As you probably know, virtually all credit cards in the United States are now equipped with EMV chips. EMV is short for “Europay, MasterCard and Visa,” the three companies who began the chip technology initiative. There are two main types of chip technology in credit cards – chip and signature and chip and PIN.

The technology has quickly become the gold standard for all credit card transactions. Here’s how it works – A small microprocessor is embedded in your credit card to store and protect your sensitive data. This information is used for all transactions, replacing the magnetic strip on the back of your credit card. The information embedded within the chip is encrypted, and therefore less vulnerable to counterfeiting and fraud.

Chip technology in credit cards has been around for a few years now, but merchants and consumers are still adjusting to the change. Here’s what you need to know about your EMV chip card.

Why is a credit card chip more secure?

EMV chip cards support dynamic authentication, which makes it much harder to copy and counterfeit. Data stored on traditional magnetic strips are static, making them much easier to skim with a card reading device. Dynamic information stored within your credit card chip must be verified by the point-of-sale device, ensuring its authenticity. Chip credit cards also generate a unique authentication code with each transaction.

In the United States, most cards use chip-and-signature technology – the secure chip in your card, combined with a signature for verification. For the added security of a signature, merchants must verify the signature on the card with the card holder’s on-site signature. This process can be subjective, based on the verification process. In many countries the EMV chip technology is used in combination with a PIN number. Because the chip-and-PIN system uses two types of objective verification, it is widely regarded as more secure than the chip-and-signature technology.

How is the EMV chip card used to make a purchase?

Instead of swiping your credit card through a card reader, the chip system requires you to insert your card into the reader, chip end first, and leave it there until your transaction is complete. For now, credit cards still have a magnetic strip on the back that can be used if the chip technology fails, but those strips will likely be phased out in the future.

Why do chip cards take longer to process?

Consumers who are used to the simple swipe they’ve used in the past may be wondering why the chip system takes so much longer. While you’re tapping your fingers on the counter waiting patiently for your transaction to complete, the microchip in your credit card is having an encrypted conversation with the card reader. The card reader then sends an encrypted message to the bank, which approves the transaction, and sends an encrypted message back.

The whole point of the new chip technology is the added security features, and it’s these features that slow down the process.

Are there security risks with chip credit cards?

While chip credit cards are far more secure than cards with magnetic strips, there are still risks you should be aware of. Because many chip cards still contain the magnetic strip on the back, the cards are still vulnerable to fraud. To prevent skimming, credit card issuers will have to totally eliminate the card’s magnetic strip.

The biggest risk for fraud and theft in the credit card industry today is through the internet. Card-Not-Present or CNP transactions continue to rise as the online shopping market grows. Credit card account information can be gleaned through a breach in a merchant’s online security, as well as phishing scams, or when the physical card is stolen. Because there isn’t a secure card reader available for online sales, internet fraud will become the easiest way for thieves to get ahold of sensitive information.

There is also an increase in application fraud – when a criminal uses your personal information to apply for a new credit card or take over existing accounts. Instead of counterfeiting the physical card, criminals are bypassing the card altogether. Once the account is created, it’s easy to have a new EMV card mailed to them.

The future of credit card security

In addition to EMV chip technology, Visa and MasterCard have implemented extra security protocols that send users an authentication code through their cell phone before they can make a CNP transaction online.

Many credit card companies have been testing and using biometrics as part of their security protocol for credit card use. Facial-recognition software, fingerprint scans, and voice authentication have all been tested for viability within the industry, but have not been implemented on a wide scale.

Because credit card fraud costs companies billions of dollars each year, new technologies are constantly being developed and tested to make transactions more secure for consumers, merchants and banks. Chip technology is our biggest leap forward in many years, but there’s certainly more changes to come.

Have EMV chip credit cards changed the way you make purchases? Are you satisfied with the new system? Let us know in the comments section below.

Looking for a show that will shock you? These podcasts are full of mind-blowing stories that will make you gasp in disbelief, rewind to listen again and question the narratives you’ve been hearing all your life.

You’re Wrong About

Do you know what you’re wrong about? “You’re Wrong About” is a podcast concerning common misconceptions and the way stories get warped in the public eye. Writers Michael Hobbes and Sarah Marshall take turns telling each other about things like Y2K, anti-vaxxers, O.J. Simpson, stranger danger and so much more. Don’t miss their deep dive “book club” episodes covering topics like infamous celebrity memoirs and not-so-accurate books about the satanic panic.

Recommended Episodes: “Political Correctness”, The Anti-Vaccine Movement, Halloween Special: Creepy Encounters, Wayfair and Human Trafficking Statistics, The Y2K Bug, The Wardrobe Malfunction

Maintenance Phase

It’s the wellness podcast to end all wellness podcasts. In “Maintenance Phase,” Michael Hobbes from “You’re Wrong About” teams up with writer Aubrey Gordon to tackle trends and debunk myths surrounding health and wellness culture. Covering topics like “The Biggest Loser,” anti-fat bias, diet pills and snake oil, it offers a mix of infuriating facts and the relief of laughing through the pain.

Recommended episodes: Snake Oil, The Biggest Loser, The President’s Physical Fitness Test, Fen-Phen & Redux, Anti-Fat Bias

The Dropout

Young entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes seemed to emerge out of nowhere. She dropped out of Stanford after just a few semesters to found a revolutionary blood-testing company, Theranos, and quickly became the youngest self-made female billionaire of all time. But Holmes was not all that she seemed. Theranos claimed to run hundreds of tests with just one drop of blood, but was that really true? And why did employees seem to come and go so quickly? Also, why did Holmes allegedly dress like Steve Jobs and speak with a fake deep voice? “The Dropout” is more than a corporate scandal – it’s an indictment of the medical-industrial complex as a whole. To continue following the story of Elizabeth Holmes, check out “Bad Blood: The Final Chapter,” which begins Aug. 26.

Recommended episodes: Listen from beginning to end.

The Dream

Season one of “The Dream” by Jane Marie is all about the world of multilevel marketing, or MLMs. Marie interviews a participant in the “airplane games” of the 1980s, goes deep into multilevel marketing’s alleged ties to the White House and even has a former cosmetics marketer try (and fail) to make money selling makeup through an MLM. This show is shocking, funny and sometimes even enraging. Season two explores the state of the wellness industry as Marie tries crystals, magnetic therapy, acupuncture and more.

Recommended episodes: Listen from beginning to end.

Oh No, Ross and Carrie!

On “Oh No, Ross and Carrie!,” Ross Blocher and Carrie Poppy investigate the fringes of belief – then take part in it themselves. The two hosts embed themselves in self-help workshops, sample snake oil, attempt paranormal experiences and attend spiritual ceremonies. The two skeptics go through wild misadventures on their never-ending journey to find the truth.

Recommended episodes: Ross and Carrie Are Down to Earth (Part 1): Grounding Edition, Ross and Carrie Test Their Psychic Powers: Clair Edition, Ross and Carrie Meet Dr. Elizabeth Loftus: Bad Memory Edition

Stuff You Missed in History Class

On “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey investigate the forgotten corners and obscure characters in the margins of history. This show has a huge back catalog to trawl through – with inside jokes that have lasted for years (like the fact that their subjects keep getting exhumed). Wilson and Frey meticulously research each episode, and their joint method of reporting these forgotten stories make each episode effortlessly enjoyable.

Recommended episodes: Operation Paperclip, L.L. Zamenhof and the Hope of Esperanto, 1918 Flu Pandemic, Revisited – Part 1, The Lost Cause, Public Universal Friend

My Year in Mensa

When comedian Jamie Loftus took the Mensa exam, she didn’t think she’d actually get in. But once she did, she uncovered an alt-right underbelly of this network of “geniuses.” “My Year in Mensa” recounts online harassment, the hidden world of Mensa Facebook groups, and Loftus’ visit to the annual Mensa convention – after being blocked online by half of the people there. “My Year in Mensa” is as shocking as it is funny.

Recommended episodes: Listen from beginning to end.

Dirty John

John Meehan seemed like the perfect guy – a single, attractive doctor who wanted to take Debra Newell out on a date. But Debra’s daughters were suspicious. What was John really after? Reported by Chris Goffard of the Los Angeles Times, “Dirty John” is one of the most mind-blowing podcasts out there. Just when you think the story is winding to an end, things get even weirder.

Recommended Episodes: Listen from beginning to end.

Looking for even more podcasts? Check out our list of the best podcasts about the internet and the most bingeworthy podcasts!

A recent AAA survey of electric vehicle owners found that nearly all (96%) would buy or lease another the next time they were in the market for a new car. And word has spread: Sales of EVs through the first five months of 2021 grew 150% compared to the same period last year. Even President Joe Biden voiced his support of the green technology by setting a national goal for EVs to make up half of all new vehicle sales by 2030.

Certainly, there could be no better seals of approval. Yet while buying electric cars has grown exponentially over the years, it still lags far behind that of traditional gas-powered cars. As of 2020, there were nearly 1.8 million EVs registered in the U.S., according to the Pew Research Center, three times as many as in 2016. That may seem like an impressive growth until you compare it to the 280 million cars in operation across the country. Indeed, EVs represented just 2% of the new cars purchased in the U.S. in 2020.

“Although 40 million Americans have shown interest in buying electric for their next car, actual adoption is happening at a much slower rate,” said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and industry relations.

The gap between interest in buying electric car and owning an electric car begs the question: What are the hurdles preventing the widespread adoption of EVs, and, more importantly, are they capable of being cleared?

Upfront Cost

There’s no getting around it: buying electric cars costs more, at least initially, than gas-powered cars. 

The high cost is largely a byproduct of the expensive process of manufacturing EV batteries. Fortunately, battery prices are dropping precipitously. Bloomberg found the average cost to be around $130/kWh as of late 2020, whereas they cost more than $1,000 just 10 years ago. The news outlet predicts batteries will drop to an average of $100/kWh by 2023. This number would represent an important milestone because at $100/kWh per battery, Bloomberg estimates that EVs can be manufactured and sold to a mass market at the same price as gas-powered cars.

The better news for potential EV owners is that the cost of the vehicles is already coming down. The average transaction price for all new vehicles in June 2021 was $42,282, according to Kelley Blue Book. The average transaction price for all electric vehicles was $49,766.

