Justin Sullivan / Getty Images file

Consumer Reports says it's clear the auto repair industry needs to do a better job.

No one likes to take their car to the repair shop. It’s costly and inconvenient. But a new survey by Consumer Reports finds that many customers have some other serious gripes.

The magazine contacted 5,400 subscribers to learn what upsets them. About three-quarters said they were “completely satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the repair work on their vehicle.

Of those who were not happy, 38 percent cited high prices. This was a more common complaint for dealerships than for independent shops.

Consumer Reports calls it "troubling" that more than a quarter (28 percent) of the unsatisfied group said their car's problem was not properly fixed. And for this one, it didn't matter where the repair was done. The gripe was reported at the same rate for dealers and independent shops.

Jim Travers, an associate editor with Consumer Reports Autos, says it’s important to check the car before you drive away.

“Make an issue of it right there,” he advises. “Don’t leave before you’re comfortable that you’ve been taken care of properly. If you leave, you start to diminish any chance that you’re going to get recourse.”

Other top gripes
Twenty-one percent of those who were less than satisfied said they were not happy that it took longer than expected to complete the work. Eighteen percent said they had to bring the car back because the repair did not “hold up.” For both of these gripes dealers and independents shared the blame almost evenly.

Consumer Reports says it’s clear the auto repair industry needs to do a better job.

“They’ve got some pretty dissatisfied customers out there,” Travers says.

And unhappy customers often take their business elsewhere. Almost a quarter of customers contacted by Consumer Reports said they’d switched shops in the past five years because of service problems. Almost half of that group said the negative experience was at a dealership, a third said it was an independent shop, and a fifth named a franchise chain similar to Midas or Sears.

Repair shops might also want to pay special attention to how they treat their female customers. Thirty percent of the women who switched to another shop said they felt the staff tried to take advantage of them because of their gender.

“If you do find a mechanic that you’re comfortable with hang on to them,” Travers says, “because you’ve got a real find there.”

Consumer Reports tips for getting a repair performed properly:

• Describe the problem fully. Give the shop as much information as possible. Write down the symptoms and when they occur. If possible, talk directly to the mechanic who will be working on your car.
• Don’t offer a diagnosis. Avoid saying what you think is causing the problem. You may be on the hook for any repairs the shop makes at your suggestion, even if they don’t solve the problem.
• Request a test drive. If the problem occurs only when the car is moving, ask the mechanic to accompany you on a test drive.
• Ask for an estimate. And have them contact you for approval if the repair will cost more than the estimate.
• Ask for evidence. If you’re not comfortable with the diagnosis, ask the shop to show you the problem parts. Worn brake pads or rusted exhaust pipes are easy to see. Don’t let the mechanic refuse your request by saying that his insurance company doesn’t allow customers into the work area.

More information: High prices and poor repairs lead top car service gripes

The recent run-up in fuel prices has put the spotlight on hybrids, battery cars and other high-mileage vehicles.  But while it may sound great to get 40, even 50 miles a gallon, are you spending an arm and a leg to save far less than you might expect on your annual gasoline bill?

Some hybrids carry a premium that can push up to $5,000 or more.  The penalty is even higher with plug-ins and pure battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs.  Even on many “eco” models using relatively conventional gasoline power you could be in for a stiff price penalty.  But is it worth it?

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Not necessarily, if you’re simply trying to save money and not really worried about going “green.”  But there are some models that minimize your up-front investment and deliver you savings fast.

“The price of gas has consumers thinking about fuel economy but there’s a financial investment involved with most of these fuel-saving packages,” says Jesse Toprak, Vice President of Market Intelligence at TrueCar.com. “It’s important to compare the improvements in fuel economy and the extra costs of the package before purchasing a new vehicle.”

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Smart shoppers look at the so-called “payback period,” the time it takes to recover your up-front investment.  On some models, the extra cost for that “eco” package can take you a decade – or more – to get your money back in the form of lower fuel bills.

