Consumer Reports Recommends Highlander and Prius for 2015

Most drivers do everything they possibly can to avoid a car accident, but statistically – most drivers will find themselves involved in a car accident at some point in time. Not only are car accidents inconvenient but they can cause expensive damages to your vehicle, possible traffic tickets, injuries, and liability issues. If you are involved in a car accident, there are several things you should never do - including the following: Drive away from the accident: even if there are no damages involved in the car accident, you must never just drive away from the scene. You have to check on any other drivers and people involved, exchange car insurance information, and even report minor fender benders to law enforcement. Not doing these things is considered a crime. Skip calling the police: even if no one was hurt in the car accident and you and any other drivers involved have decided it’s a minor incident that doesn’t need to be reported – you must call the police after a car accident. You can’t be sure the other drivers have up to date insurance coverage. You can’t be sure the other driver doesn’t have active arrest warrants. You can’t be sure the other parties involved in the accident won’t go to the hospital later with injuries they say come from the accident. Always get a police report documenting the car accident as protection for yourself. Blame the other driver or admit fault: never yell at the other driver(s) and blame them for the accident even if it was their fault.  Keep calm and ask them if they are alright instead of getting angry that they caused a car accident – even if it was their fault.  Also, never admit that you did anything wrong after a car accident as this is the same as legally admitting liability for the accident which could result in law suits and other penalties.

Country songs and pickup trucks go together like peanut butter and jelly. While these songs don’t mention Toyota specifically in the lyrics, you know that Toyota’s pickup trucks fit right into the country lifestyle and could very well be the star of each of these songs. Which is your favorite? “We Rode in Trucks,” Luke Bryan Luke sings about his life on the farm, including the truck and it’s importance for the daily farm life. “Truck Yeah”, Tim McGraw This is a song about redneck life and of having fun. “Hillbilly Deluxe”, Brooks & Dunn In this song, one of the best things about living a country life is riding around in pickup trucks with a lady by your side. “I Drive Your Truck”, Lee Brice Lee sings about someone driving around in the truck of someone who had passed away. “I Love My Truck”, Glen Campbell “Mud on the Tires”, Brad Paisley Brad sings about buying a new truck and feeling excited by it and taking it out to get mud on the tires. “Somethin’ Bout a Truck”, Kip Moore The lyrics of this song feature a truck, an ice cold beer, and a lady. “Rough and Ready”, Trace Adkins Trace sings about the cowboy life (which of course includes pickup trucks) and the type of woman he wants in his life. “How Country Feels”, Randy Houser Randy sings about riding in a pickup truck while watching the sunset and rise as the description of what country feels like. “Big ‘Ol Truck”, Toby Keith Toby sings about wanting to meet a woman driving around in a big pickup truck. “Suds in the Bucket”, Sara Evans In this song, an 18 year old takes off with a man in a pickup truck.

A credit score is a three-digital number used by lenders to determine the likelihood that you’ll repay the money you borrow. The score is determined by a variety of factors including your past payment history, how much money you already owe to other lenders, and how much of your available credit you’re using. When you want to buy a car with a car loan, you want to have the highest credit score possible. The higher your credit score, the better your interest rate and repayment terms. Here are a few tips for improving your credit score: Reduce Your Debt One factor used in the calculation of your credit score is how much credit you have available to you versus the amount of credit you’re using. To improve your credit score and improve your chances of getting approved for a vehicle loan, pay down your credit card balances and any other revolving debt balance you have. You want to keep how much you owe at 30% or lower of your available balance. Don’t Close Accounts With Good Repayment Records When you pay off credit cards that you have had a strong repayment history on for years, don’t close the account or cancel the credit card. You want your good credit history to remain on your credit report as long as possible, and if you close the account it will disappear from your record in about seven years. Closing accounts can further reduce your credit score because it reduces the amount of available credit you have; making it seem like your debt in comparison to your available credit. Pay Bills on Time Always pay your bills on or before the due date to avoid late fees and to avoid a negative notation on your credit report. Repeated late payments will cause your credit score to decrease, while making your payments on time over time will increase your credit score.