The “Military Appreciation Bonus Consumer Cash” is on top of the $500 military bonus cash that the Chrysler Group already offers to eligible members of the military and their families.

Eligible consumers include active military, active military reserve, retired military (honorable discharge required), and retired military reserve (honorable discharge required). All honorably discharged veterans are eligible regardless of discharge date.

“Chrysler Group and its dealers are proud to support the members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families by offering this additional Military Appreciation Bonus Consumer Cash,” said Reid Bigland, President and Chief Executive Officer – Dodge Brand and Head of U.S. Sales. “During this 18-day period, eligible members of the military and their families can take advantage of this $1,000 cash allowance to purchase or lease a new Chrysler Group vehicle.”

This limited-time offer is available on 2012 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck, and FIAT brand vehicles, excluding the 2012 Dodge Avenger SE, Chrysler 200 LX sedan, Dodge Journey AVP, Fiat 500 Abarth, all SRT models, and the Viper.

All eligible personnel must present their military I.D., discharge papers (DD214 form), or other documentation that clearly reflects their eligibility status, to a franchised Chrysler dealer in the United States at the time of retail purchase of an eligible vehicle.

Additional information about this special promotion may be obtained from any participating Chrysler Group dealer.

Source Chrysler Group LLC

1. Get Properly Trained and Licensed – Half of all riders today have never taken a proper safety class such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourseSM. Along with training, get your motorcycle endorsement by the DMV. Studies have shown that trained and licensed riders are safer.

2. Wear All the Right Gear, All the Time – Always wear a real motorcycle helmet manufactured to the standards of the department of Transportation. Visit www.helmetcheck.org to ensure you have a proper helmet.

3. Don’t Drink and Ride – Never, ever ride while impaired by alcohol or any kind of drug. Bikes, beer and booze don’t mix. Nearly half of all riders killed in motorcycle crashes had been drinking.

4. Ride Within Your Skill Limits and Obey Traffic Laws – Don’t ride faster or farther than your abilities can handle.

5. Be a Lifelong Learner – Take refresher RiderCourses. No matter how often you ride or how long you’ve been riding, take advanced courses to brush up on the basics and keep working on improving your skills. The MSF has an extensive curriculum with courses for all riders from beginner to experienced.

For Drivers

1. Focus on Driving – Don’t be distracted. Never text or surf the Web while driving. Put down the cell phone or mobile device. Food, pets and even passengers can be bad distractions.

2. Look for Motorcyclists – Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and are often harder to see. But motorcycles are out there and you should expect to see them and try to see them in the mix of traffic.

3. Give Motorcyclists Enough Room – Keep a safe distance when following a motorcycle. Don’t change lanes too close in front of a rider. Motorcyclists and their machines generally don’t just have fender-benders in collisions with cars.

4. Use Your Turn Signals – Always signal your intentions. It’s for everyone’s safety and it’s also the law.

5. Keep it in the Car – Trash, including cigarette butts, should stay in the car, not thrown out where it could hit a motorcyclist. Road debris can kill a rider. Heavier items, especially, should be kept inside the car or truck or should be
very well secured.

Source Motorcycle Safety Foundation

1. There are a lot more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and some drivers don’t “recognize” a motorcycle; they ignore it (usually unintentionally). Look for motorcycles, especially when checking traffic at an intersection.

2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, predict a motorcycle is closer than it looks.

3. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots (door/roof pillars) or masked by objects or backgrounds outside a car (bushes, fences, bridges, etc). Take an extra moment to thoroughly check traffic, whether you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections.

4. Because of its small size a motorcycle may seem to be moving faster than it really is. Don’t assume all motorcyclists are speed demons.

5. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Allow more following distance, say 3 or 4 seconds. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.

6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self-canceling, thus some riders, (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle’s signal is for real.

7. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them.

8. Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle’s better characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but don’t expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.

9. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can’t always stop “on a dime.”

