Author: Colleen

For Memorial Day weekend I am going to Chicago. I’ve never been there before, and I am psyched. Rumor is I’ll be amongst Presidential company as well.

When planning this getaway, three of my friends decided they wanted to make it a road trip and spend the day driving from DC to Illinois. Being much smarter than them (and by that I mean spring break ’07, driving from Pittsburgh to Panama City Beach – lesson learned), I booked my flight and told them I’d meet them there.

I bought my ticket a few weeks ago, and it was pretty reasonable. I’m glad I did it then, because five of the major U.S. airlines just announced additional fees for peak summer days. In this case, "peak" seems to be any day from June 10 – August 22, excluding July 4th.

I’d yet to stop complaining about additional charges to check my suitcase – then this.

To help keep costs down this summer use the following tips:

• Book early to get the best rates.
• Try to travel on "off" days. Friday and Saturday flights tend to be more expensive, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays being the cheapest.
• Booking airfare and hotel stays as a "package" will often save you money, rather than booking separately.
• Carry on your luggage if possible to avoid baggage fees.

I am an awesome driver. The dent in my front bumper? Some jerk hit me in a parking lot and didn’t leave a note. The speeding ticket? You try being on a highway when "Groove is in the Heart" by Deee-Lite comes on the radio and see if you don’t end up going a bit faster than you expected. The gash down my passenger side door? That concrete beam in the parking garage came out of nowhere!

Okay, so I have my hands full behind the wheel without factoring in an additional distractions. When I was learning to drive, I wasn’t allowed to have the radio on, and I didn’t even own a cell phone until four years later.

Now, it’s a whole new ballgame. Drivers are more distracted than ever- even sending text messages while navigating the road.

Such a bad idea. The number of accidents and even deaths caused by distracted driving is on the rise. The government is starting to take action on this- even making it against the law to text while operating a government vehicle. Do you know what your state’s laws are regarding using your cell phone while driving?

 This will make some of my co-workers gag, but let it be said that I bow at the feet of Ms. Winfrey. Oprah has started the "No Phone Zone" pledge, asking drivers to commit to not using their phone while behind the wheel.

 Are you guilty of texting while driving? Will you pledge to stop?