May 11, 2025

Reckless Roads: Understanding the Dangers Behind the Wheel

Reckless Roads: Understanding the Dangers Behind the Wheel
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Reckless Roads: Understanding the Dangers Behind the Wheel
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Summer brings longer days and more drivers on the road—and unfortunately, a spike in accidents caused by reckless behavior. What makes some states deadlier than others when it comes to dangerous driving? The answers might surprise you.

Join us as we explore the shocking statistics behind reckless driving fatalities across America with insurance expert Divya Sangam from LendingTree's Value Penguin. Montana tops the nation with reckless driving death rates five times the national average, despite its sparse population. The culprits? Remote roads, extreme weather, and delayed emergency response times creating a perfect storm when drivers take unnecessary risks.

The geographic patterns tell a fascinating story. Mountainous states like West Virginia and Colorado rank second and third for reckless driving deaths, while South Dakota recorded zero such fatalities during the five-year study period. We unpack why terrain, weather conditions, and driving culture contribute to these stark differences.

Beyond the statistics, we dive into practical observations of dangerous behaviors we've all witnessed—like drivers zigzagging across lanes thinking it will save time (spoiler alert: research shows it actually delays your trip). We share personal experiences navigating treacherous mountain roads and discuss how factors like digital distractions have made our highways increasingly hazardous.

While we can't control other drivers, we offer defensive driving strategies that could save your life this summer. From maintaining awareness of surrounding vehicles to adjusting speed for weather conditions, these simple steps can keep you from becoming another statistic on America's dangerous roads.

Have you encountered particularly reckless drivers in your travels? What states do you find most challenging to drive in? Share your experiences and join the conversation about making our roads safer for everyone.

Be sure to subscribe for more In Wheel Time Car Talk!

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00:00 - Show Introduction and Guest Preview

12:21 - Discussing Auto Insurance Experiences

15:02 - Mountain Roads and State Fatality Data

19:57 - Safety Tips for Avoiding Accidents

21:31 - 2025 Ford F-150 Review and Features

22:07 - Reckless Driving Statistics and Dangers

28:15 - Motor Minute: Indy 500 Facts

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Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast.

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I moved my microphone and I forgot where I put it.

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You got the award-winning In Wheel Time car talk show just ahead, we visit with our favorite auto info insider, divya Sangam or Sangram on reckless driving.

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It's always a good way to start off the morning.

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I'll give you my thoughts on driving the 2025 Ford F-150.

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Jeff has the motor minute.

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It's all coming up on this segment of the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show.

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Howdy along with Mike out of this world, mars down there.

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We always need more Jeff Zekin here.

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You don't even know where I am, mr Forgetful.

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Yeah, and that's what you're going to go with.

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I'm me and you're not.

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Thank goodness.

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Isn't that the truth?

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Div you ready.

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Here she's coming right now.

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She's on her way.

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She's parking the car.

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Right now she's parking the car, so I'm not the only one that's late.

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We look like we scared her, oh no.

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Let's just zoom in right now.

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Shall we Zoom her?

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There she is, ladies, and gentlemen, Divya Sangam.

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Hi, hi, hi guys, how are you all doing?

00:01:16.420 --> 00:01:18.920
Well, we're doing good, I'm doing good.

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Were you kind of scrambling this morning trying to get to us?

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A little bit, yes.

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Because you're never late, and you were a minute late this morning, that's okay, we scramble every Saturday morning, so don't worry about it.

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We scramble eggs, eggs.

00:01:32.329 --> 00:01:35.246
Well, no, Well, I got late.

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I was scrambling because I was scrambling eggs this morning and I woke up a few minutes late.

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So that's why Feeding the family is important.

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There you go.

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Absolutely Well.

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It's good to see you.

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How have you been?

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I've been good.

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How about you guys?

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Very well.

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Thank you, divya.

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By the way is with LendingTree Value Penguin and we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us.

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It's always fun to talk to her.

00:01:55.730 --> 00:02:04.891
It is, it's always good.

00:02:04.891 --> 00:02:08.816
I know that you of every country that's being tariffed right now Go.

00:02:10.621 --> 00:02:14.932
I wouldn't know exactly where we are with the tariffs because they keep changing.

00:02:14.932 --> 00:02:25.491
But I will say this A lot of people are worried that auto insurance rates are going to go up because of tariffs, and what I want to say to them is hold your horses.

00:02:25.491 --> 00:02:27.724
It's probably not going to be as bad as we imagine.

00:02:27.724 --> 00:02:30.390
The situation is constantly in flux.

00:02:30.390 --> 00:02:40.972
You know they're striking deals all the time and, more importantly, you know tariffs is just one small part of the calculation that goes into figuring out how much your rates are going to increase.

00:02:40.972 --> 00:02:45.467
Climate change and weather disasters are probably going to have an even bigger impact.

00:02:45.467 --> 00:02:52.407
Or you know, reckless driving or just unsafe driving is probably going to have a far bigger impact than tariffs.

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Yes, tariffs are going to affect, you know, the cost of repairing cars, because you know the cost of importing spare parts is going up, but it's a piece of a larger equation.

00:03:03.461 --> 00:03:14.830
Well, let me just say this you know we hear and see television commercials they're bombarded by we'll save you at least $300 a year on your car insurance.