10. When a motorcycle is in motion, don’t think of it as motorcycle; think of it as a person.

Source Motorcycle Safety Foundation

“For a variety of reasons, motorcycle riders are at much higher injury risk than passenger car occupants,” said Wiley X Co-Owner Myles Freeman, Jr. “And getting riders educated to wear only ‘safety rated’ protective gear every time they go out is an important part of the Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month campaign. Many people understand the need for a protective helmet and leathers to help prevent serious injury in an accident. Fewer know that taking to the streets or highways on a motorcycle can also be dangerous to the eyes, even during normal, everyday riding,” added Freeman.

Wiley X offers a full line of sunglasses that aid rider safety in several ways. First, they protect riders against harmful UVA/UVB rays while providing the sharp vision and reducing glare to help motorcyclists read the contour of the road. Second, they reduce eyestrain and the effects of Dry Eye Syndrome that can cause eye damage and compromise the rider’s vision during long hours on the road. Third and most importantly, Wiley X’s battlefield-proven High Velocity Protection keeps riders eyes safe from a variety of dangers found on the open road — from airborne debris and flying insects to low-hanging branches and rocks kicked up by passing cars.

Oddly enough, Wiley X is the only premium performance sunglasses brand in street bike dealerships nationwide whose entire line meets the stringent ANSI Z87.1-2003 High Velocity and High Mass Impact Safety standards, providing road-worthy protection for every rider. Some popular models provide an even higher level of protection, meeting the military’s updated GL-PD 10-12 Standard for ballistic eye protection. Most are also prescription ready, making them ideal safety equipment for riders who require corrective lenses.

Wiley X’s Climate Control Series sunglasses are particularly popular with riders, thanks to the company’s patented, removable, soft foam Facial Cavity Seal that’s designed to seal out wind, dust, debris and cold. New-for-2012 Climate Control models include the WX Echo and WX Gravity, combining cutting-edge styling with the benefits of wrap-around protection. These new models are available in a range of frame/lens combinations, allowing riders to find the ideal pair for their individual sense of style and road performance needs.

Source Wiley X, Inc.

The technology will be able to detect areas of vehicle congestion and alert drivers of the necessary acceleration or deceleration to avoid trailing vehicles too closely, thus alleviating traffic jams. Affordable Motors, a valued Honda dealer in Brooklyn, NY, anticipates the full development and launch of the traffic detection program.

Through intensive research, Honda analyzed the acceleration and deceleration patterns that contribute to traffic congestion. One vehicle has the ability to influence patterns in traffic based on how fast or slow it is driven.

According to a Honda press release, the automaker worked with the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo to test a system equipped with the technology. Results determined that the technology increased speed by around 23% on average, and increase overall trailing vehicle efficiency by 8%.

The automaker plans to start road testing the traffic detection technology in Italy and Indonesia in May and July. Lessening traffic congestion will improve fuel economy, and drivers will be able to connect to servers that will sync with cruise control systems in the event of congestion. Monitoring cruise control will allow vehicles to keep a safe and efficient distance. Vehicle collisions, CO2 emissions and arrival delays will all be decreased as a result of Honda’s latest technology.

Affordable Motors offers new and used Hondas in Brooklyn, NY. The dealership anticipates lessening CO2 emissions and traffic congestion with Honda’s traffic detection technology.

Source Affordable Motors

“Family travel plans could be interrupted or even ruined if necessary documentation requirements for children catch adults by surprise,” said Bill Sutherland, vice president, AAA Travel Services. “It is critical that parents identify and obtain the required documents for their specific family or child’s travel.”

AAA Travel experts offer these children’s travel tips:

Passports for Children – All U.S. citizens including infants and children must have a valid passport to travel internationally by air. A passport card can be used for automobile and cruise ship travel to Canada and Mexico from the United States. Both parents must provide consent authorizing passport issuance for a minor under age 16. AAA Travel experts recommend that citizens of all ages use a passport for all international travel, including auto and cruise travel to Canada and Mexico, in the event an emergency requires reentry to the United States by air.

Current passport holders should examine the passport expiration date, and if the document is due to expire within six months of travel, renew it prior to travel. While adult passports are valid for ten years, passports for children under age 16 are valid for five years. Parents should carefully examine all passport and child travel documentation requirements at travel.state.gov, or seek the assistance of a knowledgeable travel agent. To locate the nearest AAA Travel Agency, visit AAA.com.