Toprak stresses that shoppers should be looking at the EPA’s Combined fuel economy number, not the Highway mileage manufacturers like to advertise.  For most motorists, the lower Combined figure is likely to be closer to what you’ll actually get, day-to-day.

Take the 2012 Honda Civic HF, it’s rated at 33.4 mpg, compared to 32.1 for the conventional Honda Civic LX.  It also carries a typical price premium of about $766 on an average transaction price – or ATP – of $19,398.  TrueCar estimates the average owner will need to keep the HF for 10.6 years to recover that premium.

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The new $20,982 Chevrolet Cruze Eco, which gets 30.6 mpg. You would need 48 years to recover the nearly $900 premium over the conventional Cruze, at 30.3 mpg.

The good news is that there are a number of vehicles that can pay you back in less than five years.

The best deal of the bunch? The Mazda3 Touring with the SkyActiv powertrain, which not only delivers 32.4 mpg, 7.7 mpg better than the conventionally powered Mazda3, but costs about $900 less, at $22,366.  You start saving cash the moment you drive off the lot.

The other big winners:

• The Chevrolet Sonic with Ecotec Turbo carries a $635 premium, at $16,951, but it delivers 33.1 mpg compared to 29.4 for the base Sonic, so you’ll earn your premium back within 2.9 years;
• The $27,566 Ford Edge with Ecoboost is $864 more than the same “people-mover with a standard 3.5-liter V-6, but is rated at 24.3 mpg v 21.9. You’ll be in the black within 3.3 years;
• The Kia Forte Sedan EX Eco is, at $17,786, just $273 more than the sedan with a 2.0-liter engine. It gets an extra 1 mpg Combined, at 30.7 mpg, and will pay you back in 4.2 years;
• For those who need a big truck, the $28,732 Ford F-150 SuperCab 145” with Ecoboost carries an $853 premium over the same F-150 model with a 5.0-liter V-8. You’ll get an extra mpg at 18.2, and see payback in 4.5 years, says TrueCar.

The service’s estimates are based on gas at $3.90 a gallon and a motorist driving 15,000 miles a year.  Of course, the higher the price the quicker the savings.  On the other hand, if you only clock 12,000 miles annually, the payback period will stretch out even longer.

Remember “sticker shock”?  After several years of heavily discounting their products in a desperate bid to keep assembly lines rolling, automakers are finding themselves back in the driver’s seat again – pushing prices to record levels.

And it’s “not a blip,” warns one senior analyst, who expects the trend to continue for several years. The good news for shoppers is that trade-ins are also yielding better prices – and while that new car, truck or crossover may command more money than ever before it’s also likely to include significantly more features and markedly better fuel economy than the vehicle it replaces.

The average new vehicle sold in the U.S. in March cost $30,748, according to data tracking service TrueCar.com.  That was up 6.9 percent from $28,771 a year earlier and marks an all-time record.

“It’s not a blip. It’s a trend we’ve been seeing for months,” said Jesse Toprak, TrueCar’s chief automotive analyst.  That’s despite the fact, he says, that “this might seem counterintuitive at a time you might expect to see people buying cheaper cars because fuel costs are rising so fast.”

But there have been a number of counterintuitive trends in the industry in recent months. One is the surge in overall car sales, which have been rebounding faster than the U.S. economy – despite the fuel price spike that, in decades past, might have been expected to result in a sharp downturn in demand.

There are a number of reasons why new car prices are spiking.  A key reason is “There’s a better equilibrium between supply and demand,” noted Toprak, “which means discounting isn’t needed as much.”

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While March saw vehicle sales surge to an annualized rate of around 14.5 million, that’s a long way from the decade-old industry peak of around 17.1 million.  In years past, makers would’ve been tacking on massive rebates and other incentives to boost sales. But in a significant move during the recent recession, many makers slashed production capacity, especially Detroit’s Big Three.

