Driving After Dark: Tips And Tricks

It’s a snowy one out there, and your friends here at Fiore Toyota want to help make sure that if you have to hit the road, you do so safely! You might be used to winter roads, but that doesn’t make it any easier to get from point A to point B once the snow has fallen. We want to suggest staying off the roads and avoiding travel, but we do understand that isn’t always possible. So, we invite all drivers to take a peek below at our tips and tricks for driving in the snow, everyday driving, and long-distance driving. It never hurts to refresh yourself on best practices to ensure a safer trip! And, if you were planning on stopping into Fiore Toyota to shop for a new Toyota, don’t stress! Head over to our website to shop, value your trade-in, get pre-approved, and build your deal, all from the comfort of your own home with Fiore Direct Buy! Have any questions or concerns? Contact us today! Tips For Driving In The Snow: Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for gaining traction and avoiding skids. Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly. The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold braking. Don’t stop if you can avoid it. Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Make it know what kind of driving assistance you have (AAA, Roadside Assistance, etc.) Everyday Driving Tips: Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage. Make certain your tires are properly inflated. Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up. If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy, and snowy weather. Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand). Always look and steer where you want to go. Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle. Long-Distance Driving Tips: Watch Weather Reports Service your vehicle before hitting the road Keep at least half a tank at all times If you become snow-bound, stay with your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a rolled-up window to signal distress, if needed. Make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow, ice, or mud if you slide off the road Shop From Home!

When your car battery dies in a parking lot, or a scary indicator lights up on your dash making you pull over, or, worst of all, you’ve been in an accident and your vehicle is undrivable; who ya gonna call? A Tow Truck! But, we know calling for a tow can be scary and stressful. So, to help you feel a bit more prepared, Fiore Toyota came up with a list of what you’ll have to know when having your car towed! Have you recently bought, or are planning to buy a new Toyota with the help of the Fiore Toyota team? Then you may be eligible to sign up for our Toyotacare or Toyotacare Plus. Our plans offer 24 hour roadside assistance, free routine maintenance, as well as a myriad of other services. If you’d like to learn more about either of these plans, feel free to contact us. Not a Toyota driver? Schedule a test-drive today and let us change that for you! What You Need To Know When Having Your Car Towed: Get yourself and your vehicle to safety. Hopefully you’ll be in a safe, well-lit parking lot when you need a tow. But, if you happen to need a tow from a more dangerous spot, be sure to do what you can to get your car off the road and put out any indicators you may have (cones, flags, flares) to alert other drivers of the situation. Gather any documents or other information you might need. To make things go as quickly and smoothly as possible, gather all necessary documents (license, registration, proof of insurance, roadside assistance program membership card, ect.) so you can present them if required. Make the call. Call the nearest Tow Truck service or contact your automaker, auto insurance, or roadside assistance program if enrolled in any of the above. Be as specific as possible when relaying your car’s location. Wait in your vehicle if possible. If your vehicle is in a safe position, we suggest you wait for your tow from inside your car. Depending on your location, the weather, or any other number of factors it may be a while until your tow arrives. Be ready to go for the tow. Hopefully you’ll have gathered all necessary documentation by now and will have it ready to present when the tow truck pulls up. You’ll have to sign some paperwork, but then the tow truck should load your car up and be on its way to a service center! Our team at Fiore Toyota hopes you found our tips helpful!

One of the things that is pretty much a guarantee when it comes to driving is that you’ll encounter at least one other person who’s experiencing road rage or is a little more on edge than a person who is driving a 2,000-pound bullet should be. It’s just a fact of life! But there are a lot of ways that you can avoid falling victim to anger on your commute, also known as road rage. Check them out! First off, always plan for delays on your commute when you leave your house in the morning, or when leaving work if you have plans after hours. No matter what, there’s always the chance of traffic, and being late makes everyone a little edgier. Eliminate that stress and plan for a longer trip - and surprise yourself when you’re early to wherever you’re headed! If someone is tailgating you on the road, then don’t let them get to you. Let them get past you! As soon as it’s safe to do so, let whoever’s been riding your rear bumper like there’s no tomorrow pass your vehicle. Wave them on if they need encouragement, but don’t play games. When it comes to manners, lay off the horn. Not only does honking at other people a lot make them upset, but it subconsciously makes you upset as well! And when you’re upset, you drive like a maniac. That’s just a fact. If you do get worked up a little and start feeling agitated, take deep breaths and listen to soothing music or talk radio quietly to calm you down. It really works! Always focus on being safe while you’re on the road. When you are thinking about driving safely and not paying all of your attention to your music, your passengers, or anything else that is not actively related to your operation of the vehicle, you drive more safely. The last thing is that if you do come across someone who is road raging hard, then let them get past you as soon as you can do so safely. They are dangerous when they are angry in this manner, so just let them go be dangerous somewhere else. Don’t make eye contact, don’t gesture, just let them pass you. Staying Safe Is Easy In A Toyota