Cruising with Children – Cruise lines generally require at least one legal adult (age 21 or higher) to occupy every stateroom to eliminate children cruising alone. This person also needs to be a legal parent or guardian. Cruise lines also require a notarized letter of authorization to travel if a child is sailing with only one parent, other non-custodial adults, or has a different last name than the responsible legal adult. For more information visit the applicable cruise line website or a knowledgeable travel agent.

International Solo Parent Travel – When visiting a foreign country – including Mexico and Canada – as a lone adult with a minor child under age 18, additional travel documentation is required. To help prevent cases of parental abduction and international child trafficking, many countries now require proof of the lone adult’s relationship to the child and the legal right to travel in and out of the country with that child. In addition to the child’s valid United States passport, and entry visa where required, a letter of permission from the absent parent(s) signed before a notary public is needed.

The letter should include a statement of authorization for the child to travel, details of the trip and legal names and contact information for the child and accompanying adult. Single parents, grandparents, stepparents, guardians and any adult with a last name different from the child needs to be prepared with the additional documentation to present at border crossings, airport immigration check points and cruise line check-in desks. A travel agent can assist in securing the appropriate documents.

Children Flying Solo – Most airlines offer fee-based Unaccompanied Minor programs that facilitate air travel for children without an accompanying adult. These programs provide an affordable travel option to link geographically separated family members with the children they treasure. Airline Unaccompanied Minor programs, policies and procedures vary. Most require that an authorized adult escort the child to the departure gate and an authorized adult take custody of the minor child at the arrival gate. In flight, unaccompanied minors are under the care of the cabin crew.

If planning an itinerary for a child traveling by air solo be sure to carefully check the specific requirements for each airline you are considering. Check age requirements, fees and all details which can vary greatly. For example some airlines require travel must be on a nonstop flight, while others might allow one or more stops if a plane change does not occur. Specific details of each airline’s program can be found on the airline website.

Child Medical Care Authorization – When a child is traveling without a parent, receiving emergency medical care could be complicated or refused by the medical facility, unless the emergency is deemed life-threatening. The adult accompanying the child should carry a medical proxy, an original notarized letter from the non-traveling parent(s) granting permission to authorize emergency medical care for the child. The letter should include the permission statement, child’s health insurance information, social security number and full legal names of the child and accompanying adults. If the child remains at home while a parent travels, this important medical authorization documentation should be supplied to the child’s caregiver.

Source AAA

“The Car Calc app is just the latest innovation we have made available to our rapidly expanding consumer base,” AutoLoans.com company spokesperson Mike Ronson said. “It is extremely easy to use and allows the mobile customer to utilize all of the features that have made AutoLoans.com extremely popular in this competitive climate.”

Users begin by inputting a zip code at the start screen to personalize the entire experience. Next, users can choose between new and used vehicle financing information, as well as refinancing offers in the Payment Calculator features. Loan terms range from 24 months to 60 months in order to display a broad range of lending options.

The Current Auto Loan Rates feature is updated daily and contains the various financing rates available in the specified area. The app displays financing rates categorized by credit rating, ranging from poor to excellent. Additionally, specific lender rates are presented to allow consumers the ability to compare rates offered by various auto lending institutions. Finally, the Auto Loan Quote feature allows users to apply for free, no-obligation quotes by completing one simple form.

“Identical to the AutoLoans.com site, the Car Calc Auto Loan Quote application form is secure,” Ronson said, “We included the necessary safeguards that ensure customer information is protected at all times.”

The company said creating a sleek, streamlined user experience was at the top of the list when designing the app.

“We placed an emphasis on a user interface that affords a dramatically superior experience to what is currently offered,” Ronson said “Furthermore, we allow the user to get very specific when it comes to various details associated with auto financing so the information presented is more accurate.”

The AutoLoans.com Car Calc 1.0.0 app is available in the iTunes App Store under the Finance category.

Source Autoloans.com