00:03:14.830 --> 00:03:30.104
Well, I got ticked off at Allstate, who I have been with for decades, Because it's such a pain to have to go and change.

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And then I only changed once in my life and I changed to state farm and I was with state farm for one month and they dropped me.

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Oh, oh gosh, I'm sorry to hear that yeah, it was awful because I have a perfectly clean driving record no accidents, knock on wood, nothing.

00:03:43.484 --> 00:03:48.652
But whatever reason, and they couldn't tell me and I was ticked.

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Needless to say, I was mad.

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So I went back to Allstate.

00:03:52.165 --> 00:04:01.395
Well, this time my Allstate insurance agent sold his agency to somebody that I never knew State Farm.

00:04:03.479 --> 00:04:11.347
To another agent and never once did I get a phone call or email.

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Welcome to our new agency.

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My name is so-and-so.

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Let us know if you have any questions.

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We're reviewing your policy.

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We'll be back with you soon.

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Nothing, I got nothing.

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I thought, okay, I can play this game.

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So I thought I'm going to start shopping for car insurance and you can go on a website and then, all of a sudden, every insurance agent in the entire United States now has your email.

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It's funny how that works.

00:04:37.579 --> 00:04:41.093
Yeah, unfortunately, that's the way a lot of these sites are set up.

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The upside of getting called by agents is then they're kind of at your mercy, so you can ask them whatever questions you want.

00:04:48.444 --> 00:04:52.865
They're eager to close the sale, so it's just a really good way to compare us in shop.

00:04:53.166 --> 00:04:58.302
Well, I will tell you that I kept waiting and waiting and, of course, hey, we'll call us.

00:04:58.302 --> 00:05:01.165
No, no, you do the work.

00:05:01.165 --> 00:05:11.675
I got one phone call from a young man with a farmer's insurance agent out of College Station, texas, which is about what?

00:05:11.956 --> 00:05:19.870
90 miles from here, or so 99, yeah, yeah and really a nice guy and let me get your information, mr Armstrong.

00:05:19.870 --> 00:05:22.990
So I gave him all my information in the car and all of that.

00:05:22.990 --> 00:05:35.242
I saved myself $500 when I bundled it thank you with my homeowners, which is a renter's insurance policy and my car insurance and my car insurance.

00:05:35.242 --> 00:05:39.952
I don't have you know big expensive deductions with you know collision and all that stuff.

00:05:39.952 --> 00:05:47.372
I got a you know 25-year-old car and it's my baby and I don't drive it very often.

00:05:47.372 --> 00:05:52.451
I told him that he says, okay, well, we got this, this, this, this, this and bam, $500 a year.

00:05:52.451 --> 00:05:55.964
Then not once did I get a phone call.

00:05:55.964 --> 00:06:01.334
So I wound up having to call the Allstate insurance agent and say Go fly a kite.

00:06:01.334 --> 00:06:03.146
Pretty much, yeah, go fly a kite.

00:06:03.146 --> 00:06:06.569
Oh well, what can we do to get you back?

00:06:06.569 --> 00:06:08.487
You didn't even give us a chance.

00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:15.233
No, you had a chance for six months to call me and say, hey, I'm me and you're you and that kind of thing, nothing.

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So goodbye, allstate, see you later and the insurance agent.

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There you go.

00:06:20.567 --> 00:06:21.589
So that was that.

00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:23.043
Maybe Divya can insure us.

00:06:23.242 --> 00:06:25.086
Yeah, well, maybe not.

00:06:26.168 --> 00:06:28.353
I'm sorry, I don't have an insurance license.

00:06:28.353 --> 00:06:33.562
I'm purely focused on the research side and all the interesting stats.

00:06:33.583 --> 00:06:40.454
So let's talk about what you called us to tell us about reckless driving and what effect it has on everybody.

00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:50.029
So here's the thing you know, summer is upon us and usually when the summer season starts, you get to see all kinds of drivers on the road, because the days are longer.

00:06:50.029 --> 00:06:57.713
Everyone's out there driving and one of the consequences of having more people on the road is more accidents.

00:06:57.713 --> 00:07:06.601
And let's admit it, we've all seen that one driver on the road who's extremely reckless and your first thought is oh my god, is this person gonna die?

00:07:06.601 --> 00:07:07.564
Is he gonna crash?

00:07:07.564 --> 00:07:12.713
Um, and the statistics show that reckless driving is a problem.

00:07:12.713 --> 00:07:25.839
Um, you know, nearly 10 percent of all crashes that are fatal are attributed to reckless driving, and the problem is more pronounced in states where you there's bad weather or just roads are more challenging.

00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:28.202
So we're talking, you know Montana.

00:07:28.202 --> 00:07:39.738
We're talking, you know Nevada, arizona, colorado, some of these states that have mountains, you know very remote roads or just challenging weather conditions.

00:07:39.738 --> 00:07:44.992
When you drive recklessly in those conditions, you're probably going to crash.

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And you know, if there is a takeaway here, it's just keep your eyes peeled on the road.

00:07:50.572 --> 00:08:01.774
Even if you are the safest driver out there, you can't trust the other drivers on the road to be safe, and we really don't want this summer to be a miserable summer because someone got into a nasty crash.

