Stop on Red Week: Promoting Safety at Intersections
Intersection crashes are among the most dangerous traffic incidents, often resulting in severe injuries and fatalities. To raise awareness and encourage safe driving, National Stop on Red Week is observed every year during the first week of August. This initiative serves as a vital reminder of the importance of adhering to traffic signals and underscores the devastating consequences of running red lights.
The History and Importance of Stop on Red Week
Established by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) in 1995, National Stop on Red Week was created to educate the public about the severity of traffic collisions and the critical role traffic signals play in preventing accidents. The first stop sign appeared in Detroit in 1915, and by the late 1920s, the red background and octagon shape were standardized to reduce confusion and ensure clear communication to drivers.
The statistics are striking: in 2016, 808 people were killed, and 137,000 were injured due to red-light running. Between 2008 and 2021, an estimated 11,296 lives were lost in crashes related to running red lights. These figures highlight the urgent need for initiatives like Stop on Red Week to remind drivers of their duty to obey traffic signals.
Why Stop on Red Week is Crucial
Traffic signals are essential control mechanisms that keep intersections safe. Stop on Red Week focuses on the dangers of reckless driving and the importance of following traffic signals to prevent accidents and save lives. Disregarding red lights and stop signs can lead to catastrophic collisions, underscoring the need for controlled speed and direction at intersections to ensure road safety. While most drivers understand basic traffic laws, their significance can sometimes be overlooked, making Stop on Red Week a crucial opportunity to reinforce why these rules are vital and their life-saving impact.
Advanced Car Safety Features
Modern technology has introduced a variety of advanced safety features designed to prevent accidents, especially at intersections. Here are some of the most effective features related to automatic emergency braking:
- Blind Spot Detection: Alerts drivers to vehicles in their blind spots, helping prevent side-impact collisions.
- Forward Collision Warning: Monitors the road ahead and warns drivers of potential collisions, providing time to react.
- Brake Assist: Enhances braking power during emergency stops, reducing stopping distances.
- Adaptive Cruise Control: Automatically adjusts speed to maintain a safe distance from the car ahead, now a standard feature in many new vehicles.
- Lane Keeping Assist: Helps drivers stay in their lane by providing corrective steering when needed.
These features work together to improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents caused by human error.
Be Safe This August with New Safety Features
National Stop on Red Week is a critical campaign that highlights the importance of obeying traffic signals and the dangers of reckless driving. This week-long initiative aims to reduce intersection-related accidents and save lives by promoting safe driving habits, increasing public awareness, and encouraging the use of advanced vehicle safety features.
At Casa Toyota, we are proud to offer Kia cars equipped with some of the best safety features on the market. Regardless of the type of vehicle you currently own or are considering, our cars come with Toyota Safety Sense, which includes the Pre-Collision System and Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist features in most new models. Trade in your outdated car today and upgrade to enhance your safety on the road this Stop on Red Week!
What SUV is Right for You? A 2024 Chevrolet Traverse vs. 2024 Toyota Highlander Vehicle Comparison
Chevy and Toyota have unveiled two impressive SUVs for 2024, with 2025 models just around the corner. Each vehicle has its strengths, so which SUV suits you best? Dive into our informative vehicle comparison to guide your decision-making process at the dealership!
2024 Chevrolet Traverse
The Chevy Traverse is driven by a robust 315-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, available in multiple trims with AWD, and starts at a competitive $38,995, inclusive of its extensive features. Notable features comprise Chevrolet’s Super Cruise, a spacious 17.7-inch diagonal infotainment display with Google integration, achieving 23 combined mpg, and offering a leading 98 cu. ft. maximum cargo capacity—an ideal companion for all your road trip essentials.
The 2024 Chevy Traverse offers several trim models including the LS, LT, Z71, and RS with a variety of added features including wireless charging, additional passenger seating, bicyclist alert, lane change alert, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, blind zone steering assist, and more. The all-new 2025 Chevy Traverse looms on the horizon, with orders and productions expected to begin late in August of this year. Despite only minor changes anticipated, current specs are not publicly available which leads to speculation and excitement on how this domestic powerhouse will perform in the new release year.
2024 Toyota Highlander
Comparatively, the 2024 Toyota Highlander is loaded with a 265-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder turbo engine on the base model. The EPA rates the Highlander with a 25-mpg combined mileage comparable to the competition, with better mileage options for hybrid options. A few highlights include a dual-screen setup of 12.3 screens offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and multiple USB ports; a maximum 5,000 lb. towing capacity, an available panoramic moonroof, and the suite of Toyota Safety Sense safety features.
The Toyota Highlander offers a variety of trims, including electrified options, that feature cosmetic and technological upgrades like heated power outside mirrors with turn signals and blind spot warning indicators. Toyota has been one of the major players in electrified vehicles in the North American market, with cars that have set the pace for the future of vehicles.
