Every year car safety improves. That said, we need to do more. I asked Jody Victor to tell us what we can do to be safer on the road.

Jody Victor: Even though car safety has improved, there are still things we can do as drivers to keep ourselves safer on the road. Here are just a few.

Buckle Up - wearing a safety belt is the simplest means of cutting deaths and serious injuries on the road. In 2008, some 14,000 fatalities involved unrestrained occupants.

Curb drinking and driving - Alcohol was involved in nearly 12,000 fatalities in 2008, or 32 percent of all highway deaths. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lives. If we all took small measures like choosing a designated driver or taking the keys away from friends who have had too much to drink, we can help prevent thousands of deaths per year.

Avoid distractions - Distracted driving rivals drunken driving in its danger. A University of Utah study found that distraction from cell-phone use (whether hand-held or hands-free) can slow a driver's reaction time as much as having a blood-alcohol concentration at the .08 percent limit. Nearly 6,000 deaths were attributed to distracted driving in 2008. Don't talk on a cell phone or send or read text messages, or perform any other activities that take your eyes or your mind off the road.

Mind your speed - Excessive speed was involved more than 11,000 vehicle-accident-related deaths - 31 percent - in 2008. Drive at the posted speed limit in optimum driving conditions and slow down when weather conditions such as fog, wind, rain, snow, or ice can make driving hazardous.

Know how to handle your car - Would you know what to do if your car suddenly accelerated or if you lost braking ability? It's been found that hitting the brake pedal and shifting into Neutral is the most effective way of regaining control of a runaway car. But to be ready for such a situation, you should become familiar with shifting into Neutral instantly, without thinking or hunting for the gear. Practice at low speeds in a safe location. Also, know where the emergency brake is and how to grab it or push it quickly.

Maintain your tires - Keeping tires properly inflated is an easy and effective step you can take to avoid a flat tire or dangerous blowout, which can result in losing vehicle control. Driving on balding tires is dangerous, as well. Maintain tread depth of at least 1/8-inch, inspect your tires and check the tire inflation pressure at least once a month, and have them examined annually by a mechanic as part of your vehicle's safety inspection. For the rest of this article, go to msn.com.

Thanks, Jody! By following these tips, we'll all be safer.

Joe Victor

Traffic fatalities in 2009 reached the lowest level since 1954, according to preliminary statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation in an article on msn.com. The estimated toll for 2009 fell to 33,963 deaths, a drop of almost 9 percent from 2008's tally of 37,261 deaths. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us more.

Jody Victor: If the final numbers hold true, then 2009 will mark the fourth year in a row of declining traffic deaths on U.S. roads. Total deaths have been reduced even while the number of cars and drivers have increased. Miles traveled has stayed the same. That's demonstrated by significant drops in the fatality rate, which looks at deaths per 100 million miles traveled. The fatality rate itself has also declined for years on end, dropping from 1.46 in 2005 to 1.16 in 2009. Full 2009 fatality statistics will be available this summer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) attributes the reduction in deaths to the success of its high-visibility  law-enforcement campaigns such as the "Click It or Ticket" program aimed to increase seat belt use, which is now at its highest national level of 84 percent. NHTSA also credits its anti drunk-driving campaign, "Over the Limit, Under arrest." Other factors affecting the decline in fatalities are safer roads and vehicles, especially with vehicles increasingly equipped with electronic stability control and side-curtain air bags.

NHTSA says it will continue to focus on buckling up and drunk driving campaigns and on its more recent mission, distracted driving, which has emerged as a growing problem in recent years thanks to the rise of cell phones and text-messaging.

There is more that can be done. Consumer Reports recently cited eight things that can dramatically improve auto safety. In addition, parent organization Consumers Union has called for changes to strengthen U.S. car-safety. And it recently presented many of these concepts in Washington, D.C.

Thanks, Jody! Great news!

Joe Victor

If you haven't heard about the newest, sexiest cars for the coming year, read on. I asked Jody Victor to tell us about the rest from msn.com.

Jody Victor: The cars I'm about to tell you about are the ones that make your head snap back when they drive by or drool on your keyboard when you read about them. Here we go!

Lamborghini Gallardo - Lamborghinis are sports-car caricatures, but somehow the latest evolution of the Italian brand's smallest model has toned down the flamboyance factor just enough to give it a sense of balance. Compare the Gallardo to the larger and wilder Mincielage and you'll see what I mean. that's not to say the Gallardo has lost any of the jaunty in-your-face attitude Lamborghinis are known for. The car has simply grown more sophisticated. And as is often the case, it's the details and nuances that make the difference. The Gallardo's shape and proportions haven't changed. But tweaking the front and rear treatments, Lamborghini has perfected an already alluring form.

Lexus LFA - Lexus is a novice at building supercars, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the LFA. Much like the Audi R8, the LFA blends a traditional sports-car silhouette with fresh styling elements, such as the stylized air inlets up by the windows. and although the matte black model on display at the New York Auto Show was unquestionably sexy - made all the more so by its stealthy paint - it still manages to preserve some of Lexus' conservatism and austerity. In fact, one could argue that the LFA lacks the visual emotion of other cars on the list. Still, it's a pleasure to behold.

