Cars & Driving Editorial Team

Cars & Driving Editorial Team is the collective byline for our editorial team and contributor network. Articles published under this byline or an editorial pen name are researched, written, and reviewed according to our editorial standards for clarity, consistency, and independence before publication.

Battery, Alternator, and Starter: The Three Systems Behind Every Cold Start

Battery, Alternator, and Starter: The Three Systems Behind Every Cold Start

Brake Pads vs. Rotors: Understanding When Each Needs Attention

Brake Pads vs. Rotors: Understanding When Each Needs Attention

Car Maintenance for New Drivers: What Every Owner Should Know

Car Maintenance for New Drivers: What Every Owner Should Know

Habits That Quietly Shorten a Car's Lifespan

Habits That Quietly Shorten a Car's Lifespan

How Often Should You Really Replace Wiper Blades, Air Filters, and Spark Plugs?

How Often Should You Really Replace Wiper Blades, Air Filters, and Spark Plugs?

Keeping Maintenance Records: Why a Paper Trail Protects Your Car and Your Wallet

Keeping Maintenance Records: Why a Paper Trail Protects Your Car and Your Wallet

Myths About Car Maintenance That Cost Drivers Money

Myths About Car Maintenance That Cost Drivers Money

Oil Changes: What Actually Happens If You Skip One

Oil Changes: What Actually Happens If You Skip One

Pre-Road-Trip Vehicle Inspection Checklist

Pre-Road-Trip Vehicle Inspection Checklist

Seasonal Car Maintenance: Preparing Your Vehicle for Each Time of Year

Seasonal Car Maintenance: Preparing Your Vehicle for Each Time of Year

Synthetic vs. Conventional Motor Oil: Which Is Right for Your Engine?

Synthetic vs. Conventional Motor Oil: Which Is Right for Your Engine?

The DIY Car Maintenance Tasks Worth Doing Yourself — and the Ones to Leave to a Mechanic

The DIY Car Maintenance Tasks Worth Doing Yourself — and the Ones to Leave to a Mechanic

Tire Pressure and Fuel Economy: The Connection Most Drivers Overlook

Tire Pressure and Fuel Economy: The Connection Most Drivers Overlook

Under-the-Hood Fluids and What They Each Do

Under-the-Hood Fluids and What They Each Do

Why Your Brakes Are Making That Noise

Why Your Brakes Are Making That Noise

Your Car's Warning Lights, Decoded

Your Car's Warning Lights, Decoded

Before You Pull Out of the Driveway: A Pre-Trip Vehicle Safety Check

Before You Pull Out of the Driveway: A Pre-Trip Vehicle Safety Check

Defensive Driving: What It Actually Means and Why It Works

Defensive Driving: What It Actually Means and Why It Works

Distracted Driving Myths That Give Motorists a False Sense of Safety

Distracted Driving Myths That Give Motorists a False Sense of Safety

Driving in Bad Weather: Rain, Snow, Fog, and Ice

Driving in Bad Weather: Rain, Snow, Fog, and Ice

Highway Driving vs. City Driving: How the Risks Differ

Highway Driving vs. City Driving: How the Risks Differ

Night Driving Demands a Different Approach Than Daytime

Night Driving Demands a Different Approach Than Daytime

Road Signs Every American Driver Should Know Cold

Road Signs Every American Driver Should Know Cold

Sharing the Road with Trucks, Motorcycles, and Cyclists

Sharing the Road with Trucks, Motorcycles, and Cyclists

Situational Awareness Behind the Wheel: Scanning, Spacing, and Reading Traffic

Situational Awareness Behind the Wheel: Scanning, Spacing, and Reading Traffic

Speed Limits, Speeding Tickets, and What the Law Actually Says

Speed Limits, Speeding Tickets, and What the Law Actually Says

Tailgating Is More Dangerous Than Most Drivers Realize

Tailgating Is More Dangerous Than Most Drivers Realize

Teen Drivers and Graduated Licensing: What Parents Should Understand

Teen Drivers and Graduated Licensing: What Parents Should Understand

The Basics of Traffic Signals, Right-of-Way, and Intersection Rules

The Basics of Traffic Signals, Right-of-Way, and Intersection Rules

Wet Roads, Hydroplaning, and How Drivers Lose Control Without Warning

Wet Roads, Hydroplaning, and How Drivers Lose Control Without Warning

What New Drivers Often Get Wrong in Their First Year Behind the Wheel

What New Drivers Often Get Wrong in Their First Year Behind the Wheel

When Cruise Control Helps — and When It Creates Risk

When Cruise Control Helps — and When It Creates Risk

Auto Insurance Myths That Cost American Drivers Money

Auto Insurance Myths That Cost American Drivers Money

Building a Realistic Car Budget That Accounts for More Than the Monthly Payment

Building a Realistic Car Budget That Accounts for More Than the Monthly Payment

Car Depreciation: Why Your Vehicle Loses Value and What It Means for You

Car Depreciation: Why Your Vehicle Loses Value and What It Means for You

Financing a Car: Loans, Dealerships, and Credit Unions Compared

Financing a Car: Loans, Dealerships, and Credit Unions Compared

First Car Ownership: Understanding the Basics of Insurance, Loans, and Running Costs

First Car Ownership: Understanding the Basics of Insurance, Loans, and Running Costs

Gap Insurance and When It Makes Financial Sense

Gap Insurance and When It Makes Financial Sense

How Car Insurance Premiums Are Actually Calculated

How Car Insurance Premiums Are Actually Calculated

Keeping Vehicle Costs Under Control Over the Long Term

Keeping Vehicle Costs Under Control Over the Long Term

Leasing vs. Buying a Car

Leasing vs. Buying a Car

Liability, Collision, and Comprehensive Coverage: What Each One Actually Covers

Liability, Collision, and Comprehensive Coverage: What Each One Actually Covers

Selling a Financed Car: What Owners Need to Know

Selling a Financed Car: What Owners Need to Know

The Financial Realities New Car Owners Often Underestimate

The Financial Realities New Car Owners Often Underestimate

The True Cost of Owning a Car in America

The True Cost of Owning a Car in America

Vehicle Registration, Titles, and Liens: A State-by-State Overview

Vehicle Registration, Titles, and Liens: A State-by-State Overview

What Affects Your Credit Score When You Finance a Car

What Affects Your Credit Score When You Finance a Car

What to Check Before You Sign a Car Loan Agreement

What to Check Before You Sign a Car Loan Agreement