If you’re a skilled driver, you might think that your risk of needing the services of a Joplin, MO, call an attorney that handles car accident cases. However, not all accidents are caused by careless driving: Failing to maintain your car can also put you at increased risk of a crash. Here are seven car maintenance crimes that even the most careful drivers sometimes commit. By avoiding all of them, you can reduce the risk that you’ll need to hire an attorney that handles car accident cases.
1. Neglecting Scheduled Maintenance
Even the most reliable cars need regular maintenance to keep them running well. If you neglect basic car maintenance tasks, such as rotating the tires or changing the oil, you could experience a breakdown on a dangerous section of road. While you wait for the breakdown recovery service to arrive, there’s a risk that another driver could run into your stationary car. Prevent this situation by staying up to date with your car maintenance responsibilities.
2. Pretending You Don’t See the “Check Engine” Light
See that light on your dashboard? It performs a very important function, letting you know when your engine needs attention. If you ignore this warning, you could soon start to see smoke billowing from under the hood of your car, which could be so alarming that you end up having a collision with another vehicle. As soon as “check engine” lights up, take your car to a mechanic to find out what the problem is.
3. Forgetting to Change the Oil
Without fresh oil, your engine can’t run efficiently and may even break down. Protect yourself from unexpectedly grinding to a halt by changing traditional engine oil once every three months and synthetic engine oil every six months.
4. Forgetting About Tire Pressure
Part of being a safe driver is keeping an eye on your tire pressure. Driving with tire pressure that is too low can increase your car’s braking distance, increasing the risk of running into the car in front if it stops suddenly. In wet weather, cars with low tire pressure are prone to hydroplaning, which can lead to serious accidents.
5. Doing Your Own Repairs
While repairing your own car might seem like a good way to save some money, your costs can spiral if you end up facing a legal case after your car causes a collision. Save yourself the cost of hiring a attorney that handles car accident cases by always having your car professionally repaired.
6. Using a Poor Quality Repair Shop
Always take your car to a repair shop that has good reviews and experienced mechanics. Using repair shops that don’t have the right experience can lead to a shoddy repair, which puts you at risk of an accident on the road.
7. Ignoring Overheating
Engine overheating can a serious problem on hot days. If you notice an overheating warning on your dashboard, turn off the air conditioning to reduce the strain on the engine. If the engine doesn’t cool down, stop and switch it off completely until it does. Continuing to drive while your engine overheats can be very dangerous. Perhaps poor maintenance has already caused you to have a car accident in Joplin, MO.
If you’ve been in a car accident, hiring an attorney will allow you to deal with all the other matters in life without having to worry about compromising your legal claim. Call the Mann Wyatt Tanksley Injury Attorneys for advice about your auto accident claim today.