00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:12.369
Well, there's that, and then, and then, I was really surprised by the fact that Montana, that is such a remote place.

00:08:12.369 --> 00:08:16.494
You know it's part of Canada, isn't it?

00:08:16.494 --> 00:08:18.315
I mean, it is A suburb.

00:08:18.315 --> 00:08:23.968
A suburb yeah, a suburb of Canada or maybe Alaska, but it's up there and it gets really cold up there.

00:08:23.968 --> 00:08:33.086
Not a whole lot of people live there and it topped the country in reckless driving fatalities Wow, by five times.

00:08:33.820 --> 00:08:36.850
Yeah, and that was surprising to us until we dug into it.

00:08:36.850 --> 00:08:39.866
You know states like Alaska, montana.

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Their roads can be quite remote and, like you rightly pointed out, the winter can be very brutal.

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So when you have a combination of bad weather, remote roads, if you get into a crash it might even take a little longer for emergency services to reach you, which might contribute to the rise in fatal accidents.

00:09:00.851 --> 00:09:09.092
And it's cold, so probably people also may be drinking more to stay warm.

00:09:10.760 --> 00:09:22.111
And so when you see, that in all of these, you get a scenario where people are driving recklessly because they think, ah, there aren't that many people on the road, I can get away with it.

00:09:22.111 --> 00:09:30.527
They get into a crash, conditions are bad, they're not getting emergency services getting there quickly, and all of these contribute to it.

00:09:30.527 --> 00:09:39.730
So if there really is a takeaway here, it's just don't drink and drive, don't text and drive and be wary of other drivers on the road.

00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:44.371
Well, the other interesting stat here, South Dakota and Washington.

00:09:44.371 --> 00:09:46.567
Are you talking about Washington State, not DC?

00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:48.384
Yeah, Washington State.

00:09:48.465 --> 00:09:48.986
Washington State.

00:09:48.986 --> 00:09:59.548
Well, so that's got some mountains in it, and South Dakota is kind of next to Wyoming and you're thinking that there aren't as many people there.

00:09:59.548 --> 00:10:03.389
I don't know, but they reported the fewest reckless driving fatalities.

00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:09.948
Yeah, I think South Dakota had zero in the five-year period we analyzed, and Washington also was very, very low.

00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:11.980
Maybe South Dakota is driving to the other states and getting in these wrecks.

00:10:12.100 --> 00:10:15.647
Driving to North Dakota, either that or a bad bison.

00:10:15.980 --> 00:10:24.812
Well, I heard this the other day from a friend of mine that says these careless drivers aren't driving their cars, they're aiming their cars.

00:10:25.721 --> 00:10:28.264
Matthew Broderick said that Okay, I'll go with that.

00:10:28.323 --> 00:10:28.845
Yeah, yeah.

00:10:28.926 --> 00:10:30.510
I mean that makes a lot of sense.

00:10:30.510 --> 00:10:32.868
You know, careless drivers are a menace.

00:10:33.140 --> 00:10:34.700
Yeah, they're aiming their cars, not driving them.

00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:45.375
Now here's something that I thought was really interesting the second and third most reckless driving states West Virginia and Colorado.

00:10:45.375 --> 00:10:53.432
My youngest daughter lives in Colorado, and we will assume that is because of the mountainous region of the United States.

00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:55.505
Yeah, that's a huge part of it.

00:10:56.760 --> 00:10:59.695
Well, I will tell you that I visited there summer before last.

00:10:59.695 --> 00:11:00.759
No, last summer.

00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:01.924
Was Colorado, in what other state?

00:11:01.924 --> 00:11:03.965
Second, second and third?

00:11:03.965 --> 00:11:06.208
Oh, second and third that Colorado.

00:11:06.208 --> 00:11:07.950
I went to Pikes Peak.

00:11:07.950 --> 00:11:10.551
Oh, second and third that Colorado.

00:11:10.551 --> 00:11:11.030
I went to Pikes Peak.

00:11:11.030 --> 00:11:11.191
I still.

00:11:11.191 --> 00:11:14.653
My knuckles have not yet really gotten back to the color that they're supposed to.

00:11:14.653 --> 00:11:22.176
I am still white, knuckling it up that damn Pikes Peak that I never thought in a million years that I would be that terrified.

00:11:22.176 --> 00:11:26.918
Oh my God, it has to be something with my age, I don't know Used to be.

00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:29.500
No, I mean, it's new to us.

00:11:29.500 --> 00:11:35.371
It was probably a new experience for you because you may not have driven on that road before, but you were terrified.

00:11:35.371 --> 00:11:36.494
Now imagine you're a local.

00:11:36.494 --> 00:11:38.025
You're driving down that road every day.

00:11:38.025 --> 00:11:40.708
You might get careless and that might contribute to it.

00:11:41.059 --> 00:11:49.610
Well, like the tourist buses that were passing me on a two-lane road, zigzagging up the mountain, passing me On a two-lane road, zigzagging up the mountain, passing me, I'm going.

00:11:49.610 --> 00:11:50.250
Are you kidding?

00:11:50.250 --> 00:11:56.160
The guy obviously drives it all the time and they're all going as they went by, exactly.

00:11:56.181 --> 00:12:10.909
I mean, I remember when going with my family up to the Shenandoah Valley so it's between Virginia and West Virginia and there were parts of you know the road that were very narrow and the stated speed limit was like 20 miles an hour.

