The holidays are upon us, and our Toyota of Plano team wants to ensure that you have the tips and tools to stay safe on the roads this season. While Texas weather can often be highly unpredictable, we have put together a list of helpful tips to keep you safe this season.
It’s no secret that Toyota is a leader in the automotive industry. The automotive manufacturer has a long history of innovation, including its many successful efforts to improve driver safety. For example, Toyota has been working for years on autonomous technology that would allow cars to drive themselves. The latest development within Toyota’s autonomous research will allow vehicles to use techniques like controlled drifting to navigate obstacles or hazardous road conditions. However, despite all their progress thus far, there is still more work to be done before fully autonomous cars are available for purchase by consumers. In the meantime, drivers can take advantage of other features like lane assist and adaptive cruise control that work together with your car’s existing safety features to keep you from injury and injuring others while behind the wheel. In addition to utilizing our vehicle’s safety features, it's up to us as drivers and passengers to take the safety precautions necessary to avoid injury or accidents this winter season!
The tires on your vehicle significantly impact your driving experience. In fact, maintaining the appropriate inflation level is essential for safe driving. With Texas temperatures constantly changing, your vehicle's tire pressure must be checked more regularly. When tires are properly inflated, it provides the best traction possible and extends their overall lifespan. While underinflation can cause uneven wear and fuel efficiency problems, and overinflation can cause heat buildup that leads to tire failure or damage to other components in the suspension system. If you’re unsure of the ideal tire pressure for your vehicle’s front and rear tires, reach out to one of our talented service advisors at Toyota of Plano - our team would be happy to help.
Have you checked your lights? Most vehicles have low beam, high beam, fog, daytime, brake, turning indicators, and more lighting settings. With all these extremely helpful and important lighting settings comes maintenance. Working lights can mean the world of a difference when facing unexpected harsh weather conditions. Prepare for the unexpected by ensuring your vehicle's lights are properly functioning. Visit your service advisor at Toyota of Plano and ask about your vehicle’s exterior light health.
Change your windshield wipers as needed. While generally wipers should be changed every six to twelve months, as the winter weather approaches, it’s important to check the condition of your wipers. Cold and rainy weather can cause your windshield wipers to wear or even sustain damage due to increased use. Your wiper blades help to maintain your visibility on the road and should be assessed as a safety precaution.
Your best line of defense as a driver during the holiday months is staying alert. This may seem like an obvious strategy for safe driving, but during the holiday season, when there’s more cars and trucks driving on the road, you have to be especially alert. If you’re planning on driving long distances, try to have a competent backup driver with you. Make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before a drive. Don’t drink and drive. Find a playlist that will keep you alert and energized. Finally, we encourage you to take plenty of stops - this can help you improve your overall concentration throughout the drive.
We are fortunate to have customers that visit us from all over the metroplex, including Dallas County, Denton, Plano, Carrollton, Frisco, Allen, and more! If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, stop by Toyota of Plano, and you’ll leave confident that you’re prepared for this winter season. Find out why more DFW drivers trust Toyota of Plano as their vehicle service center today!
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