And so, with the remaining plants operating at, near and sometimes above their rated capacity, carmakers don’t need to be so generous. March incentives, according to TrueCar, slipped 1.8 percent, year-over-year, to an average $2,440 per vehicle.

There’s another reason why the run-up in pricing might seem unlikely. There’s been a significant upturn in the small car market with motorists trading big SUVs for compact crossovers and full-size sedans for subcompacts.  Nearly one in four vehicles sold in March fell into the small car category, up from barely one in six as recently as December, according to industry data.

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But don’t think of them as the classic “econoboxes” that proved so popular – briefly – in the wake of the twin oil shocks of the 1970s. Products like the 2012 Ford Focus and the latest-generation Hyundai Accent are far more stylish and well-equipped.

Consumers, meanwhile, “are upgrading the vehicles they’re buying,” no matter what class they fall into, noted Art Spinella, lead researcher at CNW Marketing.

In the decades that CNW has tracked automotive buying patterns, the typical vehicle will fall into the 50^th percentile — almost exactly halfway between the base price of a specific nameplate and the most heavily loaded version. In other words, if the entry model was $20,000 and a fully loaded version was $40,000, the typical buyer would spend $30,000.

But now, said Spinella, the average vehicle is falling into the 82^nd percentile.  Using the same example, the typical shopper now drives off in a vehicle costing $36,400.

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“People are trying to stuff all the bells and whistles they can in a car” in part, Spinella explained, because “they plan to keep it longer.”  Prior to the Great Recession, buyers told CNW they plan to hold onto a new vehicle, on average, about 42 months. That’s now up to 57 months.

The good news is that buyers aren’t necessarily spending a lot more out-of-pocket. That’s because used car prices have also surged over the last several years.  During the first quarter of 2012, the price of the average previously owned vehicle sold through a franchised new car dealer rose 12.5 percent, or about $1,400.  For the consumer, that meant a bigger trade-in allowance to apply to a new vehicle.

The upward trend in pricing is almost certain to continue, at least barring a sharp setback to the economy, industry analysts agree.

“The long-term trend is gradual price increases continuing for several more years as sales recover to 15 million and even 16 million,” forecast TrueCar’s Toprak.  “But the pace (of the increase) we’ve seen over the last several years isn’t sustainable.”

He anticipates prices will start to level off as they reach an average $31,000.

Let us know how you feel about sticker prices on our Facebook page.

Odd Andersen / AFP-Getty Images file

According to the NHTSA, 26,000 crashes a year involve "a device/control integral to the vehicle.

As federal regulators move forward on plans to put new distracted driving regulations in place, it’s quite possible that future rules would bar the use of in-car navigation systems – at least as we know them today.

In fact, many of the basic features that buyers are coming to expect – and that manufacturers are pushing, much to the delight of their accounting departments – could be severely restricted or even barred entirely.

Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contends that of nearly 900,000 crashes reported to police, 17 percent involved some form of distracted driving.  Of that figure, 3 percent, or 26,000 crashes, involved “a device/control integral to the vehicle,” according to NHTSA.  That could cover anything from a poorly placed switch for an SUV’s rear windshield to the controls for a 14-way power seat.

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But much of the focus is on infotainment technology, including such systems as onboard navigation and SMS text messaging.

 In particular, proposed NHTSA guidelines suggest that the agency will target “Systems providing non-safety-related dynamic visual information.”  In more simple terms, said the agency, “Dynamic, continuously-moving maps are not recommended.”

According to the proposal, alternative means of displaying map information might be acceptable.  That could be a fixed map or one that updates occasionally, rather than continuously.

The proposals might also permit a navigation system to use voice alerts, perhaps dispensing with the video screen entirely when the vehicle is in motion.  That would be a potential plus for systems, such as OnStar, that primarily rely on verbal cues rather than on-screen maps.

