Regular maintenance is an important part of car ownership. If you fail to maintain your vehicle, then it will inevitably fall into disrepair. Fortunately, routine maintenance is rarely expensive and can often be performed at home. This isn’t the case when your car starts falling apart, however. You will have to pay an arm and a leg to have it repaired by a professional mechanic.
If you want to save yourself money and prolong your vehicle’s life, then maintenance is key. In this article, you will find a list of safety tips that will help you to ensure that your car works properly:
Speak to a Lawyer
Speaking to a lawyer isn’t going to protect your car, but it might protect you. If you’re concerned about car accidents, then seeking car accident advice from a lawyer is advised. You can never predict when a car accident is going to take place, so it’s important to prepare. You could also consider hiring a lawyer on retainer. When you hire a lawyer on retainer, you pay them monthly with the promise that they will prioritise your case and represent you if you ever need them to.
Check Your Fuel
Moving onto car safety tips, let’s first address fuel. You need to get into the habit of checking your vehicle’s fuel levels before you drive it. It may seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people leave their homes on an empty tank and break down. Thankfully, most modern cars make checking your fuel levels very easy to do. You can log onto your car’s onboard computer and check your engine status and fuel levels. Running out of fuel in harsh weather can be life-threatening, so don’t take chances with your safety.
And Your Oil…
In addition to regularly checking your fuel levels, you also need to check your oil levels. Most drivers drive around with dangerously low levels of oil and don’t even realise until their dashboard lights begin to flicker. As with the previous point, most modern cars make checking your oil very easy. You can check your engine’s health and oil levels on your onboard computer. If you have an older car then make sure that you check your vehicle’s oil levels regularly. If your oil is allowed to run out, then your car could break down and you could find yourself stranded somewhere.
Inspect Your Tyres
You need to regularly inspect your tyres. If the rubber on your tyres is wearing then, then they could potentially burst. If this happens when you’re travelling at high speeds, you could end up being involved in a very serious accident. Inspecting your tyres isn’t difficult. In fact, it will take you less than ten minutes a day! If you’re not confident checking your tyres [or don’t know what to look for] then make sure to take your vehicle to a mechanic. Alternatively, you could ask a relative or loved one who’s experienced with cars to check for you.
Check Your Coolant
If you’re driving around in extremely hot [or cold] weather, then your car needs coolant. The last thing that you want is to come out in the morning and find that your engine’s frozen or to be driving and your vehicle overheats. You don’t need to check your coolant often, but if you’re going to be heading out on a long journey – or the weather’s extreme – it’s worth checking on it. Make sure to follow your vehicle’s handbook instructions for topping up your coolant. You need to make sure that you stick to the mix suggested by the vehicle’s manufacturer, otherwise you could damage the engine.
Inspect Your Electrics
You need to regularly inspect your vehicle’s electrics. This is especially true nowadays since manufacturers are pushing for hybrid or fully-electric vehicles. If your vehicle’s electrics fail you, you could find yourself thrust into a very dangerous situation. Make sure to check your vehicle at least once a week in order to ensure that all of your lights [internally and externally] are working. You also need to ensure that your vehicle’s plate lights are working. If the police or speed cameras can’t make out your registration, you can be fined.
Practise Safe Driving
While driving safely isn’t technically car maintenance, it is car preservation. Practise safe driving whenever you’re out on the road. If you get into the habit of driving like a lunatic then one day you will be faced with a car accident.
If you care about your car, your life, and the lives of others sharing the road with you, then you need to maintain your vehicle. Car maintenance is cheap, easy, and takes very little time. If your vehicle does need repairs, then make sure to take it to a qualified and experienced mechanic.