If consumers are able to overcome the initial higher costs, they should be able to make up that difference, if not surpass it, as EV ownership generally costs less than gas-powered cars. The money starts to come back in the form of tax credits. A federal tax credit of up to $7,500 per EV may be available depending on the model of EV as well as the owner’s tax liability. State governments also offer varying tax credits and other incentives that can further reduce the cost.

EV drivers will see additional savings over the lifetime of their ownership, as these vehicles cost less to both maintain and operate. (EVs don’t require oil changes or air-filter replacements, for example.) AAA research found, if maintained according to the automakers’ recommendations, annual EV maintenance costs $330 less than that of gas-powered cars. Then comes the all important factor of “fuel.” While electricity does cost money, it pales in comparison to the price of gasoline. As such, the power required to drive 15,000 miles per year in an EV costs an average of $546, according to AAA, less than half the price of the amount of gas required to travel the same distance.

All told, AAA found the total cost of an EV over five years and 75,000 miles of driving to be less than $600 more than owning a comparable gas-powered car.

Range Anxiety

A recent automotive survey conducted by Deloitte listed driving range to be the biggest concern amongst U.S. consumers regarding all-battery-powered electric vehicles.

This is one problem that, although valid, shouldn’t pose the level of concern that it does. While limited driving range used to be a major issue — not too long ago, it was difficult to find an EV that could travel more than 100 miles on a single charge — it’s becoming less so with each passing year. Today, there are numerous models that can travel 200 miles. Tesla cars, including the best-selling Model 3, feature batteries capable of more than 300 miles. The soon-to-be-released Lucid Air boasts a range of 500 miles.

Range anxiety is likely an effect of drivers simply overestimating how much power they really need. The previous year’s Deloitte survey found the majority of consumers expected EVs to travel more than 200 miles per full charge even though they traveled an average of 27 miles per day. “Range anxiety is generally only a concern to people who don’t drive electric,” said Anja van Niersen, CEO of European EV charging network Allego.

Be that as it may, driving range is still an issue for those who don’t have access to readily available EV chargers, which points to a much more significant barrier to widespread electric car adoption.

Lack of Infrastructure

The lack of public charging stations may just be the most significant hurdle to the widespread adoption of EVs in the U.S. The problem is most notable in two areas. First is with potential EV owners who don’t live in a single-family home, where most EV drivers charge their vehicles. Those who live in apartments don’t have this luxury and therefore have to charge their vehicle elsewhere. This can become a rather burdensome chore after time. Furthermore, apartment property owners are often hesitant at installing such infrastructure as it may be cost prohibitive.

Allowing the use of common outlets also poses problems. Because EV charging consumes more energy than most other residential uses, property managers would likely want residents to pay the electrical costs. This would require devising a way to monitor how much power is being used by each resident.

Regardless of living situations, public infrastructure is needed for all EV owners looking to make long-distance trips. There are more than 43,000 public EV charging stations in the United States, according to the Department of Energy. (If that seems like a large number, consider that there are nearly three times the number of gas stations.) But a 2019 study by the International Council on Clean Transportation found that this is just a fraction of the infrastructure needed. It estimated that 10,000 more charging stations will be required by 2025 to support EVs traveling between cities.

While EV infrastructure has a long way to go, local and federal governments appear committed to the trek. In 2019, two-thirds of U.S. mayors voiced their support of improving infrastructure even at the cost of additional parking space. More recently, a proposed trillion-dollar federal infrastructure bill is allocating $7.5 billion to fund the installation of 500,000 public charging stations across the country. If enacted into law, the legislation would be the federal government’s first-ever investment in EV chargers and, maybe, a sign of things to come.

Interested in purchasing an electric – or gas-powered – vehicle? Let AAA help get you in the perfect car for the right price with a low-interest auto loan.

Visit AAA’s Electric Vehicle platform for more information on these cars of the future.

A medida que vamos retomando la idea de viajar, algo que probablemente todos buscamos son los espacios abiertos. Eso, por supuesto, significa los grandes espacios al aire libre. Y no hay mejor región para hacer turismo que el Noreste, donde los frondosos bosques cubren las onduladas colinas de cada estado y kilómetros y kilómetros de costa están cubiertos de pintorescas playas. He aquí algunos de los lugares más pintorescos del Noreste.

White Mountains

Las White Mountains (Montañas Blancas) cubren aproximadamente una cuarta parte del estado de New Hampshire. La región alberga el Parque Nacional White Mountain, así como varios parques estatales.

La cordillera contiene numerosas rutas de senderismo que pueden llevar a cascadas y vistas panorámicas o hasta la cima. Aunque se trata de algunas de las montañas más escarpadas del Noreste, la vista desde la cima merece el esfuerzo.

Si, por el contrario, le gusta quedarse con los pies en la tierra, conduzca por la autopista Kancamagus. Este tramo de carretera de 34 millas atraviesa las montañas y discurre junto a varios ríos.

Letchworth State Park

Cualquier lugar conocido como el “Gran Cañón del Este”, ciertamente tiene unos grandes zapatos que llenar. Pero Letchworth State Park, situado en el oeste de Nueva York, está a la altura.

En lugar del Colorado, es el río Genesee el que atraviesa el desfiladero, recorriendo tres grandes cascadas y alcanzando alturas de 600 pies. El parque cuenta con más de 60 millas de rutas de senderismo, lo que garantiza que podrá encontrar el mirador perfecto para presenciar las bucólicas vistas.

Heublein Tower

Heublein Tower se encuentra en la cima de Talcott Mountain en Simsbury, Connecticut. La estructura de 165 pies fue construida en 1914 y originalmente sirvió como casa de verano para una prominente familia local.

Hoy en día es conocido por ofrecer algunas de las mejores vistas del Estado de Nutmeg y más allá. Siendo una torre encaramada en la cima de la montaña de 1.000 pies de altura, los visitantes de Heublein Tower disfrutan de vistas panorámicas del valle del río Farmington, el estrecho de Long Island y los Berkshires. Incluso podrá vislumbrar el Monte Monadnock, a 80 millas de distancia, en New Hampshire.

Aquinnah Cliffs

Más allá de las casas de estilo pan de jengibre y de los centros de la ciudad con aspecto de postal, se encuentra una vista aún más hermosa en Martha’s Vineyard: Aquinnah Cliffs. La maravilla natural, tallada por los glaciares hace millones de años, se eleva desde la playa del extremo suroeste de la isla.

Los visitantes pueden caminar a lo largo de la playa para ver de cerca los acantilados de arcilla, que no se parecen a ningún tipo de formación que se pueda ver en una playa de Nueva Inglaterra. Los huéspedes también pueden tomar los senderos superiores para vislumbrar el Gay Head Light y las cercanas islas Elizabeth.

Berkshires

Berkshires, una región de montañas y bosques en el oeste de Massachusetts, es conocida desde hace tiempo como uno de los lugares más pintorescos del Noreste. Su mejor momento es cuando bajan las temperaturas, convirtiéndose en el principal destino del follaje otoñal. Su mejor opción para obtener vistas pintorescas es dar un paseo en auto por el Mohawk Trail. La carretera, ahora designada como ruta turística escénica, atraviesa las montañas Berkshire a lo largo de más de 60 millas.

Cadillac Mountain

Ninguna lista de los mejores lugares de interés turístico del Noreste está completa sin Cadillac Mountain, y por una buena razón. Durante varios meses del año, los visitantes que suben a la cima con suficiente antelación pueden ser los primeros en presenciar el amanecer en Estados Unidos.

Incluso si se pierde la luz de la mañana, un viaje a la cima de Cadillac Mountain es una expedición turística que merece la pena. Con sus 1.500 pies, es el pico más alto de la Costa Este. Los visitantes pueden disfrutar de una incomparable vista de 360 grados de la costa de Maine, junto con una exuberante vegetación y el vasto Océano Atlántico.

Lake Champlain

Puede que Vermont sea un estado sin salida al mar, pero una mirada al lago Champlain hará que se olvide del océano. Con casi 600 millas de costa y 71 islas, hay territorio más que suficiente para explorar y disfrutar de las vistas. Hay tres puentes que cruzan el lago y que conectan Vermont con Nueva York, creando la oportunidad perfecta para un viaje pintoresco.

La región circundante es igual de llamativa. Interminables árboles cubren las laderas y los cercanos Adirondacks se elevan al oeste. También hay kilómetros de senderos perfectos para una corta caminata. Los visitantes que llegan hasta el final son recompensados con vistas espectaculares hasta donde alcanza la vista.

Los colores de los automóviles han sido históricamente dictados por la actualidad, el estado de ánimo nacional, la tecnología y las influencias culturales, lo que ha dado lugar a décadas de tonos brillantes. Sin embargo, en los últimos tiempos, los tonos apagados se han convertido en los colores más populares de los automóviles.

Un vistazo a la historia nos muestra cómo hemos llegado a los colores comunes de los autos que tenemos hoy en día.

Comienza la historia de la pintura de los automóviles

“Cualquier cliente puede tener un coche pintado del color que quiera siempre que sea negro”. —Henry Ford

Los automóviles de finales del 1800 y principios del 1900 eran esencialmente carros motorizados, por lo que se pintaban igual que sus predecesores de transporte. Para ello se utilizó pintura al óleo aplicada a mano. La mayoría de los automóviles se pintaban de negro porque el color era duradero, barato y se secaba rápidamente.

Pero había problemas tanto con el color como con la aplicación de la pintura de los primeros automóviles. Aunque proporcionaba un acabado lujoso y brillante, pintar un automóvil llevaba semanas. Además, la pintura negra a menudo se desvanecía o amarilleaba. Como la pintura no tenía aglutinante, cuando se producía la decoloración, había que volver a pintar el auto, lo que costaba dinero.

A pesar de las famosas palabras de Henry Ford, no todos los modelos T estaban pintados de negro. De hecho, desde 1908 a 1914, el automóvil se presentó en varios colores diferentes. Pero cuando Ford implantó el proceso de fabricación en cadena, necesitaba una pintura que se secara rápidamente, de ahí el cambio al negro.

Pintura Duco

Un hito importante en la evolución de la historia de la pintura para automóviles se produjo en la década de 1920, cuando la empresa DuPont desarrolló un nuevo tipo de revestimiento para automóviles. Los científicos de DuPont modificaron la nitrocelulosa, una sustancia utilizada para fabricar explosivos y películas cinematográficas, para crear una laca de baja viscosidad que pudiera rociarse en los automóviles. Esta nueva pintura, bautizada como Duco, presentaba numerosas ventajas respecto a las versiones anteriores de la pintura para automóviles.