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While manufacturers have been adding voice alerts – as well as the ability to program navi systems by voice – for a number of years, they’re likely to resist such severe restrictions on navigation technology, and are already questioning whether motorists might actually become more confused – and thus distracted – if they can’t actually see in real time when they approach a turn or intersection.

The proposed NHTSA guidelines, notes CNET.com, cite several studies to suggest that motorists are less likely to become distracted by voice alerts.  But those studies actually focus on hands-free cellphone usage, not navigation systems.

Nonetheless, the data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration seems to counter concerns about the use of Bluetooth technology, indicating that the use of a hands-free phone is no more dangerous than talking with a passenger in the vehicle itself.

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Among other things, the proposed distracted driving rules might also mean a lot less detail on your screen when you display information from a radio station or your iPhone.  It would allow no more than 30 characters per screen – and bar scrolling messages.  To put that into perspective, that would be equal to barely a quarter of a single line of text on the average computer screen, or about four to six words.

Federal regulators are holding a series of meetings to discuss the distracted driving guidelines and it’s far from certain the proposal now on the table will become law.  While most manufacturers have acknowledged there’s a need to address distractions they’re reluctant to take draconian steps that might limit the growing demand for – extremely profitable –onboard electronics.

But barring a significant shift in position by NHTSA or the Department of Transportation, it’s highly likely that some tightening of the rules will take place in the coming year, observers anticipate.



Buying a new car can be an unsettling experience no matter who you are, but it’s traditionally been all the tougher for women – who are often treated like second-class citizens, either more trouble than they’re worth or as easy marks to be easily taken advantage of.

“When I started looking for my last car, the first dealer I went to told me to come back when I could bring my husband with me.  He clearly didn’t think I was smart enough to do it myself,” recalls Alice Hissler, a single PhD scientist at a major Michigan university.

Hissler is by no means alone, and women are more likely than men to express frustration at the car buying experience.  But that’s beginning to change, driven by automakers, retail trade groups and women themselves who are using word-of-mouth and social media to get the word about which dealers to patronize and which to avoid.

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 And they have the muscle to do it considering women now account for 51% of the cars purchased in the U.S. and influence 96% of sales, says Delia Passi, CEO and founder of WomenCertified and former publisher of Working Mother magazine.  WomenCertified has just published a new survey that looks at what dealers should do to satisfy women customers and identifies some of the best in the country from the distaff perspective.

“Car buying is often viewed as a male-dominated activity,” said Passi, adding that, “Our goal is to identify and reward the dealerships that meet and exceed women’s expectations for the car buying process and encourage the industry to better serve their needs.”

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The new study, she notes, was done in cooperation with the Wharton School of Business, and was specifically constructed to focus on what women car buyers were looking for when shopping for a new vehicle.  It not only looked at the car buying process but also the service experience, where women often find themselves facing the harshest treatment.

The best dealers, the survey found, show “a genuine concern for the customer,” and are likely to offer a “nuance of hospitality” in everything they do, stressed Passi.  They’re likely to listen as much as talk, and clearly understand the specific needs and desires of each individual consumer.

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They’re also likely to make the showroom and service bay friendly places to spend time, especially for women who might have children in tow.  Top-ranked dealers routinely offered such niceties as good coffee, places to relax and even play centers for children.  Some would even provide transportation service for a customer who might, said Passi, want to get a manicure or run errands while waiting for a car to be services.

“They put themselves in the shoes of a woman customer,” she suggested, adding that those dealers were also less likely to make a woman feel pressured.

What are the cheapest - and most expensive - cars to insure?

Passi contended that the best dealers are likely to be driven “top-down,” and often – but not always – have women in top management positions.  They almost always do have women employees at all levels in the dealership.

The survey identified a score of top, women-friendly dealers across the country.  “Car buying is often viewed as a male-dominated activity,” said Delia Passi, CEO and Founder of WomenCertified, and former publisher of Working Women and Working Mother magazines. “but women not only buy 51% of vehicles today, they also influence 96% of vehicle purchases for their families. Our goal is to identify and reward the dealerships that meet and exceed women’s expectations for the car buying process and encourage the industry to better serve their needs.” (For the complete list, Click Here.)

