How Car Maintenance Can Help Prevent a Car Accident

Regularly maintaining your car can decrease your chances of being in an auto accident this summer.

Each summer, millions of people hit the road for vacation. Whether you are heading to the mountains for some hiking or thinking of soaking up some sun at the beach, whenever you are on the road for an extended time, you increase your chances of getting into a car accident. Before you head on your summer path, it is an excellent idea to make sure your car is in proper working order.

Being a careful driver and obeying traffic laws isn’t the only way to prevent car accidents. You can significantly decrease your odds of being in a car accident if you make sure that your car is in good working order and the safest it can be when you are going on vacation.

Check Your Brakes Work as They Should

One of the most important car maintenance tips is ensuring your brakes work. Driving a car with poor brakes is never a good idea.

That said, make sure you check your brakes for any worn brake pads, fluid leaks, and other brake issues. Also, be on the lookout for any weird squeaks and vibrations coming from the brakes. These are indicators that you need to replace your brake pads.

Clean Your Headlights

Are you having trouble seeing the road clearly while driving at night? If you are, the problem may not be your eyes. Before replacing your headlights, you may consider cleaning them first.

Most headlights have a transparent coating that protects them against UV lights. Unfortunately, with time, this coating turns foggy and can reduce the effectiveness of the headlights. Use a headlights restoration kit to clean and restore the headlights to their former glory.

Check Your Windshield Wipers

Your windshield wipers are critical when you need them, but may not know they aren’t working until you need them. By then it may be too late, and you are putting yourself at risk.

It is recommended to have your windshield wiper blades replaced before you go on vacation if they have not been changed recently. That way, you can make sure that your visibility is always optimal no matter what type of weather you endure.

Change Your Oil & Fluids

If you are going to head out on a long trip, change your oil. Not only is it an excellent idea to increase your gas mileage, changing your oil will make sure that your car doesn’t break down in the middle of the highway, which is highly dangerous as it can lead to a car accident.

Additionally, don’t forget to check your car’s coolant, brake, power steering, and transmission fluids. If they’re running low, top them up as soon as you can.


Check the Treads on Your Car’s Tires

Make sure that your tires are in good shape and that there is still a decent amount of tread on them. If the treads are worn, and you encounter rain, then you run the risk of hydroplaning and not being able to stop if there is standing water on the pavement.

Also, if the treads are running thin, then you are increasing the likelihood that your tire could experience a flat or pop, which can put you and your family in a perilous position.

Have Your Tires Rotated and the Alignment Checked

Not many people think about having their tires rotated as often as they should. If your tires aren’t balanced, or your alignment may be off, then you are putting yourself at a higher risk of being in an accident. Have a professional check out the way that your car drives before you drive it hundreds of miles.

Decrease your chances of being in a crash this summer by having your car maintained before you hit the road. The little expense that it takes to make sure everything is in proper working order is well worth reducing the risk that you, or your family, is injured in a car accident.

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