00:12:10.909 --> 00:12:14.947
It's supposed to be a scenic byway so we were sticking to the speed limit.

00:12:14.947 --> 00:12:26.846
You know it was a manual car, so we were going on second gear and then we were scared to move up a gear and there were people zipping by us, going at 50 miles an hour and you know I was terrified, my heart was in my mouth.

00:12:27.027 --> 00:12:27.307
Yeah.

00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:39.913
So and you know I was terrified, my heart was in my mouth yeah, so definitely the mountainous roads and just the conditions overall contribute to an increase in reckless driving fatalities.

00:12:39.913 --> 00:12:41.677
There are reckless drivers in every state.

00:12:41.677 --> 00:12:42.399
I mean, I've seen them.

00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:42.840
I live in New Jersey.

00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:45.523
I have driven in many countries but I am terrified of driving in New Jersey.

00:12:45.523 --> 00:12:52.374
But just because it's you know, roads are better, wider, well lit-lit, you can probably escape a bad driver.

00:12:52.374 --> 00:13:01.019
But if you're up in a two-lane road up a mountain it's a lot harder.

00:13:01.019 --> 00:13:17.886
So you know reckless driving need to be careful on the roads, especially if you're living in a place where roads aren't well lit or they're mountainous, or you just have bad weather or maintained, yeah, and the results are reflective of that.

00:13:18.280 --> 00:13:24.494
Well, I will tell you that through my lifetime I have had multiple, multiple driving lessons.

00:13:24.494 --> 00:13:26.525
Oh, you know speeding ticket.

00:13:26.525 --> 00:13:29.327
Okay, I used to get those every once in a while.

00:13:29.327 --> 00:13:37.865
Then you take the driver safety course and one of the things in all of the driving safety courses is adjust your speed according to the weather.

00:13:37.865 --> 00:13:40.812
You got bright, blue skies, no big deal.

00:13:40.812 --> 00:13:46.350
Run the speed limit if traffic conditions permit, but if the weather is bad, it's on you.

00:13:46.350 --> 00:13:50.850
If you have a wreck because you're supposed to slow down, and that's the biggest thing of all.

00:13:50.850 --> 00:13:52.684
And I see it, we have a beltway here.

00:13:52.684 --> 00:13:57.792
The speed limit is 65 in a very urban area of Texas.

00:13:58.080 --> 00:13:59.283
Well, with Colorado, you would think.

00:13:59.283 --> 00:14:01.750
You know, is it an accident?

00:14:01.750 --> 00:14:05.363
Is it a post-dispensary visit or pre-dispensary visit?

00:14:05.363 --> 00:14:05.984
Well, there's that thought.

00:14:05.984 --> 00:14:06.583
Yeah, there is that thought.

00:14:06.583 --> 00:14:07.205
And Well, there's that thought.

00:14:07.205 --> 00:14:07.764
Yeah, there is that thought.

00:14:07.825 --> 00:14:11.467
And the other thing is great, big trucks, you know, doing over the speed limit.

00:14:11.467 --> 00:14:16.873
And here's the guy inside texting Yep, all the time, I see it all the time.

00:14:16.873 --> 00:14:20.996
Huge thing, reckless driving, yeah, and it's preventable.

00:14:20.996 --> 00:14:30.995
You can't prevent somebody else from being a reckless driver, but you can get out of the way most of the time, unless, of course, they're coming up behind you at 80 miles an hour and you're stuck in traffic.

00:14:30.995 --> 00:14:33.503
There's nothing you can do and they slam into the back of you.

00:14:33.503 --> 00:14:34.947
Then you call Jim Adler.

00:14:35.167 --> 00:14:37.452
Yeah, I was coming in at 10 this morning.

00:14:37.452 --> 00:14:40.102
I crossed over Beltway 8, still on 10.

00:14:40.102 --> 00:14:42.186
I got my cruise set on 78.

00:14:42.186 --> 00:14:46.552
I'm cruising with the traffic and I see him coming, a big black car coming.

00:14:46.552 --> 00:14:53.931
I thought it was police, it wasn't, it was somebody else and he went around me and went across three lanes in front of me.

00:14:53.931 --> 00:14:58.909
Then he came back across three lanes just working his way through traffic.

00:14:58.950 --> 00:14:59.471
Zigzagging.

00:14:59.921 --> 00:15:06.243
And I'm doing 78 in a 60, 65, whatever the speed limit is through there and this guy is just blowing by me.

00:15:06.243 --> 00:15:07.826
I mean, Hello, steve Woodard.

00:15:07.826 --> 00:15:10.293
Yeah, I was going to say the same thing Steve Woodard.

00:15:11.820 --> 00:15:12.386
Next time set up that radar.

00:15:12.408 --> 00:15:19.404
Steve Woodard is our state trooper, friend Set up that radar over there on I-10 between Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange in Houston.

00:15:20.361 --> 00:15:24.008
Mr Mars is ahead of this away Inside the beltway where it speeds up.

00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:26.123
Camp out in Mike's driveway, you'll get them.

00:15:26.322 --> 00:15:34.816
I will never understand drivers who zigzag across lanes thinking it's going to get them to their destination faster.