To be added to the list, she noted, required a strongly positive recommendation from at least nine of every 10 customers surveyed who had previously used that dealership.

Beyond the initial sale, Passi stressed that it simply makes good sense to ensure women shoppers are happy.  They’re more likely to not only come back for another car later on but also to return to the dealership for service and other needs.  According to the survey, 80% of respondents returned to the top-ranked dealerships, up from 60% for those who didn’t score as well.

The Toyota Sienna may not be as fun as an Audi sports car, but at least you're saving a bundle on car insurance.

Many of us may secretly dream we are zipping down the highway in an Audi or Mercedes sports car when what we're really doing is riding along in a minivan or a family SUV.

Well, at least we’re saving a lot on car insurance.

The website Insure.com just released its annual ranking of highest and lowest insurance rates by vehicle. Two Toyota Sienna models topped this year’s list as cheapest to insure, with an average annual insurance rate of $1,111 and $1,114.

The minivan was followed by two Jeep models, the Patriot Sport and Compass Sport. The rest of the 20 least expensive vehicles to insure heavily favored family-oriented crossover SUVs, minivans and trucks.

The most expensive cars to insure would also be a lot more expensive to buy, but probably a lot more fun to drive. The Audi R8 Spyder Quattro Convertible ($210,000) and Mercedes CL600 ($159,000) topped that list, with annual insurance rates that are around three times higher than the Sienna. Of course, if you have to ask how much they cost to insure, you probably can't afford them.

Insure.com’s annual ranking of highest and lowest insurance rates is based on average premiums for a 40-year-old single male who commutes 12 miles to work. The website, which looked at more than 900 vehicles from the 2012 model year, relies on Quadrant Information Services to collect average rates for six insurance carriers in 10 ZIP codes per state.

The minivan’s top ranking was no fluke.

In 2011, the Chrysler Town & Country LX had the lowest rate, with an average annual premium of $1,091.80.

Here are the least and most expensive vehicles to insure for the 2012 model year, along with the average annual premium for Insure.com’s sample customer. The full list is available on Insure.com's website.

Least expensive:

1. Toyota Sienna LE  $1,111
2. Toyota Sienna $1,114
3. Jeep Patriot Sport $1,116
4. Jeep Compass Sport $1,118
5. GMC Sierra K1500 Regular Cab $1,121

 Most expensive:

1. Audi R8 Spyder Quattro Convertible $3,384
2. Mercedes CL600 Coupe $3,307
3. Mercedes S600 $2,948
4. Audi R8 4.2 Quattro Coupe$2,903
5. Porsche Panamera Turbo $2,738

By msnbc.com staff and wire

After years of enduring sexist jokes and taunts from their male counterparts, women drivers can finally take heart -- a new study suggests they’re actually better at parking than men.

Covert surveillance of car parks across the United Kingdom shows that, while women may take longer to park, they are more adept than men at maneuvering into a parking space, and when they park they are more likely to leave their vehicles in the middle of a parking bay.

The month-long study, conducted by the U.K.’s National Car Parks, was carried out amongst 2,500 drivers and looked at various aspects of parking -- including technique, accuracy and time taken to park -- in order to produce a “parking coefficient” -- an overall score of how well a driver parks.

The overall score for women drivers was higher than for male drivers. Women also fared better when it came to finding empty spaces, were more accurate in lining themselves up before starting a parking maneuver, and were more likely to use a driving instructor’s favored method of reversing into a parking spot.

“Women fared better in many areas of the scoring,” the report said. “This is despite the fact that, when questioned about their beliefs, only one fifth (18%) thought they were better parkers than men and less than a third (28%) of women believed they were better parkers than their partners.”

What do you think? Are women better at parking? Share your thoughts on Facebook.

