We’re so happy it’s Spring, and what perfect timing that today is National Gardening Day!  We are very excited to spend our day planning out our gardens and prepping the beds. Or maybe we’ll head out and take a walk through the botanical garden and enjoy some gorgeous flora. Or maybe we’ll explore the local garden centers and select some new house plants for our indoor gardens, too!  No matter how you choose to spend the day today, rest easy knowing that gardening and spending time in flowers and plants is great for your health, so there’s never a better excuse to take a day off and tiptoe through the tulips!

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On today’s blog, we’re sharing a shortlist of things to remember if you’re ever involved in an accident. Here’s a handy checklist you can print out and keep in your vehicle in case of emergency such as an accident or vehicle collision. Our checklist is intended to be merely informational only, but it may help you keep a clear head to gather all of the necessary information if you’re in a tough spot.

Ways to Be Prepared In Case of a Collision or Car Accident:

Keep an Emergency Car Kit in Your Trunk or Backseat with the following:

• Bottled Water
• Basic First Aid Kit
• Flashlights
• Blankets
• Jumper Cables
• LED Flares
• Blanket/Towels
• Note Pad and Pen/Pencil

Always make sure you have the following items in your glove compartment or on your person:

• Updated license and registration
• Copies of your insurance ID cards
• Emergency contact information of friends/family

What to do if you’ve unfortunately been in an accident or collision with another vehicle:

• Take a deep breath, stay calm, and assess the situation.  You’ve just been involved in a stressful and frightening situation, so emotions will be running high! Do your best to stay calm and collected, and assess the scene and safety of your passengers.
• Stop your vehicle, turn on your hazards, and turn off your engine. Assess the situation as best you can, and determine if it is safe to exit your vehicle. If the vehicles pose a threat to traffic or other drivers, and it is safe to do so, get your vehicles moved to the side of the road and out of oncoming traffic.   Take photographs of the situation as best you are able before moving any vehicles; this may be helpful to insurance/law enforcement’s ability to assess cause/fault.
• Get yourselves to safety if you are unable to move the vehicles; find a safe space in the median, the shoulder, or other safe distance from oncoming traffic or dangerously damaged vehicles.
• Contact 9-1-1 or local law enforcement and let them know that you have been in an accident.  The operator or local police will arrange for an ambulance and officer to arrive on-site and assess all parties.
• Stay calm, avoid getting into arguments, and be sure to have a clear exchange of information with the other party/parties involved:
  • Their name, age, address, phone number, work number/employer info if possible
  • Car insurance company and policy number and policy expiration date
  • License plate number for the driver/owner of each vehicle
• Thoroughly document the situation (for use with your personal injury lawyer and insurance claims agent):
  • Note the date, time, and weather at the time of the incident.
  • Take photos with your cell phone or camera.
  • Create a simple diagram of the incident and the vehicles involved and direction of travel.
  • Document the condition of each car
  • Document any injuries to all involved persons/pets and note if the person is a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or member of the other party
• Request medical assessment and seek medical help. If you feel you have been seriously injured on site, request transport to a hospital or local emergency room. If you do not feel immediate transport is required, call and schedule a doctor’s appointment ASAP and let them know you’ve been in an accident.
• File an accident report, and pick up a copy at the police station or via the Department of Motor Vehicles website.  Report the accident to your insurance company, even if you think the other driver is at fault.  

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Let’s Visit the Mid West Music Fest in Winona Minnesota!

We’re getting ready to take the first road trip of the season!  We’re headed out to Winona in Minnesota for the MidWest Music Fest for two jampacked days of incredible music with more than 100 different artists!  It’s the perfect spring celebration for music lovers, because you can enjoy all of your favorite genres from folk to indie rock to funk and more.

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We love to impart our knowledge of cars to our friends, clients, and readers so they can be better prepared in any situation!  Improve your knowledge of car care with our latest series, the Gearhead Guru Guide.  Our guides are chock full of helpful tips, tricks, and things to look for so you can head off large, costly repairs before they happen!  Learn how to diagnose those strange noises, how to prevent those pesky warning lights from popping up too often, understand who to contact for professional assistance, and save yourself a lot of headaches along the way.

On today’s blog we’re going to go over some common car problems and what to expect.  While these may seem like obvious choices, for a first time car owner, sometimes even the small stuff can seem overwhelming!  With our latest guide, we’ll help you stay calm in a sticky situation.  Let’s talk about common car issues and how to avoid them.

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It’s National Car Care Month!  All month long during April, we’re sharing our tips and pointers for car care basics so you can ensure your vehicle is running smoothly and maintained in top condition for years to come.  Today’s topic is about headlights, turn signals, brake lights, and parking lights!

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The Toyota 4Runner has become a legendary name as a North American off-road vehicle, ready to tackle just about anything that comes its way!  Over its four decade run, this powerhouse vehicle has proven itself time and time again to be a worthy choice for adventure seekers, and the all-new 2025 Toyota 4Runner stays true to its roots.   It’s a durable, dependable and dynamic offroader with impressive capabilities for a new generation! 

Featuring a bold new look, jampbacked with new technology features and amenities, premium materials, a plethora of options, and upgraded safety features, the all-new 2025 Toyota 4Runner is a top notch choice.

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We understand that not all of our followers are able to devote hours into researching everything there is to know about cars, but that’s where we come in!  We’re launching our new topical blog guide, the Gearhead Guru Guide, in order to help you learn more about your vehicle and talk shop with the best of ‘em. 

Learn about common car issues and how to prevent them, and as a result extend the life of your vehicle for years to come. We’ll help you gain more confidence in knowing when it’s time to take your car in for service. You’ll also gain some insights on what to expect as a possible diagnosis from the professionals at said service appointment.  So stick around and soon you’ll learn everything there is to know in a mere flash!

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Did you know that your local Library is more than just a hub for great reading material?  That’s right! This pillar of the community is a great resource for job hunting, learning a new computer program, discovering more about local history, and even a great place to get free passes to local museums or the zoo!  Additionally, libraries are a wonderful resource for socializing and getting to know your neighbor, as many libraries are host to community outreach programming, special workshops and educational lectures with locals in our community!  They’re a vital part of what makes each of our towns a wonderful place to live and work.

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We understand that for most of our customers, buying and selling and repairing cars is not a part of your daily lives, but we’re here to help!  There’s still plenty of important knowledge we can pass along to make the process easier.

Thanks to our handy-dandy guide to automotive terminology, you’ll be able to “talk shop” like the best in the business.  If you’d like to learn more about key phrases and automotive vocabulary before you embark on your car buying journey, look no further than today’s blog post!

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April is National Car Care Month, and all month long we’re sharing a series of tips, tricks, and pointers to keep your vehicle in Tip Top Shape. Be sure to follow along on our social media accounts to make sure you don’t miss any of this helpful info.

Today we’re covering Tire Maintenance 101 and how to extend the life of your tires and drive safely on the road!

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