Ensuring that your car is in top shape is essential to avoid accidents on the road. Aside from your scheduled car maintenance with your technician, there are simple things you can do year-round that will prevent you from getting into car accidents that may cause serious injury to you and to other people involved.
Why Do You Need to Perform Car Maintenance Year-Round?
The changing seasons affect the performance of your vehicle. The hot summer months can cause damages to your car or affect the way certain parts such as your air-conditioning functions. During the colder season, drivers may have trouble keeping their cars warm. Car upkeep is a great way to avoid serious injuries whether on a small highway or on state roads. Here are a few simple things you can do to avoid accidents.
Clear Dirty Windows and Mirrors
It is easy to overlook a dusty window or rearview mirror. After all, you can still see where you’re going, right? But if you neglect them long enough, they can cause serious trouble. These windows and mirrors can cause unnecessary glare which may affect your visibility when you drive at night.
Poor visibility puts you at risk for having poor reaction time in case something unexpected comes up. It may even lead to fires, depending on the scenario.
But if you ever are in a burn injury accident especially when other parties are involved who may also be at fault, it’s best to contact a burn injury lawyer who will advise you of your best options in terms of getting compensation for your injury treatment.
Attend to Your Cracked or Broken Windshield Wipers
You may think you don’t need to repair that broken wiper because it’s still functioning but allowing them to function when there are damages can get you into an accident. Wiper blades are often made of rubber or composite and when temperatures rise too high, it can dry them out.
Once there are cracks or chips on the blades, the wipers can create smudges on your windshield when it rains and it’s a very dangerous scenario. You will not always have the time to get out of the car and remove the smudges plus, it’s raining so chances are you will continue to use the broken wipers.
You will have decreased visibility that can eventually lead to a car accident especially on major roads and highways.
Check Your Lights for Your Safety
Ensure that the lights in your vehicle are in good working condition not only to avoid accidents but also to avoid getting violations because it is mandated by law. Unfortunately, many drivers overlook this area because you don’t immediately notice when one of your lights are out when driving.
To avoid accidents due to a malfunctioning light, test all your vehicle lights at least once a week before you set out on the road. You should check your headlights as well as your tail lights including your light signals. You may also want to ask a friend or family member to help you check if your brake lights are working properly.
One of the scariest thing that could happen your brake lights malfunction is a crash with another vehicle. That said, the other party may partly be at fault and if this situation eventually leads to a fire causing you burn injuries, seek assistance from a burn injury lawyer right away.
Other things that you may want to check regularly are your tires, brakes, and fluid levels, along with engine oil and transmission fluid.