Lotus Evora - The Lotus Evora's design is brilliant, not just for the way it captivates and forces you to walk around the car for a look at every angle, but also in the way it somehow manages to convey the company's core attributes: Lightness, agility, distilled performance. The styling shows a certain sense of restraint that mirrors the Evora's minimalist engineering and weight conservation. But academic analysis aside, it just pleases the senses by prompting that guttural reaction all sexy sports cars do.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 - You would think that Mercedes' new SLS AMG sports car couldn't be made any sexier. But this track-only version proves otherwise. Racecars have an innate cool factor, so enhancing the already stunning SLS with huge wings and splitters for better aerodynamics, and lowering the suspension so the car seems as if it's millimeters off the ground, creates a potent and intoxicating supercar cocktail. The matte white paint scheme amplifies the impression that the SLS AMG GT3 is a thoroughbred racecar designed for the serious pursuit of sustained speed.

Porsche Boxster Spyder - I saved the best til last. Perhaps more than any other car on this list, Porsche's Spyder embodies the true essence of a sports car. That's because the German automaker took a sexy roadster that was already tailored for performance and pared it down even more. It has no roof. There's no stereo or air conditioner. The seats and doors were lightened. Even the interior door handles were replaced with straps. After carving away 176 pounds from the standard Boxster, and boosting engine output, what's left is a lean machine with a singular purpose: to thrill.

Thanks, Jody! What a line-up!

Joe Victor

The 2010 New York International Auto Show is rife with the sexiest rides in the world. You know, like Aston Martin, Lamborghini Gallardos, Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, and Lotus Evora. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us more.

Jody Victor: Some of these gorgeous sports cars are environmentally acceptable, but in the end it's their sex appeal that makes them what they are. So, here they are, the top ten from New York.

Aston Martin DBS Volante - There are many attractive looking cars on the market, some handsome ones, and those that you could say look "nice." But hardly any are as truly beautiful as the Aston Martin DBS Volante. The DBS is the quintessential sports car in form and function. Visually, it has a quiet but unmistakable power that exposes the contrivances and fads of other designs.

Audi R8 Spyder - The Audi R8 coupe is utterly striking. In New York they showed the even sexier convertible, called the R8 Spyder. It has classic proportions that create visual magic. But it also manages to bring to the familiar super-car shape a fresh perspective, one that is designed around a massive engine positioned just ahead of the rear wheels. When blasting down the road, it really does become an unidentified flying object - at once familiar and unfamiliar, but intriguing no matter what.

Bentley Supersports Convertible - The Supersports Convertible is mesmerizing! It's massive midnight-colored rims and special interior trim amp up the visual volume just enough to let onlookers know it's more than your typical Bentley. As a hot-rodded Continental, it's the ultimate performance expression of a brand that takes pains to engineer stunning cars capable of outperforming almost anything on four wheels, without breaking a sweat.

Confederate Wraith - It's nice to feature a two-wheeler for a change. and what a two-wheeler this one is! A $75,000, hand-built, all-American badass bike made by a 19-year-old company most of us have never even heard of. The Confederate Wraith is so off-the-charts exotic, it can upstage Ferraris and Lambos for cool factor. The front-wheel spokes and unit-body structure are made of carbon fiber. Rather than run-of-the-mill shock absorbers, it uses a set-up that mimics control-arm suspensions on cars. The design ethos is naked, stripped-down, bare essentials only. For example, the uni-body itself is the engine's oil reservoir. When you see something like the Wraith, it makes you wonder why the world is so filled with dullness.

Infiniti Essence - No one thinks of Infiniti first and foremost as a maker of cars that ooze sex appeal. but if it starts putting out models that look like the Essence, that could quickly change. The swoopy coupe's curves, lines and overall shape come together so harmoniously that staring at the car can actually elevate your mood. This is one of those designs with such intricacy that the more you look, the more you see evidence of brilliance, whether on the interior or the exterior. Infiniti says it will make its production cars look like the Essence. It would be foolish not to.

Thanks, Jody! We'll get the info on the rest next time!

Joe Victor

Earlier this month, the three finalists for World Car of the Year award were announced at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. I asked Jody Victor  to tell us more.

Jody Victor: The winner will be announced at the New York International Auto Show next week. See if you can choose the winner from the three finalists.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has an eye-catching look, opulent interior, sporty character and a list of safety equipment that'll boggle your mind, including an Attention Assist system designed to help drowsy drivers stay alert and a system that automatically dims the highbeam headlights to avoid blinding oncoming cars.

Toyota's Prius is a sentimental favorite among the eco-conscious, and this latest model proves that a fuel-efficient hybrid car can be a viable alternative to an ordinary mid-size sedan for many consumers. Not only is the interior vastly improved over the previous model, the new Prius gets even better mileage. It's now rated at 51/48 mpg city/highway, 50 mpg combined.

And already a popular model in Europe,the Volkswagen Polo is set to make its U.S. debut sometime this year, just in time to compete with the newest small and sporty hatchbacks from the likes of Ford and Nissan, or even the already-available Kia Soul. The fifth-generation Polo that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show is purported to closely resemble the North American version of the car, but so far automotive writers and bloggers can only speculate on the VW Polo's look, feel and arrival date. Rumor has it the U.S. Volkswagen Polo will have a four-door hatchback style with at least two engine options and front-wheel drive.

Stay tuned, all you car buffs, to see which machine makes the grade. In addition to Car of the Year, WCOTY organizers will also award World Performance Car and World Green Car on April 1.

Thanks, Jody! We'll be looking forward to hear the winners!

Joe Victor