00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:37.886
There was actually a study done by the University of Michigan.

00:15:37.886 --> 00:15:44.745
Because they are in the big traffic thing for the feds they say changing lanes actually delays your trip.

00:15:44.745 --> 00:15:52.620
So if you're in a lane and say it's a three-lane traffic and you're in the middle lane and the left lane keeps kind of going ahead of you, keep going ahead of you, and then you get in that lane.

00:15:52.620 --> 00:15:55.489
You just backed up because that other lane is going to move too.

00:15:55.489 --> 00:15:59.486
So stay in your lane, don't be zigzagging, and you'll get there in time.

00:15:59.746 --> 00:16:05.225
And don't be preached to by somebody that is the biggest sinner of all when it comes to that right foot.

00:16:05.225 --> 00:16:08.510
He can plow that thing right down to the floor mat.

00:16:08.510 --> 00:16:09.451
Who's that?

00:16:09.913 --> 00:16:13.407
Me no, no, they say I'm an old man when I drive.

00:16:13.407 --> 00:16:15.544
Here's the guy that had his.

00:16:15.585 --> 00:16:15.946
what was it?

00:16:15.946 --> 00:16:18.032
A 69 or 70 Nova, 72.

00:16:18.032 --> 00:16:20.842
72 Nova with a big V8 motor in it?

00:16:21.363 --> 00:16:23.105
No, no, him speeding.

00:16:23.105 --> 00:16:25.227
No, no, he never did that?

00:16:25.307 --> 00:16:26.008
No, never did.

00:16:26.008 --> 00:16:26.649
You know he?

00:16:26.649 --> 00:16:27.549
He never did that, no, never did.

00:16:27.549 --> 00:16:29.251
He talks about his hair getting a little thin.

00:16:29.251 --> 00:16:30.613
That's because the air he's blowing so fast?

00:16:30.653 --> 00:16:32.615
Yeah, just blow it all off Blowing it off.

00:16:32.655 --> 00:16:34.162
Yeah, don't do it, divya.

00:16:34.162 --> 00:16:36.740
It's so good to see you, Great to talk to you, as always.

00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:46.350
The next thing on your agenda from the guys at In Wheel Time is trying to sort out the tariff situation, and I know that you're going to do a great job.

00:16:46.350 --> 00:16:52.556
It may take you until next year, but you're all in for that, I can tell.

00:16:53.337 --> 00:16:58.849
I'm definitely going to give you guys an update the moment we get a sense of how much insurance companies are raising rates.

00:16:58.948 --> 00:17:00.412
And that's going to be the biggest problem.

00:17:00.412 --> 00:17:04.710
You say insurance Because it's going to raise the price of the car and repairs to the car.

00:17:04.710 --> 00:17:05.211
Is that right?

00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:07.827
I mean insurance is just one part.

00:17:07.827 --> 00:17:11.907
I only speak about insurance because that's the one thing I'm obsessed with.

00:17:11.907 --> 00:17:17.205
But yes, I mean it's going to affect the entire car ownership process.

00:17:17.205 --> 00:17:19.351
Right, it's going to be more expensive to buy a car.

00:17:19.351 --> 00:17:21.844
It's going to be more expensive to repair a car.

00:17:21.844 --> 00:17:32.012
But you know, with insurance it's going to be one part of a many piece puzzle on how rates are going to be calculated in 2026 and beyond.

00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:37.692
So Reckless Driving Deaths Study valuepenguincom.

00:17:38.460 --> 00:17:42.228
Yeah, definitely look for it, and I'm sure you'll find some good tips in there.

00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:44.465
It's always a pleasure to talk to you, my dear.

00:17:44.465 --> 00:17:45.840
Take care of yourself, divya.

00:17:45.840 --> 00:17:46.644
We appreciate you.

00:17:46.644 --> 00:17:48.029
Take care of yourselves guys, thank you Happy.

00:17:48.089 --> 00:17:48.652
Mother's Day.

00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:50.201
Happy Mother's Day.

00:17:50.603 --> 00:17:51.345
Happy Mother's Day.

00:17:51.345 --> 00:17:53.711
Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful women in your life as well.

00:17:53.859 --> 00:17:54.561
Thank you very much.

00:17:54.561 --> 00:17:55.665
We'll talk to you again soon.

00:17:56.086 --> 00:17:56.669
Talk to you soon.

00:17:56.689 --> 00:17:59.044
Bye-bye, all right, that's done.

00:17:59.044 --> 00:18:08.185
Yeah, yeah, there's that Just ahead a review of the 2025 Ford F-150 and Jeff's Motor Minute right after this quick break.

00:18:08.185 --> 00:18:17.152
The Tex-Mex dining experience is defined by Loopy Tortilla your destination for Texas' best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas.

00:18:17.152 --> 00:18:24.208
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00:18:24.208 --> 00:18:31.911
Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience at Loopy Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I-10 in West Houston.

00:18:31.911 --> 00:18:37.432
Visit any of the Loopy Tortillas and you'll see the same attention to detail in each and every location.

00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:43.353
Start your Lupe' experience with queso flammeado and guacamole, along with a classic frozen margarita.

00:18:43.353 --> 00:18:52.246
Dine on famous Loopy beef and chicken fajitas or pepper shrimp brochette, or a fish or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious flan for dessert.

