When you drive your hybrid Toyota through St Louis, St. Charles, or St. Peters, you probably take some items with you in the cargo space. Sometimes, however, you need to carry items that don’t fit well inside of your vehicle. When this happens, there are rules that you should follow to help keep your load safe, as well as to protect the other drivers you’ll be passing as you travel through Missouri.

Some items you need to haul in your new or used hybrid Toyota are so long that they will stick out of the back of your trunk. When this happens, it’s important to make sure that they are properly tied down. You can use string or rope to ensure that they don’t move and that they won’t fall out the back of your vehicle. Another option is elastic cords with hooks at the end. These cables are easy to wrap around the item and, since they stretch, to get a snug fit. With hooks on each end you can easily attach them to your trunk to keep the items secure as well as the lid of your trunk down.

When you have items in your hybrid Toyota that stick out past the end of your vehicle, you may need to attach a red flag to them to be sure that other drivers are aware that they are sticking out further than they may appear. If any item extends more than three feet past the end of your vehicle, you should attach a red flag to the end of the item. This flag can be as simple as a piece of cloth, but it is important to attach it. Some loads, however, are just too long. If the item extends more than six feet past the end of your vehicle, you’ll need to find a new way of hauling it, as it’s not longer safe for other drivers if you have it in your car.

Your hybrid Toyota is powerful enough to haul more than people, but be sure to use common sense with your cargo. Make sure all items that are outside of the vehicle are properly tied down and marked for other drivers, and you’ll keep everyone safer on the road.

As a Missouri driver, the license you use to drive your new certified Toyota through the streets of St Louis isn’t an all or nothing deal. If you get a ticket or have other violations, you may have points assessed against your license. If the point value gets too high, you could have your license suspended or revoked. So, just how do points work, anyhow?

Different violations have different point values in Missouri. Speeding in your certified Toyota, for example, is three points. Leaving the scene of an accident, on the other hand, is 12 points. What really matters is how many points you accumulate in a given time period. If you get eight or more points in an 18 month period, your license will be suspended for 30 days. If this is your second suspension, it will be 60 days. Any further suspensions will be an automatic 90 days.

Sometimes, however, your points accumulate too high for a short term suspension. If you accumulate 12 or more points in 12 months, 18 or more points in 24 months, or 24 points or more in a 36 month time period, your Missouri license will be suspended for a full calendar year.

Once the suspension is over, you’ll need to fill out some paperwork to get your Missouri license reinstated. You’ll need proof of insurance and to pay a $20 fee to have it reinstated. If your license was suspended because of an alcohol related offense in your certified Toyota, the fee is $45 and you’ll have to complete a qualified substance abuse program in addition to providing proof of insurance.

As you can see, getting a speeding ticket in your certified Toyota probably won’t cost you your license. This type of driving can be very dangerous, however, and repeat offenses can really add up. We recommend you follow the law and avoid adding points at all. After all, it’s better to be safe and legal than to have your license suspended!