Be prepared for anything with a Car Emergency Kit!

Tips to safely tow a camper Summer is a time for adventure and enjoying the outdoors. One of the best ways people like to do those things is by camping! Camping allows you to travel to a new place and totally immerse yourself in nature. Learn how to safely tow your camper this summer right here! more Read More: What should I pack in the car for my road trip? Safety tips for towing a camper There are a number of things you can do to ensure you are safely hauling your camper (or any kind of trailer!). Check out these safety tips: Make sure your vehicle is equipped to tow what you need. Just because your truck or SUV has a tow hitch, doesn't mean you can hook up anything you want! Pay attention to your vehicle's towing capabilities and weight of your camper to ensure your vehicle is equipped to handle the load. Don't forget to consider the weight of your luggage and passengers in the vehicle as well! Try to pack light. Any supplies that you can get when you arrive at your destination will help you have a lighter load on the road. Get food and water after you set up camp if possible, and pack light for clothes and gear. Line up your mirrors for the best vision possible. You will likely have to adjust your side and rearview mirrors in order to gather a better view around your camper, so don't forget to do this before you hit the road! If you regularly tow large items, it might be wise to invest in towing side mirrors that are larger and give you a better view around your camper. Slow down, and drive consistently. When you are carrying a heavy load, using caution on the road is the best advice you can follow. Take it slow, and never slam on the brakes to avoid jackknifing. View Our Truck Inventory We hope these tips help you travel safely with your camper this summer! For all of your automotive needs, come to Palmen Motors!

At Palmen Motors, we take safety very seriously. While we pride ourselves on selling vehicles with great capability and safety ratings in the event of an accident, we know that the best thing for everyone is not to have an accident in the first place. As winter solidifies its icy grip on our driving lives this season, we need to be more vigilant than ever in preventing accidents. Here are some of our top tips for staying safe this winter. more 1. Maintain your tires and tire pressure. If you’ve been putting off getting your tires replaced because you don’t want to pay for them, you’ve already waited too long and are putting yourself, your passengers, and everyone else on the road in danger by not taking care of this necessary and serious maintenance issue. Winter accidents happen when people lose control of their vehicles, and one of the largest factors in your ability to stay in control is the quality of your tires. It’s worth the money, and we can help you find good, affordable tires here. Tire pressure is also a serious issue in winter. During times of extreme cold, your tire pressure can drop by over a pound an hour that your car isn’t garaged. The recommendation is that you add air once a week to prevent dangerous flats and blow-outs. 2. Slow down and keep a safe following distance. This one is for everyone, no matter what you drive. Even if you’ve got the most capable, hearty, all-terrain, off-road wonder of a vehicle and would feel totally comfortable cruising along at summertime highway speeds, think about it. Are you the only person on the road? Do you think the roadway is more or less safe when you drive aggressively amongst drivers of all vehicle abilities and experience levels in dangerous conditions? Please err on the side of safety for everyone. We’re all out there doing our best. 3. Never use cruise control in winter. Just pretend you don’t have it. Seriously. It’s a great feature for normal, safe driving conditions, but it’s not appropriate on a snowy, icy winter highway. 4. Lights on at all times. It’s shocking how many vehicles out on the road today don’t follow this simple prevention measure. The use of your lights during the day will significantly improve other drivers’ ability to see where you are and gauge their distance from you, and it’ll also improve your own ability to see. Turn ‘em on. 5. Spend time teaching younger drivers how to drive in winter. This may not be directly related to your own driving, but it’s definitely connected to all of our safety. Some of the most dangerous drivers on the road today are young people without enough experience to know how to handle the difficult conditions. Please spend some quality time with the ones in your life  making sure they are informed and confident on how to drive safely. We’ll all be better for it.

Where Should My Dog Sit in My Car? Sure he wants to sit here, but it's actually not good for him. Here at Palmen Motors, we sell some very pet-friendly vehicles. And for many drivers, there’s nothing like heading down the open roads with their best friend next to them. But if that best friend is a dog, there are some things to keep in mind to make sure that he or she is safe in your vehicle. For many, it’s a simple answer to the question “ Where should my dog sit in my car?” more We’ve all seen a dog with its head hanging out a vehicle’s window, catching the wind in its face. Or even a dog that is riding in the bed of a truck. While the dog may seem to be enjoying both of these situations, they actually aren’t the safest spots for a dog to be in a car. Obviously, the bed of a truck can be very dangerous as the dog will likely get injured or worse if the vehicle stops abruptly. But many people don’t know that letting a dog stick its head out the window is pretty unsafe as well. Can we all agree that this isn't safe for a dog? When a dog has its head out the window, it can easily be hit by debris or even fall out of the vehicle. Prolonged exposure to the wind can also irritate the dog’s mucous membranes or blow dirt and grit into its eyes. It’s okay to give the dog a quick sniff of the outside air or to have its head out briefly, but a prolonged period of time can damage the dog’s health and be risk for injury. What is the Safest Spot for a Dog? So, where should my dog sit in my car? Well, the back seat is actually the safest spot. A dog in the front seat can be distracting and it can also be dangerous for the dog in the event of a collision. Whereas the back seat keeps the dog safest in the event of an accident and keeps the distractions at bay. It may be tough to deny him of his favorite seat, but it’s worth not putting him in harm’s way.