Trust Our Vehicle Comparison and Let Us Get You into Your New SUV!
This vehicle comparison is a seesaw contest between those two incredibly midsize SUVs. Ultimately, the two models offer ample interior room for passengers and cargo, modern technology, and identical warranties. The final decision will largely depend on each driver’s needs. Not everyone needs a large vehicle and extra footage for cargo isn’t a draw, opting for a more mileage-friendly city vehicle – while other drivers may need all-wheel-drive for their day-to-day.
Whichever your needs, Casa Toyota can help you find the right vehicle for you. Whether you’re blown away by the Highlander’s features or you’d rather test-drive another vehicle type like the 2025 Toyota Camry. Visit our dealership and learn more about the great, modern options of Toyota cars available today!
Runner’s High: The New 4Runner is Finally Here
Although it wasn’t quite as long as our wait between eclipses, we’ve been waiting 15 long years for a new model of the Toyota 4Runner. The fifth-generation 4Runner was revealed in 2009; since then, we’ve seen three presidential elections, a global pandemic, and the Chicago Cubs win a World Series.
Thankfully, now that we’ve seen the 2025 Toyota 4Runner, the wait appears to be well worth it. Much more than another facelift, the new 4Runner arrives with a new engine, vastly updated interior, and more safety tech and features than ever before.
A 4Runner for a New Era
At first glance, the new sixth-generation 4Runner doesn’t appear to deviate drastically from its fifth-generation iteration. When it comes to exterior style, Toyota avoided making any dramatic alterations to the SUV’s proven formula; when you see it, you won’t mistake it for anything other than a 4Runner.
And yet the 2025 4Runner is no minor update – it’s an all-new vehicle, inside and out. This is immediately apparent under hood, where the near-defunct 4.0-liter V-6 engine has been replaced by Toyota’s tried-and-true 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder, good for 278 hp and 317 lb.-ft. For the first time, higher trims (there are nine total, including the new Trailhunter and Platinum editions) of the 4Runner get a hybrid engine that boosts those numbers to 326 hp and 425 lb.-ft. If the word “hybridization” in relation to Toyota’s off-road champion gives you pause, rest assured there’s no mistaking this for a Prius; the i-Force Max hybrid engine is there to optimize performance, rather than prioritizing fuel economy.
In addition to the new powertrains, the new 4Runner has an upgraded frame. It shares its TGNA-F frame and suspension architecture with recent models of the Tacoma. Like the Tacoma, the 4Runner’s wheelbase has been lengthened at the front to accommodate larger tires. In the back, the 4Runner’s new styling jogs up past the rear doors; combined with the SUV’s expanded length, it gives it an altogether bulkier, more muscular appearance. Meanwhile, the rear side windows’ upper edges roll onto the roof, evoking memories of the 4Runner’s first- and second-generation ancestors.
Change from the Inside
If the new 4Runner’s exterior is a welcome but familiar sight, the interior is all about upending expectations. With more safety tech and features than ever before, the inside of the modernized 2025 4Runner practically overflows with ideas.
The cabin has been completely overhauled, and once again the 4Runner has turned to the clean lines of the Tacoma for inspiration; the instrument cluster, center stack, and various buttons, knobs, and switches are identical to what you’d find in Toyota’s off-road pickup. Each trim comes with a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Overall, you’ll find the following when you peak inside the new 4Runner:
- Screen-Mounted USB Port
- Upright Wireless Charge Pad
- Roll-Down Rear Window Button
- Digital Rearview Mirror
- Rear Climate
- Cupholders for Optional Third-Row Seats
Coming to Casa Toyota this Autumn
The all-new Toyota 4Runner won’t be available until the fall – but after weathering the 15-year hiatus between models, what’s another couple of months? While we wait, pay us a visit at Casa Toyota: Alamogordo’s home for all things Toyota.
Stop in today and browse our expansive collection of new and certified pre-owned Toyota vehicles. From the electrified 2024 Grand Highlander Hybrid to the desert-defying 2024 Tundra, we’re sure to have the vehicle to match your preferences. And with our Service Center on standby to handle your battery replacement, tire rotation, oil change, and other maintenance concerns, you’ll have everything you need to keep your Toyota on the road until the seventh-generation 4Runner arrives… most likely in a decade or two.
Celebrate the End of National Car Care Month
April is National Car Care Month, and we know what you’re probably thinking: why? It can be easy to forget, but outside of the Alamogordo area, most of the country has to trudge through long, cumbersome winters. Thus, April has become the designated time to recoup after the winter, handling any maintenance issues that may have gone ignored and making sure your vehicle is set for the rainy season ahead.
