Motoring Gear for Kids (cross-posted from Ask Patty)

Ladies, Share Your Car-Buying Stories! Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine is exploring an article and is looking for women to share their car-buying stories as part of their research. If you're a woman who has recently negotiated a great deal on a new or used car, they would love to hear your story! Did you buy online or walk in to dealership? How did you research your purchase? How did you go about negotiating? What troubles did you encounter and how did you overcome them?

Original post: askpatty.com Do you feel safe in the event your SUV rolls over? When you look for a vehicle, do you think about roof strength as a safety issue? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does. In a recent report the Institute concludes that more than 200 deaths in 2006 could have been prevented with strong SUV roofs. Some automakers have insisted there’s no connection between roof strength and passenger safety. Wouldn’t basic physics make it fairly obvious that a stronger roof would be less likely to crush in a rollover accident? That seems pretty obvious to me. But there was no direct link until now.

Originally posted at askpatty.com. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released new car seat ease-of-use ratings. A new five-star ratings system will help parents evaluate car seat features before they buy.

cross-posted from askpatty.com. Every holiday season my husband and I drive to my parents’ house, from California to Missouri. We usually drive straight through, only stopping for quick breaks, food, and gas. But this year, our son (born on Thanksgiving) came with us. The logistics of traveling with an infant make the trip a lot more complicated than normal, especially since this is an extended trip. The following tips can make your trip a little smoother.