Safe driving is a great way to reduce your chance of getting into a collision and needing to hire a attorneys handling car accident cases in Jefferson City, Missouri. But your safe driving habits won’t help much if your car is in bad condition due to poor maintenance habits, since this can lead to an accident. Here are the seven worst things you might be doing to your car.
1. Put Off Regular Maintenance
If you can’t remember the last time you got the tires rotated or the oil changed, your vehicle is not in the great shape it could be in. As a attorneys handling car accident cases in Jefferson City, Missouri, Mann Wyatt Tanksley Injury Attorneys has seen cases that might not have happened had the vehicle in question been properly maintained. For example, you don’t want your car to stop working on the freeway, since it could get hit by another car as it’s stopped. This kind of collision is avoidable when you stick to regular maintenance.
2. Pretending the “Check Engine” Light Isn’t On
It’s right on the dashboard so you can’t miss it, yet many drivers still ignore the “check engine” light. But this is just as risky as putting off regular maintenance. In fact, it’s often a sign you already have done so. Take the hint your car is giving you and take it to a reputable repair shop when you see this light.
3. Not Routinely Having the Oil Changed
Your oil needs to be changed about every three months, or every six months if you use synthetic oil. Either way, it’s important to keep track of when the last time your oil was changed. Otherwise, your car won’t run as efficiently and will end up with other issues, possibly failing on the road. This could lead to you having to hire a attorney handling car accident cases after someone hits your stopped vehicle.
4. Not Checking Tire Pressure
This is another maintenance must that can cause a car accident if you’re not careful. Not only will a car with low tire pressure waste gas, but it can also make it harder to brake. Plus, if it’s raining, the low pressure in your tires could cause your car to hydroplane, which is one of the reasons many drivers end up needing to hire a attorney handling car accident cases.
5. Trying to Perform Your Own Repairs
If you have experience fixing cars, then changing your own oil or even replacing major components is fine. But if you have no experience with cars and are just trying to save some money, avoid the temptation to do it yourself. You might end up causing more problems. And of course, major car issues could cause a collision, leading you to hire a attorney handling car accident cases.
6. Taking Your Car to Inexperienced Mechanics
This car mistake is no better than trying to service it yourself, since the results could be the same. Your car cost thousands of dollars, so why take a chance with this huge purchase by leaving it in the hands of a mechanic you can’t trust? Make sure the auto repair shop you choose has great reviews and has worked on cars like yours before.
7. Driving While Your Car Overheats
This is a fast way to ruin your engine. If your car is just starting to overheat, you can turn off the air conditioner to cool the engine down a little while you look for a safe space to pull over. But if you simply continue to drive without any intention of stopping, you could cause major problems for your car or even an engine fire.
If these or other car problems have led to an accident in Jefferson City, MO, please contact Mann Wyatt Tanksley Injury Attorneys.
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