It is easy to see cars as just another thing you own that does not need regular servicing. However, your car could be the difference between life, death, and prison. Responsible car owners care for their cars just as they would their bodies. Doing this helps to identify potential problems before they send the car to the junkyard or cause you and other road users harm.
Why Should you Keep your Car Healthy?
Car accidents take a toll on people and their loved ones. A study revealed human errors to be behind 94 to 96 percent of all car accidents. These could be due to the car owner’s or third-party negligence. According to Paul, a car accident attorney at Briskman Briskman Greenberg in Chicago, IL, “The easiest way to absolve yourself of blame in the unfortunate case of an accident is to have a healthy car”.
After doing your part and you become a victim of a car accident, a car accident attorney will get you the compensation you are entitled to. But first, you have to ensure the health of your car, among other measures to take to ensure safety on the road.
What Does a Healthy Car Look Like?
Smooth steering, proper tire alignment, good tire health, clean oil, working brakes, working head, tail, interior, directional and check lights, and a full tank are some of the properties of a healthy car. It is advisable to check all these at least once a week and to call your mechanic once a month to check for other health issues you may have missed.
Use Technology to Keep your Car Healthy
As technology continues to evolve, the automotive industry has introduced advanced safety features to aid safer driving. These include self-driving features, seat belt reminders, dash cameras, rear cameras for reversing, lane departure alerts, front and back crash prevention, etc.
It should worry you if these features do not work as they would. It could be a symptom of a bigger problem and a sign for you to call your mechanic. Installing a vehicle health monitor helps to check for issues with these and other technologies that make up your car.
Study your Car Manual Regularly
Many car owners do not read their car manuals for many reasons. One of those reasons is that new car purchases have drastically dropped since 2015. People buy more used cars, and more get their first cars handed down to them. Another reason is the sheer volume of car manuals. Busy car owners would rather learn about them as they drive or have a mechanic on retainership for simple tasks.
The cheapest way to maintain your car is to know its ins and outs so that you can immediately tell when something is off. Car manuals explain how to carry out quick fixes like tire changes, oil changes, air filter cleaning, etc. The most vital information in car manuals is the car maintenance schedule. The carmaker predicts when the car is due for a maintenance check and includes that information in the manual. You will be able to prevent wear and tear if you study the manual of your car.
Check and Change your Car Fluids and Filters Regularly
Brake oils, engine oils, coolant, and wiper water are vital to your car’s health. You should constantly check and replace them when necessary.
Engine failure leading to accidents is the worst of all the issues that can stem from not regularly changing your car oil. Replacing your engine is no small financial feat and is also an issue that can arise from not checking your engine oil regularly.
If your engine is low on coolant, it can also lead to the engine developing faults due to overheating. Brake oils can lead to wear and tear on your brakes, which can cause accidents caused by brake failure.
It is not enough to check the fluids. Your car filters also need to be checked and replaced. Engine oil filters can accumulate so much dirt that contaminates the oil. Dirty filters can also block the oil from flowing smoothly, leading to a dry engine and eventual failure. The air filters are also just as necessary because they expel heat from the engine as you drive. Dirty air filters prevent this from happening, leading to the coolant depleting faster and causing overheating.
Checking all these will save you lots of money in repair and even legal fees.
Pay Attention to your Dashboard
When you see a dashboard light go off, always check it. This shows that something is wrong with your car that needs your attention. Ignoring them puts you, other road users, and your vehicle health at risk.
Check for Wiper Wear and Tear
A wiper check is an often-underrated car health check because the weather does not require using the wipers often. However, failure to regularly check the wiper can cause problems for you if the weather changes. When it rains or snows heavily, and you need to use your wiper to aid visibility, the importance of wiper maintenance will become vivid. Never wait for the weather forecast to check your wipers to avoid being caught unawares. Thankfully, wiper blade replacement is one of the least expensive car maintenance costs.
Check all Lights
If you commute at night, before steering that vehicle out of your driveway, check that the headlights, parking lights, reverse-gear lights, sirens, horns, fog lights, and even warning lights are in good condition. Many drivers have reported ignoring their warning lights because they are permanently blinking. They failed to detect a problem until it was too late. Of all the checks on your car, this is the one that can get you in trouble with the law.
Check your Tires
People often drive around with things stuck to their tires without knowing. Some of these things can affect tire pressure, which is a dangerous problem. Another issue is low tire treads, which can cause accidents when driving in unpleasant weather conditions. Get a tread depth gauge or use the penny method. Your car can be in top shape, but your tires can ruin all your work, so pay close attention to them.
Clean the Interiors and Exteriors
Dirt in engines is a risk, but so is dirt in the car interiors. Thoroughly vacuum the interior often to maintain the overall health of your car.
Use a high-pressure jet to wash your car, and pay attention to the underside where road grime collects. Also, wax and polish twice or three times a year to keep the coat of paint neat, in case you want to resell the car later.
Maintaining your car saves you money and time and helps you reclaim some part of its value in the future. But more importantly, it saves your life. The road belongs to all, and the first step to making it safe is to keep your car in good health.
An unfairly large number of people in America lose their loved ones to car accidents yearly. Driving a healthy car can prevent you from becoming a statistic due to negligence. However, if you find yourself or your loved one in an accident due to someone’s negligence, contact a car accident lawyer immediately.