Según el Instituto de Historia de la Ciencia, “los barnices tradicionales se astillan, agrietan, cuartean y destiñen; la laca Duco era casi invencible. Toleraba el aire, el sol, la lluvia, el barro, la humedad, el calor, el frío, el agua salada, las bacterias, la transpiración, la suciedad, los jabones y los detergentes. La mayoría de los acabados de gama baja venían en pocos colores, mientras que Duco ponía a disposición un arco iris de tonalidades”.

General Motors fue el primer fabricante en adoptar el Duco (en ese momento, GM y DuPont estaban bajo la misma dirección). La Oakland Motor Car Company de GM pintó sus coches con dos tonos diferentes de azul y una franja de competición roja o naranja, y los estrenó en el Salón del Automóvil de Nueva York de 1923. Los colores tuvieron un éxito inmediato entre el público y a mediados de la década de 1920 todas las divisiones de GM utilizaban Duco.

El color de los automóviles en los locos años 20

El auge económico de la década de 1920 supuso el aumento de la propiedad de automóviles, lo que invitó a ampliar el espectro de colores de los vehículos y a variar las tonalidades. Aunque la Gran Depresión redujo la abundancia de vehículos de colores, no impidió la evolución de la pintura de automóviles.

En la década de 1930, la pintura metálica recién creada dio a los vehículos un brillo mejorado. (Los automóviles también tenían cada vez menos aspecto de caja, y la nueva pintura ayudaba a realzar las formas curvas). La pintura metálica se hizo por primera vez utilizando escamas de pescado reales. Se necesitan 40.000 arenques para fabricar un kilo de pintura, según Consumer Reports. Las versiones menos caras de la pintura utilizaban escamas de aluminio en su lugar.

Pintura de automóviles de la posguerra

El final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial supuso un auge del consumo y del estilo, con los automóviles a la cabeza. En esta época, casi todos los grandes fabricantes de automóviles contaban con paneles de asesoramiento sobre el color que estudiaban los gustos de los consumidores y las tendencias del color en la moda y la cultura. Los coches se volvieron más llamativos con características como aletas traseras, parabrisas curvados y, por supuesto, colores brillantes. Además de las abundantes cantidades de cromo, los automóviles estaban pintados en todos los tonos del arco iris. También se hicieron populares los arreglos bicolores, en los que la carrocería y el techo de un coche se pintaban de diferentes colores.

La tendencia del color continuó hasta bien entrada la década de 1960 con la aparición de los muscle cars. Estos automóviles siempre han tenido más que ver con las prestaciones que con el pragmatismo, prestándose como mejores lienzos para pinturas de colores brillantes.

La tendencia del color se detuvo rápidamente durante  la escasez de combustible de la década de 1970. Durante esta época, los propietarios de vehículos se preocuparon más por la eficiencia del combustible y el color del auto pasó a un segundo plano. Los tonos terrosos como el marrón, el tostado y el verde oscuro se hicieron populares.

¿Cuál es el color de automóvil más popular hoy en día?

El fabricante de automóviles alemán Volkswagen describió recientemente la situación actual de los colores en las carreteras de Estados Unidos: “Si uno circula por una calle estadounidense y se fija sólo en los vehículos nuevos, se le podría perdonar por pensar que está en una película en blanco y negro”.

Nadie puede discutir la verdad. Un estudio de 2019 realizado por iSeeCars que analizó 9,4 millones de vehículos que van desde los modelos de los años 2014 a 2018, encontró que el 23,9% de los vehículos eran blancos y el 23,2% eran negros. Si eres un fanático de las tonalidades coloridas, es aún más triste que los dos siguientes colores de pintura más populares, con un 15,5% y un 14,5%, sean el gris y el plateado. Esto no es una anomalía: Estos han sido los colores más comunes de los automóviles durante una década.

¿Por qué los tonos apagados son los colores más populares en los coches?

No hace mucho tiempo, desde la década del 1950 hasta la de 1970, las carreteras estadounidenses estaban llenas de automóviles de todos los colores. Entonces, ¿por qué el cambio? “El color siempre está cambiando, y nuestra percepción del color siempre está evolucionando en función de lo que vemos, de lo que observamos y de lo que vivimos”, dijo el diseñador principal de color y adornos de Volkswagen, Jung Lim “Limmy” Park. “Las preferencias de color reflejan realmente las tendencias sociales y culturales únicas e incluso la geografía [de una región]”.

Hay varias teorías sociales y culturales sobre la prevalencia de los colores más sombríos de los autos en Estados Unidos. Actualmente estamos viviendo la segunda recesión importante en una década. En tiempos de incertidumbre económica, la gente tiende a ser conservadora con su dinero. Y, aunque un color diferente en su automóvil no aumenta su costo, se sabe que la mentalidad de mantener las cosas simples y evitar cualquier cosa llamativa se ha extendido. Una tendencia similar se produjo tras la Gran Depresión hace casi un siglo.

En cuanto a las influencias culturales, hay quien sugiere que nuestras elecciones de color de los coches están definidas por nuestra obsesión por la tecnología. Apple es la empresa más valiosa del mundo y su logotipo de colores apagados es reconocido en todo el mundo. “Antes de Apple, el blanco se asociaba a cosas como los frigoríficos o los azulejos del cuarto de baño”, explica Sandy McGill, diseñador jefe de BMW DesignWorks a Motoramic.com. “Apple hizo valer el blanco”.

El color adecuado para el automóvil adecuado

También ha existido siempre la creencia de que ciertos colores son adecuados para ciertos automóviles. Las camionetas son más utilitarias y no necesitan una capa de neón. Los coches deportivos de lujo, por su parte, están hechos para llamar la atención de la gente y son probablemente un espacio más aceptable para una capa de pintura amarilla brillante.

Pero los coches deportivos no han sido inmunes a la tendencia incolora. El Ford Mustang es un ejemplo perfecto. En 1967, el muscle car estaba disponible en nueve tonos de azul y dos de rosa. En la década del 1970, el marrón estaba siempre entre los tres colores más populares del Mustang, pero no se ofrece desde el año 2000. El negro, en cambio, no entró en el top 3 hasta 1994, pero se ha mantenido ahí desde entonces.

¿Cuáles serán los colores de automóviles más populares en el futuro?

Nadie puede predecir el futuro, pero sabemos que las tendencias cambian. Mientras la demanda de nuevos colores esté ahí, la oferta vendrá con ella.

Hay otra razón para tener esperanza en que las carreteras sean más vivas. Vemos gran parte de nuestras vidas a través de las imágenes nítidas y de colores brillantes de nuestros dispositivos electrónicos, por lo que no sería de extrañar que en un futuro próximo aparecieran otras tonalidades en los coches. “Todos estamos tan impactados por nuestra vida digital a través de la pandemia, y los colores que se ven principalmente están [en] su pantalla más que los objetos físicos reales”, se dijo desde Volkswagen’s Park. “El futuro se está poniendo colorido, sin duda”.

¿De qué color es su automóvil? ¿Qué colores le gustaría que volvieran? ¡Háganoslo saber en los comentarios!

Sirens, horns and railroad crossing bells are just a few of the sounds we hear on the road. These everyday noises serve as alerts and warnings of what’s happening in and around our car and can affect our actions. Without them, we are left dangerously unaware and unalert. Yet, failure to pick up important sounds while driving is a reality for many drivers with hearing impairment and declining auditory abilities.

Hearing Loss and Age

Since hearing loss often happens gradually with age, you may not realize that you are not hearing the typical driving sounds as well as you used to.

Approximately 20% of Americans experience significant hearing loss, 50% of which are over the age of 75. Aging is the strongest predictor of impairment among adults, with age-related changes beginning at age 40. Since many drivers eventually face hearing loss, it’s valuable to learn more about the condition and take the necessary steps to stay safe behind the wheel.

Known as presbycusis, hearing loss due to age affects us in several ways, including a diminished ability to perceive-high frequency sounds. It is often compounded by other conditions that affect the ear such as impacted wax. When hearing in one ear is worse than the other, it is more difficult to determine the location of sounds. This can lead to driving issues such as not being able to identify the direction from which a warning sign originates and then reacting in a way that may cause a collision.

As you age, hearing loss can be accompanied by a lessened ability to translate the sounds you do hear into meaningful information. If hearing loss is present along with any degree of confusion, memory loss or dementia, consult a medical professional for an overall health assessment.

While aging, genetic predisposition and certain medical conditions can cause hearing loss, so can noise from occupational conditions, sports events and concerts. The World Health Organization estimates that around 40% of people ages 12 to 35 could be exposed to dangerous noise levels at entertainment venues. Veterans and workers in the public safety and manufacturing sectors are especially at risk of tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing in the ears that results from exposure to loud noise, particularly over an extended period.

Tips for Safe Driving

Schedule Regular Hearing and Vision Tests

Since both hearing and vision tend to decline with age, stay current on your exams.  Schedule a hearing test at age 50 and proceed with regular exams every 3 years if results are normal. If any hearing issues are detected, have an exam every year.

Diminished auditory abilities require you to rely more on vision. Eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration could cause difficulty with night driving, so early detection is important.

Recommendations for hearing aids and glasses may be accompanied by instructions to only drive during daylight hours and other advice designed to keep you safe.

Stay Active and Manage Health Conditions

View your overall health as a key part of safe driving. Hearing loss may be accompanied by other age-related conditions such as neck stiffness, arthritis, and diabetes. Consider the amount of flexibility needed to look over your shoulder and parallel park on a car-lined street. Regular physical exercise in the form of walking and strength training makes it easier to manage many conditions and engage in the movements necessary for driving. If you are taking medication, check the labels and ask your doctor about side effects to avoid driving while drowsy or dizzy.

Understand and Adapt to Physical Changes

When physical changes make it more difficult to drive for any reason, adjusting your driving patterns and utilizing driver assistance technologies can help to make you more comfortable behind the wheel. Shorter trips are a good option if you experience leg cramps on long excursions. If you are in the market for a new car, consider a model with a larger dashboard display and safety features such as lane assist and collision warning systems that can help prevent accidents. Some cars also have haptic alerts such as a vibrating steering wheel to indicate when the car is drifting into another lane.