00:18:52.246 --> 00:18:58.047
Find Lupe' Tortilla in Houston College Station, beaumont, austin, san Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth.

00:18:58.047 --> 00:18:59.791
There's a Texas location near you.

00:18:59.791 --> 00:19:04.430
The recipes are authentic and time-tested, the ingredients always fresh.

00:19:04.430 --> 00:19:06.844
Lupe' Tortilla he's pretty good.

00:19:06.844 --> 00:19:11.821
The In Wheel Time Car Talk Show thanks you for 14 wonderful years.

00:19:11.821 --> 00:19:15.730
Yep, our first show aired May 7th 2011 on a local radio station.

00:19:15.730 --> 00:19:19.467
Then it was a move to the digital world and social media and you followed.

00:19:19.467 --> 00:19:20.068
Thank you.

00:19:20.068 --> 00:19:25.296
We continue to build and grow our fan base and it's all because of you and your auto enthusiast friends.

00:19:25.296 --> 00:19:26.840
We appreciate your support.

00:19:26.840 --> 00:19:31.791
It's always great to see you at our remote broadcasts and we hope you'll continue to stop by and say hello.

00:19:31.791 --> 00:19:36.663
It's been a great ride and we hope to bring you more fun and adventure right here on the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show.

00:19:37.525 --> 00:19:43.017
Hey, I did want to remind you that our last stop on the In Wheel Time Spring Tour happens June 12th.

00:19:43.017 --> 00:19:50.394
That's going to take place in Granbury, Texas, just to the south of Fort Worth, at the Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run.

00:19:50.394 --> 00:19:57.811
That live broadcast will air at a special time, 9 to noon on June the 12th, and we hope that you will join us.

00:19:57.811 --> 00:19:59.893
Time now for Jeff's Motor Minute Motor.

00:19:59.952 --> 00:20:00.294
Minute.

00:20:00.294 --> 00:20:01.429
Hey, you know what's coming up.

00:20:01.429 --> 00:20:02.452
At the end of the month, indian will join us.

00:20:02.452 --> 00:20:03.194
Time now for Jeff's Motor Minute.

00:20:03.194 --> 00:20:03.476
Motor Minute.

00:20:03.496 --> 00:20:05.102
Hey, you know what's coming up at the end of the month Indianapolis 500.

00:20:05.122 --> 00:20:05.845
They're already starting time trials.

00:20:05.845 --> 00:20:10.509
They're already starting qualifying for the circuit inside the track and all that stuff.

00:20:10.509 --> 00:20:12.932
I watched a little bit of it yesterday, but here's some fun facts.

00:20:12.932 --> 00:20:18.881
The Indianapolis, or the Indy 500, is the world's largest single-day sporting event.

00:20:18.881 --> 00:20:22.073
That draws more than 300,000 people a year.

00:20:22.073 --> 00:20:23.015
So how's that?

00:20:23.015 --> 00:20:27.449
And then you've got the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

00:20:27.449 --> 00:20:30.255
Where the race is held spans an impressive 253 acres.

00:20:30.255 --> 00:20:30.936
Really.

00:20:30.997 --> 00:20:32.645
A whole complex, then.

00:20:32.645 --> 00:20:37.913
Over the course of its 100-year history, the Indy 500 has been won by 75 different drivers.

00:20:37.913 --> 00:20:38.916
That's pretty cool.

00:20:38.916 --> 00:20:46.832
Helio Castroneves, aj Foyt, rick Mears and Al Unser share the record for the most victories at the Indy 500, with four each.

00:20:46.832 --> 00:20:47.827
That's quite a bit.

00:20:47.827 --> 00:20:48.811
That's a good accomplishment.

00:20:48.811 --> 00:20:53.646
Scott Dixon holds a record for the most laps led at the Indy 500.

00:20:53.646 --> 00:20:55.113
That's pretty cool too.

00:20:55.113 --> 00:20:59.345
Borg Warner Trophy has been awarded to the winning driver since 1936.

00:20:59.345 --> 00:21:04.534
The winner of the 500 is traditionally presented with a wreath and what else, mike?

00:21:04.534 --> 00:21:05.194
Bottle of milk.

00:21:05.194 --> 00:21:05.615
There you go.

00:21:05.615 --> 00:21:06.096
Thanks, mike.

00:21:06.096 --> 00:21:09.567
Al Hunter 1992,.

00:21:09.567 --> 00:21:14.657
Al Hunter came really close to winning his third consecutive Indy title in a row.

00:21:14.657 --> 00:21:17.791
So he's won back-to-back, but he didn't have the chance to win the third.

00:21:17.832 --> 00:21:20.298
Didn't three-peat the hat trick, the hat trick, there you go.

00:21:23.305 --> 00:21:23.971
So that's a little bit of Indy stuff.

00:21:23.911 --> 00:21:24.332
I'm excited.

00:21:24.332 --> 00:21:24.698
I don't know what a hat trick is.

00:21:24.698 --> 00:21:32.874
I'm excited because I like the Indy 500 and there's another big, super-duper, worldwide event coming in that week after Indy.

00:21:32.874 --> 00:21:34.750
It's going to be epic.

00:21:34.750 --> 00:21:35.986
You'll all find out about it.