Although we don’t have to deal with as many elemental nuisances as car owners in the north and northeast, the stormy summer months are still right around the corner. That makes April the ideal month to inspect each component of your car, ensuring it’s in top shape for the year ahead. For your convenience, Casa Toyota has prepared a list of maintenance tips you should adhere to as April winds to a close.
1. Check and/or Replace Your Tires
Our tires thankfully don’t get affected by winter weather, where each 10-degree drop can cause their air pressure to lose a full PSI. Nevertheless, checking the state of your tires is an appropriate way to kick off National Car Care Month. You should get your tires aligned at least once a year – which the trained technicians at our Service Center can handle for you. Check your air pressure to make sure your tires are at their optimal PSI, as indicated by the sticker inside your driver’s door. Lastly, check the wear on your treads; if they’re showing significant wear or damage, you’re most likely ready for a replacement set.
2. Check Your Brakes
You should check your tires so you can get where you want to be. Conversely, inspect your brakes to prevent winding up where you don’t want to be. If you hear any squealing, squeaking, or other irregular noises emanating from your brakes, it’s time to schedule your service immediately. Squealing brakes are most likely a sign that your brake pads are thinning. Your brakes’ rotors, linings, and drums should all be thoroughly inspected. An ideal time to do this is during every oil change. Speaking of…
3. Get Your Oil Changed
It used to be that every 3,000 miles was the standard checkpoint to change your oil. Thanks to modern lubricants, that number has shifted to intervals of 5,000-7,500 miles. (That number can climb significantly higher if your car’s engine requires full-synthetic oil.) Although it’s convenient to have to change our oil less often, it also makes it easier to forget about your oil altogether. To ensure it doesn’t slip your mind, make April your regular time of year for a standard oil change.
4. Refill All Other Fluids
Your car is thirsty by nature, and it takes more than motor oil to quench it. Check your brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, coolant, and windshield washer fluid, refilling them to their recommended levels. As the heat intensifies this summer and storms develop, these various fluids will be instrumental to both your car’s health and your personal safety.
5. Clean Your Car
It’s spring-cleaning season – an exercise that shouldn’t be limited to your home. Give your car a thorough wash to relieve it from all this dry air. If you take it to one of our local car washes – such as El Paso’s Splash N’ Dash – be sure to take advantage of any available vacuums, cleaning out all the dirt and debris that might have accumulated over the past few months.
Take Care of Your Spring Maintenance at Casa Toyota
If this spring checklist seems daunting, don’t fear; you don’t have to tackle everything yourself. At Casa Toyota, our expert service technicians are here to handle all your spring maintenance needs. From tire rotations to parts replacement, we’ll handle all of your Toyota’s maintenance your vehicle requires in one convenient stop. Send off April the right way by taking your vehicle to Casa Toyota: Alamogordo’s National Car Care Month headquarters.
The Best Toyotas to Buy 2024 Graduates
May has arrived, meaning that once again, graduation season is upon us. Whether your loved one is graduating high school or college, it’s a time for both emotional farewells and invigorating new chapters. But to get to where they want to be, the graduate in your life needs a trustworthy vehicle.
If you’re looking to gift your graduate with a new car, truck or SUV, there are several important factors to consider, including: fuel economy, storage space, technology features, and – most importantly – safety. Whether they’re leaving for college or setting off for post-graduate adventures, you’ll want to do everything in your power to prepare them for what lies ahead.
To ensure maximum peace of mind, consider gifting them one of the following two Kelly Blue Book-approved Toyotas. You’ll find them in stock at Casa Toyota: your headquarters for new graduates.
The 2024 Toyota Corolla
Whether your graduate recently received their degree from NMSU in Alamogordo or is just preparing to set off for their first fall semester, the ever-reliable Toyota Corolla is here to keep the family connected. Bluetooth with voice recognition, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa are all supported. The Corolla offers modern driving amenities such as automatic climate control, remote keyless entry, and a rear-seat center armrest. The EPA has the Corolla’s government-estimated combined fuel economy at an efficient 35 mpg.
If safety is your primary concern, the Corolla is your answer. An IIHS Top Safety Pick, every version of the 2024 Toyota Corolla comes with Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0. This full suite of driver assistance safety features includes:
- Pedestrian detection
- Automatic emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane-departure warning
- Lane-keeping assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- Automatic high beams
The 2024 Toyota Prius
Much has been written about the 2024 Toyota Prius, the most recent MotorTrend Car of the Year recipient. Though it will cost more than the Corolla, the Prius remains the gold standard for hybrid vehicles, making it a perfect choice for campus life. The Prius underwent a redesign with its 2023 model, giving it a sportier, elongated appearance, while sacrificing none of its awesome combined driving fuel economy (57 mpg). Students headed north can also prepare for the snowy fall semester by adding AWD.