Related:

Insurance study: Women are better drivers than men 

JeepHawaii.com

A vacation rental car can be fun, but make sure you know what you're getting into.

Holiday travel is always hectic, especially when you fly to your destination and rent a car. By the time you wait in line, get to the rental counter and deal with all the up-sells – for a bigger model, GPS, gas plan and added “protection” options – you just want to get in that car and get going.

But first you need to inspect the vehicle. Anyone who’s rented before knows the drill. You walk around the car and fill out the little form to show where you found dings, dents or other damage.

Herb Weisbaum

Don't drive too far on tires that look like this.

Here's a tip based on personal experience: Check the tires. I was on vacation in Hawaii last week and the rental car I drove off in had four bad tires. The treads were all chewed up. I could actually grab sections of the tread and pull them away from the rest of the tire.

This car should never have been on the road. I should never have taken off without checking the tires. You just assume they’re OK.

The only reason I looked at them – at the hotel – was because the car made a funny sound that didn’t seem like normal road noise. (I called the company and they brought out another vehicle.)

You should also take the time to check inside the car. Look for damage to the seats or serious carpet stains. If you don't note that on the form before you head off, the rental company could try to ding you for it when you return the car.

In Hawaii, Budget has you sign a form that says you can be charged a cleaning fee (from $75 to $175) if the interior is considered dirty. This includes everything from stains caused by food, beverages or suntan lotion to melted candy and pet hair.

That same cleaning fee can also apply if the car’s interior has “excessive/heavy sand on carpet” which is defined as “any sand not contained to the rubber floor mats.”

To protect myself, I now use the camera on my cell phone to document damage. I still mark the paperwork, but I also take pictures or video of anything that really stands out. Because a digital camera has a time and date stamp, it's easy to prove when the photos were taken.

Related:

Rev up your next car rental

IIHS

Proper seat belt fit with a booster.

Being safe doesn’t need to break the bank.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on Thursday released its ranking of booster seats that fit most kids best in any vehicle. The top picks are designed to best fit the average 4- to 8-year-old in any vehicle.

Of the 31 “best bets,” we picked out a few examples that are also low cost.

Harmony Youth Booster: Several of the Harmony brand boosters get high rankings, but this one is the best bargain. Walmart lists it online for $13.50.

Evenflo Big Kid Amp: This booster seat sells at major retailers and online for about $25.

Graco TurboBooster, Baldwin: The high-backed booster seats are a little pricier, but you can still find a reasonably priced one on the best bets list. This one is listed for $49.99.

The Bubble Bum is a little pricier for a no-back booster, at $39.99, but we added it to the list because we’re guessing parents who travel a lot or rely on taxis will pay for the convenience of a booster that can be deflated and folded into a little pouch then pulled out when needed.

The list also shows that paying more doesn’t always equal being safer. The Safety 1^st Alpha Omega Elite convertible car seat is one of several IIHS doesn’t recommend. It lists for $159.99.

By Kara Reinhardt
Cheapism.com

The time to think about winter tires is not as you’re skidding off the road wishing you’d bought some. It’s right about now, when the roads are sprinkled with fall leaves rather than covered in ice. With safety at stake, this is certainly not the place to skimp on quality for the sake of price. That said, tires with solid ratings from experts and consumers can be had for less than $80 apiece, or less than $320 for four — and experts do recommend that you replace all four. Trying to get away with buying just two snow tires for a two-wheel-drive car can lead to poor handling and uneven wear.

Winter tires improve a car’s traction in cold weather, with treading that grips the road in snowy and/or icy conditions. Some winter tires also come with metal studs, which provide an even better grip. However, studded tires don’t perform as well on dry pavement and are subject to state regulations that restrict or even prohibit their use, because they can damage roads. Winter tires in general are specifically designed for cold temperatures and can make for a rough ride in warmer weather. Switching back to standard all-season tires right away in the spring can extend the life of your winter tires, saving you money.