00:21:36.326 --> 00:21:38.170
I guess you'll tell us about it after the Indy.

00:21:38.170 --> 00:21:38.911
I'll tell you now.

00:21:38.911 --> 00:21:46.328
It's going to be my birthday, okay, well, we'll look forward to that celebration.

00:21:46.328 --> 00:21:49.766
Send your gifts too, uh-huh, and tequila bottles too.

00:21:49.766 --> 00:21:50.588
There you go.

00:21:50.588 --> 00:21:52.173
Time now for this hour's car review.

00:21:52.173 --> 00:21:55.413
Had a chance to drive the 2025 Ford F-150.

00:21:55.413 --> 00:21:58.769
Final assembly location Dearborn, michigan.

00:21:58.769 --> 00:22:01.070
Yeah, buddy, the home of Ford Motor Company.

00:22:01.444 --> 00:22:15.067
It comes in these trim levels XL, stx, xlt, lariat Trimmer, platinum King Ranch and Raptor Reviewed trim level.

00:22:15.067 --> 00:22:17.574
4x4 SuperCrew King Ranch.

00:22:17.574 --> 00:22:22.133
Oh my God, your living room is not this nice.

00:22:22.133 --> 00:22:26.047
I promise you this is a standard pickup truck.

00:22:26.047 --> 00:22:26.166
Seats.

00:22:26.166 --> 00:22:31.698
Five people uh, 14th generation, yes, 14th generation.

00:22:31.698 --> 00:22:31.919
Wow.

00:22:31.919 --> 00:22:34.845
Redesign and all new for 2021.

00:22:36.166 --> 00:22:42.259
Exterior features classic ford design with conservative, not overpowering grille.

00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:45.885
It seems to be a thing these days and I don't get it.

00:22:45.885 --> 00:22:50.248
Wheel opening trim varies depending on the trim level that you choose.

00:22:50.248 --> 00:22:55.549
Swinging tailgate yeah, it's a swinging tailgate option.

00:22:55.549 --> 00:23:04.013
When it opens, it allows for easy bed access and reach, so it's got like a door within the tailgate.

00:23:04.013 --> 00:23:06.375
It's in the middle of it and you can swing it open.

00:23:06.375 --> 00:23:08.056
Yeah, it's cool.

00:23:08.056 --> 00:23:13.018
Yeah, their competition they all have something special.

00:23:13.018 --> 00:23:19.800
That General Motors one is pretty cool too and it helps in you getting closer to the bed.

00:23:19.800 --> 00:23:25.544
So if you've got something really heavy and you want to get it in the bed, you don't have to put it on the tailgate and shove it in, you just go right to the bed with it?

00:23:27.964 --> 00:23:30.388
Yeah, you don't have to reach over and strain your back any more than you already do.

00:23:30.388 --> 00:23:35.518
What I liked about it the optional Pro Power for camping or working with 120-volt connection.

00:23:35.518 --> 00:23:36.480
That is very cool.

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:38.690
Do any of the others have that?

00:23:42.646 --> 00:23:43.575
I think they're starting to put me in.

00:23:43.575 --> 00:23:44.664
I think they're putting some plugs back there.

00:23:45.806 --> 00:23:47.633
Here's the deal, and this is strictly from Ford.

00:23:47.633 --> 00:23:47.973
This is mine.

00:23:47.973 --> 00:23:56.557
There are so many options and trims and configurations.

00:23:56.557 --> 00:24:05.433
If you can't find one on the lot which is highly unlikely somewhere in the state of Texas, there's one exactly the way you want it.

00:24:05.433 --> 00:24:06.855
But order it.

00:24:06.855 --> 00:24:09.960
And I say that because I had a question to Ford one time.

00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:10.601
This is years ago.

00:24:10.601 --> 00:24:18.027
I said so what if I'm going to pull a trailer with the half-ton pickup truck?

00:24:18.027 --> 00:24:21.369
Can I change out the rear axle?

00:24:21.369 --> 00:24:23.612
Because I'm going to tow it a lot.

00:24:23.612 --> 00:24:30.038
The majority of the truck's work is going to be towing A big boat or whatever it is that I'm towing Trailer.

00:24:30.038 --> 00:24:32.339
Yes, you can do that.

00:24:32.339 --> 00:24:44.307
Chances are you're going to have to special order it Because for the most part now with these new 10-speed automatic transmissions, sometimes you don't have to change the rear axle.

00:24:44.307 --> 00:25:03.540
But if you are going to drive in a mountainous area, for instance, travel to Colorado all the time, and you're pulling your travel trailer behind you in the halftime tongue weight, everything else is good you might want to go for a lower differential right, and so there's that.

00:25:03.540 --> 00:25:05.563
Order it from the factory is my suggestion.

00:25:06.765 --> 00:25:11.594
Interior highlights Awesome, easy to find dash buttons and switches.

00:25:11.594 --> 00:25:18.106
Configurable instrument cluster, huge touchscreen with killer radio in it.

00:25:18.106 --> 00:25:25.759
And I checked the radio out with David Ainsley because he wanted to hear his fine work that he did with the new transmitter at 107.5.

00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:29.713
My God, that thing sounded like a billion dollars.

00:25:29.713 --> 00:25:35.217
Yeah, I can't imagine somebody taking that out and putting an aftermarket radio in it, because that thing works great.

