Can You See, Steer, and Stop?

Vehicle Inspections Raise the Question!

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The car in front of you has no brake light and an approaching vehicle has only one headlight. Have you ever considered how many vehicles surrounding you are in less than in tip-top condition? The number is astounding. In fact, less than one out of four get a clean bill of health.

According to the Car Care Council, nearly 20% of tires inspected are have low tire pressure or worn tread. We’ve been hearing a lot about tires in recent years, especially when it comes to improper inflation. Findings indicate that many motorists still are not listening.

Worn tread surfaces are an invitation to disaster. Blowouts and hydroplaning have both been factors in too many accidents.

Another safety issue is visibility, primarily lights and wipers. Twenty-six percent of the lights checked were inoperable. That means that for every hundred cars on the road, 26 of them have something wrong with their lighting system, such as burned out headlights, brake lights, turn signals or taillights. This is tantamount to a disconnected phone because it compromises the motorist’s line of communication, resulting in a game of automotive Russian roulette.

Windshield wipers have a 19% failure rate.

Performance and dependability may not top the charts like safety, but motorists are tempting fate when they drive an undependable vehicle. Having batteries checked, replacing belts and hoses at recommended intervals or when these parts show signs of wear can help avoid breakdowns.

We also recommend reviewing the vehicle’s owner’s manual for routine/scheduled maintenance charts. The same goes for fluids. Keep an eye on the transmission, power steering and brake fluid as well as the coolant and oil. The scenario where these fluids are allowed to get low or dirty can spell disaster for the component(s) they protect. For example, running out of either oil or coolant can blow up an engine.

Douglas Automotive Repair conducts a basic safety inspection with every oil change.  Give us a call today!

This entry was posted in Safety, Vehicle Inspection and tagged Safety, vehicle inspection on .

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