Avoid Distractions 

Everyone should avoid distractions such as using the phone while driving, but for those with hearing loss, this is even more critical. Activities that take your attention away from the road should be avoided, so take steps that allow you to drive with focus. For instance, enter your destination into the GPS system before you begin driving.  Especially consider the impact of other noises on your ability to hear. Conversations, music and road noise will distract you from hearing essential sounds.

Drive Under Good Conditions

Set yourself up for a safe trip by driving only when you feel well and alert. If you slept poorly or the road and weather conditions are not ideal, wait until the situation improves before getting behind the wheel. Even the time of day can affect how comfortable you may be while driving. For instance, rush hour may be a time to avoid due to busy intersections and high traffic.

Take a Driver Safety Course or Update Your Skills

The ability to identify and react to a potentially dangerous situation can help prevent possible collisions due to other drivers, bad weather and other hazards. A defensive driving course can help you identify these risks and teach you how to reduce the chance of an accident. Simple steps such as maintaining a good distance from the car in front of yours, braking at the appropriate time and paying extra attention at intersections help keep everyone safe. It’s always a good time to refresh your driving skills.

Rest assured that it’s possible to be a good driver even if you are experiencing hearing loss. An audiologist can help you to identify the best hearing solution for your impairment and provide customized advice.

Learn more about hearing loss solutions.

You’re expecting your first baby – congratulations! Perhaps you’re busy decorating the nursery or registering for your baby shower, as these are all fun parts of preparing to bring home a new addition to the family. But there are other important things to think about when expecting, including financial planning, life insurance and readying your cars for a little one. Consider these tips for new parents as you take on this major step in life.

Money Tips for New Parents

When it comes to financially planning for a family, Ellen Morvant, CFP^®, APMA^®, Ameriprise Financial Advisor with Waterfront Wealth Management, recommends that expectant parents speak with a CPA about potential tax breaks and review their employer benefits options.

“There have been some recent changes to the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit that make it more beneficial to many families. New parents should also review their employee benefits options. Dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts or FSAs are also a great way to pay for daycare with pre-tax dollars,” Moryant said.

In addition, Moryant advocates for building an emergency fund, which she believes is essential to provide a cushion in case of the unexpected. “With a new addition to the household, the likelihood of unexpected expenses increases and the monthly fixed expenses are almost certain to increase,” she said.

Moryant recommends beefing up the typically recommended three-month reserve, especially for single income households. “If one parent is going to stay at home with the child, set a target of six months expenses for your cash reserve. This larger amount provides extra cushion in the event that the sole earner in the household experiences any disruption in their employment.”

AAA member Briana Kulik and her husband are parents to two daughters, ages five and two. She went through her own process of financially planning for her family as her children were born.

“When starting to grow our family, I knew that I wanted to lower my hours at work to part time to be able to spend time with the kids. This meant our income would be significantly altered. My husband and I figured out a monthly budget with all our expenses and what income we needed to continue to pay our bills and still live a similar lifestyle,” said Kulik.

Kulik and her husband started by adding up all the newly added expenses like childcare costs, food and clothing, and limited their spending on non-necessities like going out to dinner and shopping trips. They also refinanced their student loans. “It was difficult to cut back,” she said, “but we knew it was important for our family.”

Life Insurance

Life insurance is the kind of thing that you don’t want to think about, but it’s one of the most important things a new parent should know about. If you don’t already have a policy, your growing family may be the extra push needed to invest in one. Think about it this way: If you were no longer here, would your family be financially secure, and could your child continue to be provided for in the way you would want them to be?

Tim Boyle, life and annuity manager at AAA Northeast, says that new parents should look into life insurance as soon as possible.

“Life insurance is crucial for a new family. A life insurance policy can help fund your family’s education and future expenses. It can help preserve the future you envisioned for your children,” Boyle said. “The younger someone looks into life insurance, the better. By getting a policy when you are young and healthy, you are able to lock in the lower price for your entire life. Life insurance is flexible and can be updated as different life events like a marriage or children occur.”

AAA Northeast has several life insurance products that can benefit new parents. The first is a term policy which will protect the insured for a certain number of years with a rate that will not change during that time. The second is an indexed universal policy, which Boyle said is the best policy for combining life insurance, retirement planning and saving for college.

Learn more about getting life insurance through AAA.

Car Safety Tips for New Parents

As new parents plan for their baby’s arrival, safety is sure to be top of mind, especially in your vehicle. Soon you will be carrying around some precious cargo!

Prepping one’s car and installing car seats can be confusing. Luckily there are AAA professionals like Adelle Zocher, Public Affairs Specialist at AAA Northeast, who is also a certified Car Passenger Safety technician, that can help.

Zocher said over 50% of car seats are installed wrong. That’s why it’s so important to consult with a technician.

She said the biggest mistake new parents make when it comes to car seat installation has to do with tightness. If your car has a Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children or LATCH system (which all vehicles made after 2002 have), it’s a matter of pushing and pulling in the right direction.

“I always tell people, you’re not alone if you’re doing something wrong; there’s nothing wrong with you; you just need someone to guide you and show you,” Zocher said.

“The technician educates the family on proper usage every time,” she goes on to say. “It’s not just about getting the car seat installed…it’s getting the parent involved in the process. So, it’s not an installation service. It’s an educational experience.”

Kulik said when it came to picking out and installing car seats for her children, safety was the top priority. “Thankfully, we were able to find safety information, recalls, crash test results, etc. on each individual car seat online which made choosing one a little bit easier. We installed the car seat based on the manufacturer’s instructions using the LATCH system in the car, which we were told was the safest,” she went on to say.

AAA Northeast has annual car seat clinics, but Zocher (who works out of the Hamden, Conn., office, the only AAA office with a fitting station), is also available for help by appointment.

Following these steps from financial experts, a car seat installation professional and a parent who has been in your shoes is a sure-fire way to ensure that when your little one arrives, you’ll not only be ecstatic, but also left feeling assured and prepared.

A broken car window may not seem as serious as a damaged windshield. It may not even keep you off the road. But any broken car glass leaves your vehicle susceptible – to both unrelenting Mother Nature and unscrupulous thieves. Therefore, any damaged auto glass should be repaired quickly and properly.

To help guide you through the process, here are all the steps you need to take when you have a broken car window.

Call the Police and Your Insurance Company

There are a number of ways your car window could break, including from road debris, a crash or inclement weather (read: hail). If, however, your car window was broken during the act of a crime, your first call needs to be to the police. Tell the authorities you’d like to file a police report. They may send an officer to you or simply request to describe the incident and damage over the phone.

After the police have been contacted, reach out to your insurance carrier and inform them of what happened as well. It’s crucial that you don’t touch anything – not the vehicle or anything inside – until you’ve spoken to both the police and your insurance company. It’s also good idea to take photos of your car so you have a visual record of the damage.

Clean Up Any Glass and Debris

Once the police and insurance company have the information they need, it’s safe to begin cleaning up the damage. In this case, that means removing the broken glass. Any large fragment can be picked up, carefully, by hand. For the smaller pieces, you’ll need some assistance. A vacuum will be your best tool of choice, whether of the household variety or, ideally, a shop vacuum. Clear up as much of the shattered glass as possible. Be sure to check your heat, AC or defroster, as broken glass can fall into the HVAC system and cause injury if not checked and cleared properly.

A few reminders: Always make sure to keep kids and pets away from the area until the glass is cleared, and remember to empty the vacuum of the broken glass before storing it.

Cover Your Window

With the glass removed, you now have to deal with what remains of your car window. Regardless of the severity and scope of the damage – whether it’s a crack or a completely shattered window – you should always apply a temporary cover. Open access to your vehicle could tempt potential thieves and provide an entrance for small animals, while also leaving the interior of the car susceptible to damage from snow and rain.

You may see some people use cardboard to cover a broken window. But cardboard is not waterproof, and thus, not a great option. Instead, grab some packing or duct tape as well as a garbage bag or piece of heavy plastic tarp. Cut the bag or tarp to a size that covers the entirety of the damage and use and tape it down to form a waterproof seal. If you want to make sure your car’s paint isn’t affected, pick up vehicle-safe tape at your local auto parts store.

Get Your Car Window Replaced

Your temporary window cover won’t last forever – nor should it have the chance. You should get your broken car window replaced with a new one as soon as you can. Call a trusted and certified auto glass repairer, such as Safelite AutoGlass® to install a new window. A technician will remove the door panel to access any of the window’s remaining glass, clean up any leftover debris and glass from the vehicle, insert a brand new side window, test to ensure the window functions properly, replace the door panel and get you on your way.

The entire car window replacement process can take as little as one hour and leave your vehicle looking and functioning as good as new.

Get more car safety tips. 

Many organizations are worried about retaining employees as they work to influence a return to the office post Labor Day.

It’s a real problem, no doubt about that.

Fueling this concern are myriad consultant surveys inundating our Outlook Inboxes every day, giving shape and form to this post-pandemic dilemma, which folks are calling The Great Resignation.

About a third of the workforce never wants to return to an office setting, according to a survey of 30,000 Americans by The Working From Home Research Project. And around 41% of employees are considering leaving their current job, according to another recent report by Microsoft.

The “head-scratcher” moment came in reading a report from Monster.com, which reported 95% of workers are considering changing jobs. Something about that number seems … inflated.

So let’s step back for a moment, try to see past the hype and embrace the silver lining.

This inflection point can be an opportunity for organizations to embrace innovation and flexibility. It’s a chance to show that your corporate culture isn’t dependent on requiring people to spend 40 hours in a cubicle.

If the pandemic had any workplace silver lining, it’s this: Organizations proved they can be just as productive with a distributed workforce as they can when all of the conference rooms are booked.

For many employees, the newfound flexibility showed that working and spending time with family, friends and being more engaged in their community aren’t mutually exclusive. You truly can balance both while working from home.

So let’s embrace those lessons.

Fact: employees most often report they are leaving their manager, not their company. Therefore it’s on all of us as people leaders and HR professionals to change the conversation and tweak the dynamic by being more engaged with the workforce we have (and not at the expense of the talent we are told we need to find).

The exit interview is an HR mainstay, we all do them. But how many of us conduct stay interviews? How many of us are as focused on retention as attraction right now?

After all, the more talent we keep, the less talent we need to find.

Ron Arigo is senior vice president and head of human resources at AAA Northeast.

Su meteorólogo favorito anuncia una mezcla invernal. La tormenta se desarrollará mientras usted está en el trabajo, provocando un miserable viaje nocturno. Cuando llega al estacionamiento de la oficina, se da cuenta de que unos cuantos de sus compañeros de trabajo han subido los limpiaparabrisas.

Es entonces cuando comienza su dilema.

¿Sigue usted el ejemplo? Si deja los limpiaparabrisas levantados, al menos sabe que no saldrá del trabajo para encontrarlos pegados al parabrisas. Pero algunos sostienen que aún así tendrá que quitar el hielo de los limpiaparabrisas.

Nuestro residente experto en automotores, el doctor de automóviles de la AAA, John Paul, no lo hace en su propio coche.

” El hecho de levantar los limpiaparabrisas y alejarlos del parabrisas facilita la limpieza del mismo si nieva”, dijo. “También elimina la posibilidad de que los limpiaparabrisas se congelen en el parabrisas”.

Pero también significa que está poniendo tensión en el resorte que sostiene los brazos del limpiaparabrisas contra el parabrisas, advierte.

Por otro lado, Robert Sinclair Jr., director de relaciones con los medios de comunicación de la AAA Northeast, cree que dejar los limpiaparabrisas puestos es una opción segura.

“No veo nada malo en ello, aunque todavía hay que limpiar la nieve del cristal”, dijo Sinclair.

En caso de que los limpiaparabrisas se queden encendidos accidentalmente, dejarlos arriba también elimina la posibilidad de que se queme el motor del limpiaparabrisas cuando arranca el coche y las escobillas intentan abrirse paso a través de la abundante nieve.

Sinclair ofrece un método alternativo para evitar que los limpiaparabrisas se congelen en el parabrisas.

“Se puede poner una manta sobre el parabrisas y poner peso con algunos ladrillos antes de una tormenta”, dijo. “A la mañana siguiente, quita la manta y el parabrisas está limpio”.

Tanto si decides levantar los limpiaparabrisas como dejarlos puestos, debes asegurarte de que funcionan correctamente antes de salir a la carretera.

• Las escobillas deben limpiar completamente el cristal con cada pasada.
• Sustituya cualquier escobilla que deje rayas o que se salte manchas.
• Considere la posibilidad de instalar escobillas limpiaparabrisas para todo tipo de clima que tengan un marco de barra de plástico de una sola pieza o escobillas de invierno que envuelvan el marco metálico en una funda de goma. Ambos diseños ayudan a evitar la acumulación de nieve y hielo que puede interferir con el contacto de la escobilla con el cristal.
• Llene el depósito de líquido limpiaparabrisas con una solución de limpieza de invierno que tenga componentes anticongelantes. Algunas soluciones de lavado de cristales están clasificadas a sólo 20 grados, pero en tiempo frío esta solución puede congelarse y dañar el sistema de lavado. Busque un líquido lavador que proteja bien por debajo de las temperaturas de congelación.

¿Qué hace usted con sus limpiaparabrisas cuando se entera de que se acerca una nevada? ¿Los deja adheridos o planos contra el parabrisas? Díganoslo en los comentarios.

No importa lo que haga con sus limpiaparabrisas, los miembros de AAA pueden ahorrar en repuestos y accesorios para automóviles en NAPA.

The absolute No. 1 item on my travel bucket list is to stay in one of the treehouse hotels in New England. The appeal lies somewhere between how being high up in the trees stirs dormant states of childlike wonder and how it induces a sensation of calmness and feeling of being one with nature. Either way, I can’t wait to do it.

Imagine viewing the splendor from within the trees, getting up-close and personal with the unique calligraphy of every distinctly painted leaf. It’s a spectacular sight to see.

Sold? Check out some bucket list-worthy treehouse hotels in New England to climb into this fall.

The Treehouse at Winvian Farm
Morris, Conn.

Winvian Farm, a luxury resort set in the Litchfield Hills, is home to several creatively themed, luxurious cabins. Perhaps the most enticing of the bunch is the Treehouse. But this isn’t the crooked treehouse you nailed together in your backyard as a kid; this two-floor suite, nestled into the trees 35 feet above the ground, has a king-size bed, fireplace, Jacuzzi tub and walk-out deck. Guests also have access to the resort’s renowned dining and spa facilities and the hotel’s outdoor activities including lawn games, fishing, canoeing and horseback riding. And that’s not even counting the full bar and sensational treetop views.

The Aviary at Wheatleigh
Lenox, Mass.

A stay in this remodeled former aviary in the Berkshires will leave you feeling free from the cage of the 9-to-5 daily grind. Guests enter the downstairs of the multilevel suite to find an elegantly decorated living room with a private terrace and surrounded by windows that bring in a ton of natural light. Guests can then climb a glass-enclosed wooden staircase to the second level, which features a luxury bedroom suspended among the trees with an attached limestone en-suite, complete with soaking tub and walk-in shower.

The Tree Spa at Hidden Pond
Kennebunkport, Maine

At Hidden Pond, you can’t actually sleep in a tree – although you could fall into a blissful slumber while lying on the massage table. But while it’s not exactly a treehouse hotel in New England, per se, the resort is comprised of tiny cottages and bungalows set in the wooded wilderness, and those who choose to venture up into the trees for a spa treatment will find the ultimate relaxation experience. The spa menu includes massages, facials and body treatments, serviced in three separate treehouse spa rooms, all connected by treetop bridges. Imagine cozying up in a warm robe after a massage and gazing out at the reds, oranges and yellows of the foliage. It’s autumn immersion at its best. The resort is loaded with other amenities, too. A few standouts include the Back Porch Bar, two pools, nightly bonfires and a shuttle to Goose Rocks Beach on the southern coast of Maine. Its memorable restaurant Earth also prides itself on delivering “farm-to-fork” freshness in every dish it makes.

The Treehouse at Moose Meadow Lodge
Waterbury, Vt.

The rustic Treehouse at Moose Meadow Lodge is a nature lover’s dream. The simple yet magnificent backcountry palace features exposed timber, a custom sink made from stones from the property, an incinerating toilet and backwoods décor throughout. Built for the rugged adventurer, the expansive treehouse features two levels, the first with a wraparound porch and the second with a queen-size loft bedroom and a walk-out deck that allows guests to step out into the changing leaves while overlooking the lake just yards away. Gaze at the beautiful woods as you ascend the circular staircase that wraps around the maple tree on which the treehouse is built. The handcrafted treehouse is built from cedar, pine, maple and hemlock and has 31 windows that give you natural light and beauty almost everywhere you look.

Harmony Hill Lodging and Retreat Center
East Meredith, N.Y.

This one is a bonus, since it too is not truly a treehouse hotel in New England, but rather a glorious getaway not too far away in upstate New York. Try your hand at glamping – glamorous camping – by booking a yurt treehouse at this retreat in Delaware County, about 90 minutes outside Albany. The yurt is set just off the ground, close enough for those scared of heights, yet far enough into the trees to immerse glampers in fall’s fantastic colors. The tents are waterproof and feature fully functional kitchens and bathrooms. Guests of the resort can rejuvenate with reiki treatments, guided meditation and spiritual mentoring.

Would you ever sleep in a treehouse hotel? Let us know in the comments below!

Plan and book your next getaway with AAA. 

Thank You for Participating!

This Photo Session focused on one of the most inspiring subjects for amateur and professional photographers alike. Flip through the slideshow below to see all the ocean photos we received, and don’t forget to check our social media channels, where we will be sharing some of our favorites. Select photos may also be featured in an upcoming issue of Your AAA magazine.

Ocean Photography Tips

From the motion of the waves to glistening sunset reflections, the ocean overflows with magical photography opportunities. Capture them all with these tips.

Lens Choice

If I could only bring one lens with me to photograph the ocean, I would choose a wide-angle zoom lens. My favorite range is 17-28mm. Using a wide angle will allow you to capture the wide expanse of the ocean and the sky above it.

Highs and Lows

Varying your heights when photographing the ocean will yield wildly different results.

In this first shot, I have my camera positioned low – roughly 2 feet above the water. This image shows the motion and the power of the ocean.

Word of caution: If you are using a tripod in or near the water, be very careful with where you place it. The tide is always changing. I always make sure I am holding on to either my camera strap or the tripod itself.

For this photo, I got high by taking a shot from a pier. This portrays the grandness of the ocean. The tiny people help show the scale.

Ebbs and Flows

The motion of the waves is what makes the ocean one of my absolute favorite places to play with shutter speed. You can use a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion of the ocean. In the image below, I zoomed in on a wave just as it was breaking. My settings were f/9, 1/320 sec, ISO 100. To freeze motion, I recommend a shutter speed of 1/300th of a second and above.

To show motion, you will need a slower shutter speed. In the photo below, my settings were f/22, ⅛ sec, ISO 50. I recommend using a shutter speed of ⅛ of a second or slower to show the motion of the waves. With a shutter speed this slow you will need a tripod. If you are new to photography, I recommend putting your camera into shutter priority mode and selecting your desired shutter speed. Your camera will then pick the other settings based on the available light.

Time It Right

The best time to photograph oceans is during the golden hours of the day. That means you will want to hit sunrise and sunset.

Check out past AAA Photo Sessions and stay tuned for the next one, coming soon.

Beth Mancuso is a professional landscape and travel photographer.

There’s no getting around it. Just like every other industry, banking as we know it is moving online. According to consumer data company Statista, by 2022 nearly half of all baby boomers, roughly 70% of Gen Xers and 78% of millennials will be using digital banking.

There’s a good reason for this transition. Online banking has a number of advantages over traditional banks with brick-and-mortar branch offices. This is particularly true for online savings accounts, in which higher interest rates can make your money grow faster. But that’s not all – from convenience to lower fees, here are just a few of the benefits of opening an online savings account.

Higher Rates and Lower Costs

E-commerce businesses benefit from a significant advantage over traditional brick-and-mortar companies: lower overhead. Online banks have lower operational costs since they don’t need to pay to keep the lights on at branch locations.

This isn’t just good news for the banks, it’s beneficial to customers as well. The savings that banks get from operating online are passed down, with banks often offering higher interest rates. These savings could show themselves in other ways as well, including reduced fees or no minimum balances or deposit requirement.

Automation

If you find yourself having trouble saving money each month, online savings accounts may be for you. Most online banks offer tools that allow you to establish automatic deposits from your checking account into your savings account. Or you can set up a direct deposit from your employer and have a portion of each paycheck sent to your savings account. Now, money is being put away without you ever having to think about it.

But the automation of online banks may be most helpful come dreaded tax time. Many tax preparation tools allow users to automatically download their financial information, significantly lightening the load of the cumbersome task of preparing your taxes.

Reduce Clutter

We could all do with less clutter in our lives, which is precisely one of the forgotten benefits of having an online bank account. But it’s not just a matter of having fewer stacks of paperwork around your home. It’s also about organization. When your account information is online, it’s easy to find, sort and organize everything on file. Plus, you never have to worry about losing an important document in the back of your filing cabinet.

If you enjoy, or feel safer, having physical documents, you can always print out anything you need a hard copy of.

Convenience

There’s a reason nearly every aspect of the real world has transitioned over to the digital realm – it’s far more convenient. This is true even when it comes to banking.

In most cases, you can open an online savings account in mere minutes, either entirely online or with a short phone call. Once established, your account’s information is always at your fingertips. Most online banks also have apps, meaning wherever you are, your bank is just a few clicks away.

Standard Bank Features

While having an online bank account may seem like new terrain for those accustomed to traditional banks, they may not even notice much difference once they open an account. Many online banks offer the same standard bank features of brick-and-mortar institutions.

Some people prefer traditional banks for their customer service. If a problem arises, they’d like to be able to talk to another person. But online banks have customer service agents who are easily reachable by phone or email, often times 24-hours-a-day.

Finally, most online banks are as safe and secure as traditional ones, with features like encryption and fraud monitoring. Additionally, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation backs these banks just like any other. This means that any money you deposit into an online account is insured.

Road trips are hot this year. Where are you headed?

Once you’ve settled on your destination(s), mapped out sights and activities and prepped the car, you need somewhere comfortable to stay.

With more than 6,500 hotels in North America, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts can accommodate your travel needs. Plus, AAA members save 10% or more on their hotel stay and enjoy flexible booking, elevated health and safety protocols, mobile check-in and checkout, and free Wi-Fi.

Consider staying at one of these popular locations.

Wyndham Newport Hotel, R.I.

Your waterfront retreat near Newport.

Perfect if you’re looking for:  An amenity-rich Middletown hotel with premier event spaces and a pool.

Enjoy an idyllic New England escape at the Wyndham Newport Hotel, offering modern accommodations, exceptional amenities and spectacular water views. Situated in picturesque Middletown, this contemporary hotel is just three miles from downtown Newport, reachable via convenient shuttle. Top attractions such as the Newport mansions, Newport Cliff Walk and International Tennis Hall of Fame® are just minutes away. Take a relaxing dip in the heated indoor pool, stay committed to your workout routine in the state-of-the-art fitness center and indulge in fresh seafood at the on-site restaurant and bar. Spacious guest rooms and suites are appointed with king-size beds, free Wi-Fi and other thoughtful conveniences.

TRYP by Wyndham New York City Times Square South, N.Y.

A stylish stay in New York City.

Perfect if you’re looking for: Modern décor and amenities in the heart of Times Square.

Soaring ceilings and eclectic décor welcome you to lively Midtown at TRYP by Wyndham Times Square South. Easily reachable from LaGuardia (LGA), Newark Liberty (EWR) and John F. Kennedy (JFK) airports, this urban hotel puts the lights of Broadway, Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center and the Empire State Building within reach. After a busy day exploring the city, take advantage of amenities including a unique social hub, tapas restaurant, rooftop terrace with stunning city views, 24/7 gym, virtual business center and polished meeting space.

Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill, Mass.

A beacon of hospitality.

Perfect if you’re looking for: A tranquil retreat in Boston’s bustling West End.

Whether you’re in Boston for business or pleasure, this modern, non-smoking, high-rise hotel offers unique comfort and convenience in the heart of the city’s vibrant West End. Savor spectacular views of the waterfront from the sundeck, recharge in the fitness center and refuel at The Dean’s List full-service restaurant and bar. Explore Beacon Hill’s quaint gas-lit streets and old brick sidewalks steps from the door and enjoy being minutes away from the city’s top attractions, corporate offices, world-class hospitals and the Longfellow Bridge that crosses into Cambridge. It’s all right here.

TRYP by Wyndham Pittsburgh/Lawrenceville, Pa.

A Perfect Stay in Pittsburgh.

Perfect if you’re looking for: A vibrant hotel set in the city’s thriving entertainment district.

See what the bustle of Lawrenceville is all about with TRYP by Wyndham Pittsburgh/Lawrenceville as your starting point. The landmark Washington Vocational High School has been transformed into an inviting, amenity-rich, non-smoking hotel in the heart of Pittsburgh’s historic Lawrenceville neighborhood. Enjoy access to some of the city’s most exciting hotspots, including breweries and restaurants along the lively Butler Street and sports venues like PNC Park and Heinz Field. You’ll also be close to Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and a variety of Fortune 500 company headquarters. Featured amenities include high-speed internet, a fitness center, on-site restaurant and express check out. It’s pet-friendly, too!

No matter where the road takes you this summer, you are never too far from a Wyndham. Save 10% or more on your next stay.

Only 300 people call Rottnest Island home but the quokkas really own the place.  

The quokka – a smaller version of the wallaby – is the only mammal native to the island. In turn, Rottnest Island is just about the only place on earth where you’ll find these little marsupials. 

And there are plenty of them to be found: at least 10,000 quokkas roam this area of just 7 square miles.  

Rottnest also contains colonies of seals and sea lions as well as a rich array of birds. You can surf, hike, fish, sail, dive or bask in the sun on sandy beaches of crystal-blue water.  

But all of it takes a back seat to the real stars of the show.  

Origin Myths  

When 17th Century Dutch explorers touched down on these shores, they thought quokkas were giant rats. So they called it Ratnest Island (or Eylandt ‘t Rottenest)     

But the island’s original inhabitants, the Whadjuk Noongaro, lived there more than 7,000 years ago – before it was even an island. After Rottnest separated from mainland Australia during the last Ice Age, the Whadjuk Noongaro named the new island “Wadjemup, or “place across water where the spirits are.”

Calling Rottnest a best-kept secret is a bit misleading, though. “Rotto” is an enormously popular daytrip with the denizens of Perth and its surrounding areas. But in a broader sense, West Australia in general – and Perth in particular – aren’t exactly celebrated tourist destinations the world over.  

Known as the most isolated city in the world, Perth contains 2 million residents … and more ‘roos than humans for hundreds of miles. The nearest city of even 100,000 people, Adelaide, is over 1,300 miles away.  

Still, its rugged beauty both inland and on the coasts makes Perth well worth the trip. It may not be as cool as Melbourne or as cosmopolitan as Sydney, but Perth’s natural treasure chest offers at least one gem those other places can’t. 

Chockablock With Quokkas 

The word “cute” is subjective, sure, but how can you not melt a little when you encounter a quokka?  

About the size of a house cat (if cats walked on two legs), quokkas are nocturnal, stocky creatures with incredibly well-developed back legs and a knack for climbing. They’re herbivores who get their water mainly from chewing grasses and leaves.  

Think of a deer’s demeanor wrapped in a playful package. Quokkas have the same black placid eyes and brown coat, and like a deer, there’s something good natured about them.

Maybe it’s because their mouths naturally curl into a contagious smile.  

After years of entertaining curious tourists, the quokkas are quite curious and friendly themselves. It’s no surprise then that quokkas have become social media stars over the last decade, with Instagram accounts like @Instaquokka gathering more than 150,000 followers, and #QuokkaSelfie trending for a time.  

If you try to take a quokka selfie, be warned: you shouldn’t handle them. It’s also a crime to feed them human food, as it can have a disastrous effect on their health. While they’re gentle, they are still wildlife and therefore relatively unpredictable. Their teeth, so cute in a smile, are razor sharp. 

Getting to Rotto 

Rottnest is more than just the exclusive playground of quokkas. 

One of the first things you’ll notice when you arrive is the silence, since there are very few cars on the island. Its biking and hiking trails are extensive and fantastic, as are the snorkeling and diving, fishing, surfing and swimming. 

And it’s easy to get to Rottnest, just a 45-minute ferry ride, which leaves from Perth’s port of Fremantle, though other boat and aerial options are available. 

The island has some history to explore, too, from ancient artifacts to its use as a Colonial-era prison/labor camp to remnants of Australia’s WWII defense system.  

But ultimately, it’s those smiling little brown critters – animals you won’t meet anywhere else in the world – that make it such a special place. 

Experiencing wanderlust? Visit AAA.com/Travel for plenty of info and inspo!

Where’s your favorite “best-kept secret” spot? Tell us in the comments below!

Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian or simply looking to cut back on the amount of meat you consume, there are a plethora of options when it comes to plant-forward eating. Check out this guide to plant-based meat alternatives and learn how you can get your daily protein requirement while keeping your health, the planet and animal welfare in mind.

How Important Is Protein?

Humans need protein; it helps build muscle tissue and strengthen bones. The amino acids in protein also make antibodies, blood, connective tissue, enzymes and hair. There are nine essential amino acids, which our bodies cannot produce and therefore must come from food.

The recommended dietary allowance for protein is a modest 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, according to the Harvard Health blog. To determine your daily protein intake, you can multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36.

You might need slightly more or less protein depending on how active or sedentary your lifestyle is.

Benefits of Eating Less Meat

Meat may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of protein, but it’s completely possible to get enough protein – and all nine essential amino acids – from plant-based meat alternatives.

Health Reasons

Cutting back on the amount of meat you eat can improve your health in many ways. Individuals who don’t eat meat generally consume fewer calories and weigh less, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Consuming less meat can also help lower your risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, stroke, type 2 diabetes and various cancers, according to the American Heart Association.

Environmental Reasons

Eating more fruits, vegetables and other plants – especially organic varieties – is better for the planet, too.

Raising livestock takes up a lot of room and resources. “If we combine pastures used for grazing with land used to grow crops for animal feed, livestock accounts for 77% of global farming land,” according to Our World in Data.

Livestock also contributes to 14.5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Animal agriculture pollution occurs when animals naturally produce methane and when their waste accidentally gets into waterways.

Moral Reasons

Some people choose to go vegan or vegetarian for moral reasons. Factory farming is a major concern when it comes to the welfare of both animals and factory employees.

99% of U.S. farmed animals are living in factory farms at present, according to the Sentience Institute.

There’s also a lot of room for interpretation when it comes to “cage-free,” “free-range” and “pasture-raised” claims. “Except for ‘certified organic,’ the U.S. government does not set definitions or requirements for egg carton labels,” according to the Humane Society.

“The huge amount of antibiotics that keep animals on these farms from getting sick is leading to an abundance of drug-resistant bacteria,” according to the Humane Society of the United States. “And factory farms’ very nature – full of stressed animals, with poor sanitation – creates ideal conditions for diseases to thrive, including viruses that can infect humans.”

Recent examples are the COVID-19 outbreaks that occurred in meat and poultry processing facilities.

High-Protein Plants

One way to get your daily amount of protein is to eat a variety of meatless and nondairy foods. These include grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables and other plants.

Legumes

Legumes include beans, lentils and peas. All provide a good amount of protein while being versatile – they can go into salads and soups or be prepared in a way that resembles meat.

Legumes are “loaded with protein, iron and zinc, as you might expect from other protein sources like meat,” according to NutritionFacts.org. “Legumes also contain nutrients that are concentrated in the vegetable kingdom, including fiber, folate and potassium.”

Half a cup of cooked beans has the same amount of protein – 8 grams – as a cup of milk, according to Harvard Health Publishing. “Beans are packed with fiber, folate and phytates, which may help reduce the risk of stroke, depression and colon cancer,” according to NutritionFacts.org.

Fresh, frozen, canned and dried peas and split peas are another option. Green pea protein powder can be added to smoothies or nondairy milk for a post-workout boost. European-grown lupin (or lupine) is another natural protein powder; however, it should be avoided by those with peanut allergies.

Soy

Popular soy-based foods include tofu and tempeh.

Tofu is made from soybean curds, similar to how cheese is made. It can be soft or firm, but it is relatively bland. It takes on the flavor of what you cook it with. One 3.5-ounce serving of tofu offers 8 grams of protein and 70 calories.

Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh has a nuttier flavor than tofu. One 3-ounce serving of tempeh boasts 15 grams of protein along with calcium.

Grains, Oats and Wheat

Spelt is an ancient whole grain that’s closely related to wheat. One cup of spelt has over 10 grams of protein. It can be added to baked goods or used to make polenta, risotto, grain bowls and more. Spelt is not part of a gluten-free diet.

Teff is a grain that comes from an annual grass, making it a gluten-free option. Just 3.5 ounces of teff flour has 12 grams of protein and fiber.

Raw oats can be a good source of protein, too. 3.5 ounces of raw oats offers almost 17 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber.

Seitan, or hydrated wheat gluten, is low-fat and low-carb while being high in protein. A 3-ounce serving contains between 15 and 21 grams of protein, according to Healthline.

Nuts, Seeds and Yeast

Nuts – like almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios and walnuts – might feel like just a topping or snack, but these protein powerhouses can support and flavor an entire meal in the form of peanut sauce or pesto.

Quinoa is a seed that puffs up when cooked. It can add nice texture to a dish, along with all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa has been called a superfood, boasting more fiber than brown rice as well as antioxidants and minerals, including iron, folate, magnesium and zinc.

Nutritional yeast is a golden powder that adds a cheesy flavor to dishes and thickens soups and sauces. Nutritional yeast is a complete protein that boasts B vitamins and trace minerals like manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.

Vegetables

Vegetables like artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, peppers, potatoes, spinach and sweet potatoes are all good sources of protein, according to the American Heart Association.

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

There are more plant-based meat alternatives on the market than ever before. Some options are more meat-like than others, imitating the look, taste and texture of meat with various levels of nutritional value.

Check the Nutrition Facts

When looking for a vegetarian or vegan meat alternative, always check the nutrition facts and list of ingredients. Just because a product is labeled “plant-based,” “vegan” or “vegetarian” doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Salt is used to improve flavor and increase the shelf life of many commercial food products. Watch out for the amount of sodium, saturated fats and preservatives when shopping for meat alternatives.

Veggie Burgers

Most veggie burgers don’t try to hide their lack of meat. In leu of meat, ingredients like beans, quinoa, potatoes and tofu are used to form a patty.

You can make your own veggie burgers at home – like these black bean burgers from the blog Sally’s Baking Addiction or the New York Time’s ultimate veggie burger. Or, consider store-bought varieties like Amy’s, Hilary’s or Dr. Praeger’s. Again, make sure to check the nutrition facts, as some makers and individual flavors are healthier than others.

Beef Imitations

“Meatless burgers are a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals,” according to Harvard Health blog, adding that some meatless burgers are heavily processed and high in saturated fat.

There are a few popular meat alternative brands on the market that specialize in products that are made to imitate the look, feel and taste of real meat.

Impossible Products use a variety of ingredients to make burger, sausage and pork alternatives. There’s soy and potato for protein, heme and yeast extract for flavor, coconut and sunflower oils for fat as well as methylcellulose and food starch for binders.

Beyond Meat makes plant-based meat alternatives for meatballs, sausages, burgers and more. Protein comes from beans, peas and brown rice while cocoa butter, coconut oil and expeller-presses canola oil offer fat. Beet juice, apple extract and natural flavors make the products look like real meat. Calcium, iron, potassium chloride and salt provide flavor while carbohydrates like potato starch and methylcellulose offer structure.

Faux Chicken and Fish

Some chicken and fish alternatives are more convincing than others, but like faux beef products, you should look at nutritional info.

Products like Quorn Chik’n Cutlets and Simple Truth Meatless Grillers imitate actual chicken breasts, whiles brands like Morning Star Farms and Gardein make crispy “chicken” tenders and nuggets.

Notable faux seafood producers include Good Catch, which makes plant-based crab cakes, fish cakes, fish burgers and tuna. Similarly, New Wave is known for its plant-based shrimp.

Plants With Meaty Texture

Although they aren’t the most protein-packed plants, mushrooms and jackfruit are vegetarian meat substitutes that can add a hearty “meatiness” to otherwise meat-free dishes.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms – like button/white, cremini, maitake, oyster, portobello and shitake – are another superfood. Mushrooms are cholesterol- and fat-free as well as low in calories and sodium. They’re also packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Jackfruit

Jackfruit is a popular choice among vegans and vegetarians due to its shredded meat-like texture. Jackfruit offers a decent amount of protein compared to other fruits and contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A and C, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium and riboflavin.

Looking for more ways to mix it up in the kitchen? AAA members can save on Home Chef, a subscription box that provides everything you need to create delicious meals from home, from fresh ingredients to step-by-step instructions. Plus, Home Chef offers a wide variety of vegetarian options, including Impossible Foods!

Which plant-based meat substitutes do you like to eat? Tell us in the comments.

There are few moments more memorable than the first time you get your hands on your own driver’s license.

It means you’re finally able to hit the open road on your own — and who doesn’t fondly recall their debut foray behind the wheel? For most of us, this milestone occurs at a formative age, so a driver’s license holds much more significance than simply providing evidence you can properly operate a car. It bestows on its owner a sense of maturity, pride and freedom.

But driver’s licenses didn’t always have this much power. In fact, they didn’t even exist when cars first hit American roads, and when the first licenses were issued, they weren’t used to prove a motorist was a capable driver. By and large, anyone with a pulse and a car could obtain one.

Let’s retrace the history of the driver’s license to see how things have changed.

When Was the First Driver’s License Issued?

Licenses were not required to operate a horse and carriage back in the day. So when automobiles – or horseless carriages, as they were known – arrived on the scene, not much thought was given to ensuring motorists could, in fact, safely drive a car.

In 1903, Massachusetts and Missouri became the first two states to require a driver’s license in order to operate an automobile. However, potential license owners did not have to pass an exam. It would take another five years until Rhode Island became the first state to require license owners to pass a written driver’s exam.

In 1913, New Jersey made history by requiring both written and road tests for those seeking a license. “I confidently believe that other states will follow New Jersey’s lead and that the results will be fewer accidents and better road conditions,” Job H. Lippincott, the state’s motor vehicle commissioner, said at the time.

But adoption of both driver’s licenses and exams was slow to take hold across the country. By 1930, just half of the then 48 states required a license to operate a motor vehicle. Of those, only 15 had mandatory driver’s exams. It wasn’t until 1954 that South Dakota became the final state to issue driver’s licenses. It was also the last to require a driver’s exam, which it did in 1959, following in the footsteps of latecomers Arizona (1951), Idaho (1951), Illinois (1953), Alaska (1956), Wisconsin (1956) and, most notably, Missouri (1952). That’s right – Missouri went nearly a half-century between issuing its first driver’s license and requiring licensees to pass a driver’s exam.

Modern Driver’s Licenses

Today there are numerous types of licenses for vehicle operators including unrestricted (a typical license), provisional (usually for new drivers), commercial and motorcycle.

Because driver’s licenses are also used as de facto forms of identification in the U.S., new types of licenses that meet higher security standards have been created. Enhanced driver’s licenses not only prove identity and driving privileges, but also U.S. citizenship. These cards contain a Radio Frequency Identification chip that allows authorities to access your biographic and biometric data. Americans can travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean through land or sea without a passport if they have an enhanced driver’s license.

The most recent type of license is the REAL ID. These licenses have higher security standards than a traditional license, meaning individuals have to provide documents proving their identity, residency and Social Security number. Beginning in May 2023, those without a REAL ID, an enhanced driver’s license or other acceptable forms of identification won’t be able to board a domestic flight or enter a federal building.

Looking to upgrade your license to a Real ID? AAA members in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York can apply at certain local AAA branches. Reserve your spot online ahead of time at AAA.com/Reservations.

Security Features

Because driver’s licenses have become such important documents, states have equipped them with a number of enhanced security features. These help prevent criminals from creating fake or altered license cards. Some of these features include:

• Hologram: Most of today’s driver’s licenses have a hologram that can be viewed at an angle. The hologram is often an image of the state seal or flag.

