Automotive Did You Know Highlights

Today’s blog comes from the automotive Did You Know category. First up is the most expensive state in the union to own a vehicle. Can you guess which one? Probably not. The correct answer, believe it or not, is Wyoming, where it costs drivers an average of $2,705 per year (compared to the national average of $2,223). (Source: CNN Money.)

Why does it cost so much to own a car in Wyoming? Simple … Wyoming motorists drive more miles than drivers in any other state. Just in case you’re wondering, Midwest states are typically the least expensive, with Iowa, Ohio and Illinois all coming in at less than $2,000. 

Automotive Did You Know #2

This month marks the 100th anniversary of the stop light, or traffic signal. The vast majority of historians agree that the first stop light was placed at the corner of Euclid and 105th in Cleveland, though the original stop lights are much different than what you see at today’s intersections.

James Hoge founded the American Traffic Signal Company, the first time these signals were mass-produced. While the original traffic signals had no yellow color, it served its purpose. A gentleman named Garrett Morgan is credited with the first T-shaped design, which he later sold to General Electric.

Automotive Did You Know #3

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is reporting that car thieves are taking personal items out of vehicles through the use of high-tech electronic devices. The thieves are using these devices to pop some factory-made locks, allowing them to get inside the car and take what they want.

To help keep from becoming a victim, the NICB suggests safety measures such as locking your vehicle; hiding any big-ticket items; putting shopping bags in the trunk; and closing all windows and sunroofs. After all, each year more than $1 billion in estimated personal property is stolen from vehicles.