston) The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa (Houston) The Stella Hotel (Bryan) Hotel ZaZa Dallas (Dallas) Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District (Houston) The Adolphus, Autograph (Dallas) Hotel Valencia Riverwalk (San Antonio) JW Marriott Austin (Austin)View the full list here.
How much does it really cost to drive your car?
Traffic Expert Anavid Reyes breaks down AAAโs numbers for the average annual driving costs for 2020. Bottom lineThe average annual driving cost is the highest on record since AAA began tracking expenses in 1950 at $9,561. Since 1950, AAA has published itโs annual Your Driving Costs study that breaks down the cost of owning a new car, including depreciation, finance, fuel, insurance, license/registration/taxes and maintenance/repair. Texans love their pickup trucks โ but they have the highest overall driving costs-- 75.39ยข/mile. These are then combined and averaged to determine the overall cost to own a new car in 2020.
Texas online vehicle registration renewal date extended
Greg Abbott has extended his original vehicle waiver to allow drivers with vehicle registrations that are expired up to nine months the ability to renew online, or at a grocery store or AAA partner. Fox 7 added that the online renewal system generates a receipt to carry in the vehicle until the new registration sticker arrives. Abbott issued a waiver from the requirement to renew registration upon the disaster declaration on March 16. According to the Texas DMV, drivers may choose to take no action during the waiver period; however, online registration renewal is still available. Houston Police Department is not enforcing citations for expired vehicle registration.
Ask 2: Is it okay to hang my face mask in my rear-view mirror?
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. HOUSTON โ At KPRC 2, weโre dedicated to keeping Houstonians informed. As part of our new Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: Is it okay to hang my face mask in my rear-view mirror? Answer: According to AAA, the short answer is no.
Did you know October is Distracted Driving Awareness Month?
HOUSTON โ October 1 marked the first day of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, serving as a reminder to drivers everywhere to put the phone down and just drive. To help with this, AAA suggests setting your phone on โdo not disturbโ while driving to avoid the temptation of looking at your notifications on the road. In Texas, 378 people died in more than 97,000 distracted driving crashes last year, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Josh Zuber with AAA says nearly eight people die and nearly 1,000 individuals are hurt every day in the U.S. due to distracted driving. In 2019, 22 people lost their lives in Harris County.
Should drivers trust pedestrian detection systems built in their cars?
Data gathered by AAA shows thereโs still a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure this type of technology can actually save lives. Zuber continues by saying research also shows that this driver assistance technology disengaged with little notice to the driver. โThese are not meant to be automated vehicles, and these advance driver assistance systems are not 100% reliable,โ Zuber said. Most eye-opening of all, AAAโs research shows pedestrian detection systems are also not to be trusted because the emergency braking systems perform inconsistently. โThose pedestrian detection systems are not very reliable.
How to keep your car in tip-top shape even while sitting still
HOUSTON Are you about to go on a long vacation? Or maybe your car hasnt moved as much, because youve been working from home? Traffic Expert Anavid Reyes spoke with AAA to get some tips to keep your car in tip-top shape even while sitting idle. In general, if your car hasnt moved for quite some time, it is best to make sure you pop open that hood before you hit the road again. According to experts at AAA, here is what you need to keep in mind:
Tips on keeping your tires safe this summer
Check your tires air pressure when the tires are cool because heat (from driving or the ambient temperature) can increase tire pressure by several pounds per square inch (psi). Dont inflate the tires to the pressure stamped on the tires sidewall; thats the maximum inflation pressure. Tires lose pressure naturally typically 13 psi per month because a tires sidewall is permeable. So be sure to check your cars tire pressure at least once a monthespecially before a long trip. An increasing number of new vehicles today come with tire-inflation kits instead of spare tires; some vehicles are equipped with run-flat tires and no spare tire.
100 deadliest days for teen drivers
HOUSTON Shocking statistics show for every mile driven, new teen drivers are three times more likely to be in a deadly crash compared to adults, according to AAA. What can be even more shocking, is that right now we are under the 100 deadliest days on the road for teen drivers. Traffic Expert Anavid Reyes took a look at what this means for these young Texas drivers. AAA says about 68 teens in Texas are killed in a car crash every summer and in the past month, 72% of teen drivers nationwide admitted to risky behavior behind the wheel. According to Henk, the five leading risks for teen crashes are: