From now until the early morning hours of Jan. 2, Illinois State Police and other law enforcement agencies across the state will be conducting increased DUI, speeding, and distracted driving patrols as a part of the annual "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" holiday enforcement period.

Roadside safety checks and seat-belt enforcement zones will also be more frequent.

In 2017, more than 1,000 motor vehicle crash fatalities occurred in Illinois; in 2016, 1,078…

Take, for example, forward-collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems. These life-saving features rely on radar sensors that are often mounted in the car's grille—sometimes even in the car's emblem—or on its front bumpers. When these sensors can…

Just 15 vehicles qualify for the Top Safety Pick+ award from IIHS after the requirements were strengthened to include good-rated headlights and good or acceptable passenger-side protection in small overlap front crashes.

Another 47 vehicles earn the Top Safety Pick award, which now requires acceptable or good headlights. In contrast, headlights weren't factored in for 2017 Top Safety Pick, and an acceptable headlight rating was enough to bump a 2017 award winner into "plus…

Consumer advocates loathe the add-ons that auto dealers often try to shoehorn into vehicle purchases. They see most of the extra fees as pointless ways of gouging customers. Indeed, if the dealer talks you into fabric protection, you could be shelling out something like $200 just to have the dealership spray down the interior with a $5 bottle of Scotchgard. While many dealer add-ons are pointless and should be tossed off the final purchase agreement…

Bob Lutz is a former Marine who worked for Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, and BMW, usually as the resident "car guy" — a product guru who could guide the bean counters toward automotive glory and gruffly greenlight amazing machines.

Now semi-retired, Lutz is partnered with designer Henrik Fisker at VLF Automotive, a maker of exotic, burly, and very expensive supercars. But he continues to freely offer his thoughts on the car business....

A better driver will always pay less for car insurance. An agency will look at an applicant's driving record for any past mistakes or traffic violations. If they do not find any and if the applicant has a solid driving experience they will offer the best prices possible. Clients should note that the driving record is not the only thing that counts.

Agencies will prefer an applicant who has a safe vehicle and a…