• Tactile Print: Raised printing is often used on driver’s licenses to write numbers, such as dates of birth, ID numbers or expiration dates.

• Microprinting: As the name suggests, this security feature consists of very small type somewhere on the card. It usually requires a magnifier to read and is often disguised within a pattern, meaning you may not even know it’s there.

• Laser Perforation: This technique makes small holes in the card to form an image, such as the outline of a state. The image can be seen when viewed in direct light.

• Ultraviolet Ink: An image printed in ultraviolet ink will glow when ultraviolet light is shined on the card.

The Decline of the Driver’s License

Nearly 230 million Americans held a valid driver’s license in 2019, a record high and roughly 60 million more than in 1990. But that number is deceiving, as owning a license has become significantly less common. It turns out, teenagers aren’t as keen on getting behind the wheel as their forbearers. In 1984, 47.8 percent of 16-year-olds in the country owned a driver’s license. That number dropped to 25.6% in 2018. In the past few decades states have instituted laws and restrictions for motorists under 18 years of age.

But this trend holds true for adults as well. Through the age of 39, fewer Americans, by percentage, are getting their license. Obtaining a driver’s license has long been a rite of passage in this country, so why the change of heart? In one survey asking unlicensed 18- to 39-year-olds why they did not have a driver’s license, respondents’ answers included being too busy to get one, the high cost of owning and maintaining a car, and preferring biking, walking or public transportation.

Or maybe potential drivers are just afraid of the dreaded roundabout.

Do you remember getting your driver’s license? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Are you a new driver ready to get your driver’s license and hit the open road? Enroll in AAA Driver Training at AAA.com/DriverTraining.

The car-buying process can seem overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers. But the abundance of vehicle and financing options ensures that there is a perfect car, at the right price, for everyone. If you’re embarking on your initial trip into the automobile-purchasing waters, these tips for first-time car buyers will help you part the sea.

Establish a Budget

You’ll most likely need to finance your car, which means paying in monthly installments. So you need to decide how much you can truly afford to pay each month after covering your other living expenses.

Remember, it’s not just about the cost of the car. You also need to factor in insurance, gas and maintenance (if it’s not covered by a warranty) when calculating your budget.

Research Financing Options

When it comes to financing your car purchase, make sure to research your options. Many people simply use the dealer’s lender without thinking twice. If the dealer turns out to be the best option, great. But one of the best first-car car buyer tips we can give is to shop around.

There is no shortage of financial institutions and companies willing to help finance your car. AAA’s Auto Loan Program, for instance, offers low rates at competitive terms to fit your budget. All you need to do is submit an auto loan application and you’ll receive a fast credit decision. As an added bonus, if the rate changes between the time you apply for your loan and the time you pick up the check, you’ll pay the lower rate.

Buying vs. Leasing

You may be tempted to lease a car instead of buying. When you lease, your monthly payments are generally lower than buying. And while leasing may be a good idea in certain circumstances – say if you know you’ll only need a car for two or three years or you don’t typically put on a lot of mileage – it also comes with pitfalls.

Leases are short-term investments. They have mileage limits that you must adhere to. You’ll also need to pay if there’s any damage to the car that exceeds normal wear and tear. On the other hand, when you purchase a car, your monthly payments will eventually end and when they do, you’ll own the car. Of course, that also means keeping up with proper maintenance as the car ages.

Do Your Homework

Once you know what ballpark you’re in cost-wise, you need to do some research. Between make, model and trim, there are an exponential number of car options. In order to sift through the choices, think about what you need from your car. Yes, you may want a sunroof for the few times you drive to the beach, but if you’re on a tight budget, you really need good gas mileage.

Even after narrowing down your search, there will still be plenty of options. Fortunately, there are numerous resources that can help. AAA’s Auto Buying Program, for example, lets you compare vehicles, see what others have paid and get special members pricing on actual dealer inventory.

New vs. Used

One major decision first-time car buyers have to make is whether to buy new or used. The downside to purchasing is that your new car is a deprecating asset. In fact, as soon as you drive it off the lot, the car loses a significant portion of its value. And it will continue to drop for the first several years of ownership. According to Carfax, a new vehicle’s value can drop by more than 20% after its first year and 10% annually over the next four. That would leave you with a car worth less than half of what you paid for it.

There is a way to avoid funding this depreciation: buying used. The idea of buying a brand-new, sparkling car can be tempting, but don’t let that cloud your judgement. Purchasing a preowned car can often be the more prudent approach, particularly if you have a tighter budget.

Preowned may sometimes cost less, have many of the latest technology and safety features, and that early depreciation will have been paid for by the previous owner.

Test and Inspect

After finding your perfect first car, it’s time to make the purchase a reality. But don’t be too quick to sign on the dotted line. With all the online research available, it’s easy to forget how you feel behind the wheel. One of the most crucial tips for first-time car buyers – or any buyers – is to test drive the vehicle. There is no other substitute for learning how the car drives and feels. And it should not simply be around the block. Take the car on a route with different driving environments, such as traffic light intersections and highways. It should replicate your normal driving routine as much as possible

You’ll also need to ensure the car is in good shape. This means getting the car inspected by an independent third party, such as a AAA Approved Auto Repair shop. Don’t wait until after you purchase the car to do this, even if it looks like it’s in pristine condition. If a dealer doesn’t allow it, shop elsewhere. If all goes well, enjoy your new ride.

What was your first car purchase? How did the process go?

Learn more about how AAA can help you get your dream car.

With mask mandates easing and the number of Americans getting vaccinated on the rise, many of our favorite live events are starting to return. But what will they look like?

Shakespeare in the Park

Shakespeare in the Park is a beloved New York City tradition, and in 2021 it returns to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This year’s free show, produced by the Public Theater, is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” This reimagined play, titled “Merry Wives,” moves the beloved comedy’s setting to South Harlem. This year, all free tickets will be distributed via digital lottery. Recently, the Public Theater increased its capacity for “Merry Wives” to about 80%. There will be a full capacity section for those vaccinated, and a physically distanced section for those who are not. Proof of vaccination is not required. Masks are required for all audience members. “Merry Wives” runs July 6 through Sept. 18.

Newport Jazz Festival

The famous Newport Jazz Festival is back and ready to make some music. Reimagined as three days of intimate jazz concerts and surprise jam sessions, this year’s festival will be a little smaller than in years past. Tickets will be released in phases as organizers decide how many people can safely attend and which safety protocols will be followed. It runs July 30 through Aug. 1 in Fort Adams State Park, in Newport, R.I.

New York Renaissance Faire

The plague is ending, and it’s time to return to the New York Renaissance Faire. This sprawling Renaissance fair in Tuxedo is back in action, with period-accurate actors, merchants, performers, knights and even some magic. For the 2021 season, some experiences have been modified to reduce contact, social distancing between parties is encouraged, and vaccinated patrons don’t have to wear masks. The New York Renaissance Faire is held every weekend from Aug. 21 through Oct. 3.

King Richard’s Faire

King Richard’s Faire is the largest Renaissance fair in New England, and it’s ready to make its grand return. The event, which features games, rides, immersive storytelling, merchants and daring performances, is celebrating its 4oth season this year. It’s held weekends from Sept. 4 through Oct. 24, and on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 6) and Columbus Day (Monday, Oct. 11) in the woods of Carver, Mass. Organizers have yet to announce COVID-19 rules and restrictions.

The Governors Ball

In previous years, the Governors Ball music festival took place at the end of June. This year it will be held Sept. 24-26 in a new venue, Citi Field in Queens. Featured artists include Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, Phoebe Bridgers, Post Malone and more. The Governors Ball has not decided on their COVID-19 precautions yet, but are working closely with the city of New York to craft safety regulations.

Broadway

Broadway is not a single event, but it has been on hiatus ever since last March. In 2021, the curtain will rise once more in New York City. While “Springsteen on Broadway” returned in June and “Pass Over” begins in August, most Broadway shows will officially reopen in the fall. “Hadestown” returns from the underworld Sept. 2, while “Hamilton,” “Wicked,” “The Lion King” and “Chicago” will all make their comebacks Sept. 14. “Six,” a pop musical about the wives of Henry VIII, was originally supposed to open March 12, 2020, the night Broadway shut down. Its new opening night is now Oct. 3. Other notable returns include “Come From Away” on Sept. 21, “To Kill a Mockingbird” on Oct. 3, “The Phantom of the Opera” on Oct. 22 and “Dear Evan Hansen” on Dec. 11.

“The Book of Mormon,” which is set to return Nov. 5, is taking the opportunity to rewrite some dialogue and lyrics that many former and current cast members had concerns about.

Broadway houses are selling their tickets at 100% capacity, and it’s unclear what safety protocols will look like when audience members are allowed in. Currently, “Springsteen on Broadway” requires all audience members to be vaccinated.

When you’re ready to dive back in to all your favorite things, remember to save with AAA Tickets. Get savings of up to 40% at concerts, theme parks, virtual events, museums, attractions and more! Go to AAA.com/Tickets for exclusive tickets and savings.

What events are you looking forward to? What do you think about their safety procedures? Let us know in the comments below!

A new study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute found New York City to have the worst traffic of any city in the United States. While this likely comes as little surprise to Northeast drivers, it marks a historic end for Los Angeles’ reign as the king of snarling roadways. For nearly three decades, the annual Urban Mobility Report listed the West coast city atop its traffic rankings.

The results were based on the total amount of hours drivers were delayed in 2020. Motorists in the New York-Newark region spent nearly 500,000 hours stuck in traffic, compared to the roughly 365,000 hours those in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim did.

The report also looked at the average time drivers spent in traffic, and again, New York reigned supreme. The average Big Apple motorist spent an average of 56 hours in traffic in 2020. Boston came in second with an average of 50 hours, followed by Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

As high as these numbers are, they represent a sharp decrease from years past. Nationwide, traffic totals dropped to some of the lowest levels seen in the last 30 years. From 2019 to 2020, the average number of hours motorists spent in traffic in most major cities was cut in half. This, of course, was mostly the result of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing people to work from home. “Flexible work hours and reliable internet connections allow employees to choose work schedules that are beneficial for meeting family needs and the needs of their jobs,” report co-author David Schrank said. “And it also reduces the demand for roadway space, which is beneficial for the rest of us.”

Visit AAA.com for more automotive news.