00:25:35.217 --> 00:25:39.530
Configurable instrument cluster, as I said, the huge touchscreen.

00:25:39.530 --> 00:25:41.167
King Ranch leather.

00:25:41.167 --> 00:25:43.474
Interior is beautiful and comfortable.

00:25:43.474 --> 00:25:46.692
The cargo in the back seat is superb.

00:25:46.692 --> 00:25:48.096
Fold up seats.

00:25:48.096 --> 00:25:57.895
What I loved about it, the Blue Cruise for highway is absolutely the best and you know it basically guides you through it.

00:25:57.895 --> 00:26:01.234
If it's time for you to put your hands on the wheel, it'll tell you to do that.

00:26:01.234 --> 00:26:02.827
It's easy to use.

00:26:02.827 --> 00:26:13.575
Loved the work surface that uses the backside of the center console and the armrest Folds out over the shifter in the center console.

00:26:13.575 --> 00:26:15.727
The shifter goes down into the console.

00:26:15.727 --> 00:26:16.809
It's really cool.

00:26:16.809 --> 00:26:19.497
This thing is a Swiss Army knife of goodness.

00:26:19.497 --> 00:26:21.178
A Swiss Army knife of goodness.

00:26:21.178 --> 00:26:21.803
Turn the page.

00:26:21.803 --> 00:26:23.026
I like that.

00:26:23.125 --> 00:26:36.298
3.5 liter twin turbo V6 with a 1.5 kilowatt per hour lithium battery motor Turns out a total of 430 horsepower with 570 pound-feet of torque.

00:26:36.298 --> 00:26:47.837
Toll rating up to 13,500, depending on the configuration rating up to 13,500, depending on the configuration, haul rating up to 2,445 pounds, depending on the configuration.

00:26:47.837 --> 00:26:50.260
City 22 miles per gallon.

00:26:50.260 --> 00:26:53.667
Highway 24, combined at 23.

00:26:53.667 --> 00:26:56.797
I got 19.3 over 348.7 miles.

00:26:56.884 --> 00:26:57.326
What I liked.

00:26:57.326 --> 00:27:04.179
The mileage was better than the 13 miles per gallon this thing used to get when it had the V8 engine in it.

00:27:04.179 --> 00:27:06.590
Nice, yeah, the V6 is really awesome.

00:27:06.590 --> 00:27:07.835
What could use improvement?

00:27:07.835 --> 00:27:08.195
Nothing.

00:27:09.664 --> 00:27:17.720
What I liked fairly smooth, without a load of any kind in it, which was kind of surprising, because you know a pickup truck is made to haul stuff.

00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:21.115
Well, with that you've got to have the suspension that can take the heavy load.

00:27:21.115 --> 00:27:24.375
1,000 pounds in the bed would make it a lot smoother.

00:27:24.375 --> 00:27:29.958
Of course it would cut down on the cast mileage a little bit, but you really don't need anything in the bed, right, it's pretty well.

00:27:29.958 --> 00:27:31.951
Air suspension option would be good.

00:27:31.951 --> 00:27:34.944
Base trim price $74,805.

00:27:34.944 --> 00:27:38.585
Price is tested $79,825.

00:27:38.585 --> 00:27:39.926
I didn't say it was cheap.

00:27:39.926 --> 00:27:44.816
Base model price $44,095.

00:27:44.816 --> 00:27:47.079
Chevy 1500 is one of its competitors.

00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:50.230
It starts at $42,700.

00:27:50.230 --> 00:27:53.178
The Ram 1500 starts at $43,025.

00:27:53.178 --> 00:27:57.835
And the Toyota Tundra starts at $40,090.

00:27:57.835 --> 00:28:06.696
Nice, yeah, it works well If you're on a truck shop around, but I think that you're going to wind up checking out in a Ford.

00:28:07.499 --> 00:28:10.732
All right, if you'd like to get in touch with us, shoot us an email.

00:28:10.732 --> 00:28:14.115
The address here is info at inwheeltimecom.

00:28:14.115 --> 00:28:15.852
We are back after this quick break.

00:28:15.852 --> 00:28:17.911
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00:29:14.805 --> 00:29:20.057
The award-winning In Wheel Time Car Talk Show now reaches 5.3 million folks each year.

00:29:20.057 --> 00:29:31.013
Check us out on inwheeltimecom, the Odyssey Radio app, youtube, facebook and just about every other entertainment source out there, including our live broadcast every Saturday 10 to noon Central Time.

00:29:31.013 --> 00:29:41.393
The InWheelTime Car Talk Show has informative automotive guest interviews, new car reviews, along with popular features, including Jeff's car culture, the latest new cars, cruise ins and racing dates.

00:29:41.393 --> 00:29:43.458
It's InWheelTimecom.

00:29:43.458 --> 00:29:43.917
Join us.

00:29:43.917 --> 00:29:48.776
That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show.

00:29:48.776 --> 00:29:58.696
I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook, youtube, twitch and our InWheelTimecom website.

00:29:58.696 --> 00:30:07.336
Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, spotify Stitcher, I heart podcast podcast addict, tune in Pandora and Amazon music.

00:30:07.336 --> 00:30:10.145
Keep listening and we'll see you soon.