Also named an IIHS Top Safety Pick, every trim of the 2024 Prius includes automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, high-beam assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Send Them Off in Style
Turn your tassels. Toss your caps. Get that terrible Vitamin C song out of your system. Then, begin your post-graduate car buying experience at Casa Toyota.
Learn how you can earn towards your next new vehicle via our College Rebate Program, turning your hard-earned degree into a well-earned rebate of up to $500 on all new, unlicensed Toyota vehicles.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a new Toyota for your graduate, you’ve come to the right place. We won’t be satisfied until we pair them with a vehicle that exceeds your safety standards. Sleep easier knowing your son or daughter is driving a tried-and-true vehicle by visiting Alamogordo’s most tried-and-true Toyota dealership, Casa Toyota.
Steps to Take When Your Engine Overheats
Switch Off the Air Conditioner and Increase the Heat
Though it seems wildly counterintuitive, turning off the AC and cranking up the heat is the first action to take upon suspecting an overheating engine. Deactivating the air conditioner relieves the engine’s stress, while raising the heat in your cabin diverts the heat away from the engine.
Keep Calm, Find a Secure Place to Stop, & Turn Off the Engine
In such a nerve-racking situation, it’s most important to remain composed. Your brand-new Toyota Camry isn’t about to explode instantly; losing your cool raises the risk of error, possibly causing irreversible damage. Simply reduce your speed until you find a secure spot to stop. Once stationary, turn off the engine and monitor the temperature gauge, which should start to normalize as the engine cools.
Plot Your Path to the Garage
This situation highlights the importance of making sure your phone is charged before embarking on any trip. If you’re still in the Alamogordo area, you’ll want to bring your Toyota to our Service Center. Get in touch with your trusted roadside assistance service and set up a tow, if required. If your engine has cooled sufficiently and you think you can reach us without assistance, cautiously restart the engine and start driving. Pay close attention to the temperature gauge. If it starts to rise again, stop and allow the engine to cool once more.
Service Your Vehicle Today at Casa Toyota
While you now possess the vital information to handle these unpredictable situations, the question remains as to what caused the overheating. Numerous factors could cause your vehicle to overheat; a coolant system leak, a malfunctioning water pump, or a low engine oil level could all be likely culprits.
To guarantee your engine’s health in the future, schedule your summer service appointment at Casa Toyota. From routine oil changes to battery diagnosis, our service experts will cater to your vehicle’s every need. The heat might be intensifying throughout Alamogordo, but here at Casa Toyota, cooler heads always prevail.
Companies are racing to improve hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in what can be called the auto industry’s next revolution. This week, Toyota announced their hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle is built and being tested in the UK in their quest for zero-emissions.
The Hilux Project – Toyota’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle
Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell Project Hilux has finally entered the demonstration phase with 10 prototypes, using Toyota’s fuel cell electric technology. Despite still undergoing evaluation, five vehicles have been sent out for field testing, with the other five being used for demonstrations – including at the incoming 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic games.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are the next frontier in the auto industry’s push for clean fuels and fossil fuel replacements despite the undeveloped tech being around since 1966. With Toyota’s Beyond Zero Vision, the company is pushing to reach their vision of being beyond carbon neutrality with their products for a better world – something Toyota is proud of as the automaker that offers the most low and zero-emission vehicles than any other company currently in the market.
Toyota Mirai
Initially introduced at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Toyota Mirai officially debuted in 2022 with its 2023 model year, selling 21,475 units as the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. While the tech wasn’t there yet for mass production a decade ago, the moment is ripe for electric and hydrogen cell vehicles. The 2024 Toyota Mirai offers some impressive features including affordable prices for the new tech and a 402-mile range – far more than most if any Electric Vehicles currently on the global market.
While the 2024 Toyota Mirai sales aren’t currently high, this can largely be attributed to the lack of infrastructure in the United States and globally. Electric Vehicles are having their moment in the sun, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles need a lot more infrastructure to grow. This next step in auto fuel will likely become popular in the US after government-sponsored changes to EVs gain more traction and consumers can think of transitioning from gas to EVs and eventually to FHEVs. For now, much of the market lies in Asia and Europe. When will we see the Mirai popularized in the US? Only time will tell.
Help Save The World with Toyota
Join the eco-conscious revolution with any of Toyota’s great lineup of hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid, and Electric Vehicle cars currently available. Hydrogen fuel cells may be cutting edge in the United States now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help save the world by going electric!
At Casa Toyota we offer a variety of great electrified models such as the 2024 Toyota Prius Prime, the 2025 Toyota Crown, and the 2024 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Join the brand with the most eco-friendly fleet of quality vehicles currently available! Visit our dealership and test drive any of these models today and help the environment as we work towards a carbon-neutral future!