All-season tires live up to their name in moderate climates, where drivers don’t see much winter weather and have no need for dedicated snow tires. Manufacturers are required to rate these tires according to the Uniform Tire Quality Grading System, which gives consumers a sense of how the tires perform relative to others with the same brand name. A UTQG rating comprises tread wear (relative to a standard of 100), traction (AA is best), and temperature resistance (A is best).

Before shopping for any new tires, take a look at your vehicle’s tire placard, which you can typically find on the doorframe or doorjamb on the driver’s side. Match the size of the tires you buy to the size on the placard. Another measure to consider is the tires’ speed rating. Generally a higher rating translates to better handling. Most winter tires have a speed rating of Q, or 99 mph. Standard all-season tires have ratings of S (112 mph) or T (118 mph).

Below are Cheapism’s top picks for affordable winter and all-season tires.

• The Michelin X-Ice Xi2 (starting at $72) is a studless winter tire that performs particularly well on packed snow and ice, according to reviews. It outdoes other winter tires with a 40,000 mile tread-wear warranty and a speed rating of T, or 118 mph. (Where to buy)
• The General Altimax Arctic (starting at $56) is a “studdable” winter tire, so you have the option of using the studs depending on the weather and the laws in your state. Reviews praise the tire’s performance in winter weather both with and without studs. (Where to buy)
• The General Altimax RT all-season tire (starting at $51) impresses reviewers with its traction and overall value for the money. It earns a UTQG rating of 600-A-B, according to General Tire. While consumers rave about this tire’s performance on wet and dry roads, winter weather isn’t its strong point, so it’s best for warmer climates and drivers who switch to snow tires in the winter. It comes with a T speed rating and a 70,000-mile tread-wear warranty. (Where to buy)
• The Falken SN211 all-season tire (starting at $54) offers the same speed rating and an even better 80,000-mile tread-wear warranty, as well as a 720-A-B UTQG rating. Drivers admire its quiet ride and say it outperforms expensive tires from big-name brands. (Where to buy)

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Ethan Miller / Getty Images file

Traffic fatalities in the Las Vegas area declined sharply in 2008 as recession hit hard.

There is a silver lining for some of the areas that were hit hardest by the Great Recession: They saw larger drops in deadly traffic accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration analyzed 2008 data on unemployment rate increases and traffic fatality declines. Researchers found that metropolitan statistical areas that saw the biggest increases in the unemployment rate also saw the biggest percentage drops in traffic fatalities.

The researchers divided metro areas into three groups. Those with the highest increase in unemployment rates between 2007 and 2008 saw a 12 percent decline in fatalities, while the group in the middle saw a 9 percent decline. The group that saw the smallest increase in joblessness also saw the smallest drop in traffic fatalities, at 8 percent.

For example, NHTSA said that between 2007 and 2008 traffic fatalities fell by 19 percent in the Las Vegas area and by nearly 27 percent in the Reno, Nev., area. Both areas saw their unemployment rates jump that year as they were hit hard by the recession.

Nationwide, unemployment rose to 7.3 percent in 2008 from 5 percent at the end of 2007 as the recession took hold. At the same time the number of traffic-related fatalities fell 10 percent to 37,261 in 2008, the lowest level since 1961.

Traffic fatalities had been declining since 2005, even as the economy expanded and unemployment stayed relatively steady. The government attributes that to safety improvements but noted that the big drop in 2008 coincided with the onset of the recession.

More recent NHTSA reports looking at traffic deaths alone have continued to show declines. The government agency said there were 32,788 traffic deaths in 2010, down from 33,808 in 2009.

In 2008, researchers saw the biggest drop for deaths in crashes that involved drivers under 24 years old. The tight job market has been particularly tough on young adults, which the researchers note likely meant they drove less for work or pleasure.

In previous recessions, the researchers said there have also been drops in deadly crashes, particularly involving young drivers.

NHTSA