Month: December 2019

Most of us blame driver inattention and speed for causing car accidents. However,the fact is that a large number of accidents take place when people fail to maintain their vehicles properly. The good news is that car crashes taking place due to poor maintenance can be prevented. You will only need to get your vehicle inspected by an expert from time to time and keep an eye on its overall performance.

Some common car issues that can cause an accident

Problems with tires: Under-inflated tires may get overheated and fail,potentially causing an accident. Chances of such events become greater during the summer months and when driving at a higher speed. Crashes may also occur due to worn tires. Excessively worn vehicle tires may struggle to offer suitable traction and thus can cause accidents,including the need to consult a car wreck lawyer. You must know that it's extremely difficult to steer a car that lacks traction.

Malfunctioning brakes: Brake pads will wear down after prolonged use. You must get them replaced from time to time if you want to avoid accidents. Car brakes also come with hydraulic and mechanical parts that are highly susceptible to glitches. In addition,you must ensure that the level of brake fluid is satisfactory for your vehicle brakes to function correctly.

Loose lug nuts: The lug nuts are responsible for keeping the vehicle wheels on the car or truck. If they are not tightened properly,your vehicle wheel might fall off,causing a car crash. Here,we would like to mention that you should never try to tighten the lug nuts when your vehicle is on the ground i.e. when the nuts have the weight of your car on them. In other words,wobbly lug nuts can only be tightened by a trained car mechanic or when it is up on a lift or jack.

Wearing of the steering linkage: Worn out steering linkage might stop the driver from controlling the vehicle. To put it more bluntly,if any part of a car's steering linkage stops functioning properly the car may start driving sharply in a particular direction. Even the driver would not be able to correct this problem. A steering linkage failure might force the driver to shift lanes without prior warning or veer into onrushing traffic. Both situations can eventually result in fatal car crashes.

Broken defrosters: If you don't take care of your car's defrosters,your chances of experiencing a car accident would increase significantly. Faulty defrosters might strop drivers from seeing outside when the weather is not very favorable. Blocked vision is one of the most common causes of car accidents all around the globe.

Rust: A rusted chassis can make your vehicle more susceptible to accidents. It might cause other vehicle parts to fall off,loosen,or collapse.

If you want your vehicle to stay in good shape and want to avoid being involved in an accident or even worse,sustaining injuries,make some time for regular vehicle maintenance. Inspect your car on your own every week. And get it checked by an experienced mechanic at least twice every year. This will allow you to detect faults in your car before they become detrimental and avoid the need for accident injury lawyers.

Driving in bad weather requires increased vigilance. Indeed,bad weather is responsible for many serious vehicle accidents. Below are some of the safety tips of driving safely in bad weather to arrive at your destination safely and avoid the need for an auto accident lawyer.

1. Plan the trip.

Before starting the trip,it is worth checking the weather to know what the weather will be like. It is advisable to inform yourself by looking at the social media platforms such as Twitter about the state of the roads and look for safe routes not affected by the bad weather through which to circulate. Better to opt for main routes and highways,than for unknown routes.

2. Slowly reduce speed,avoiding sudden braking.

If you find snow or ice on the road,the first thing you should do is reduce the speed by using long gears to stop. You must not do it violently to avoid skating. It is always better to drive along the right lane and change only to overtake another vehicle that travels at a slower speed.

Increase the safety distance to ensure braking if necessary,since both snow,fog and rain reduce visibility and reaction time. On slopes,keep a greater distance with the vehicle ahead.

3. Take chains and gloves if the snowfall is expected.

If you find snow on the road during your trip,stop the car in a place where it does not hinder traffic and put the chains on the driving wheels.

If you do not know how they are placed,inform yourself well,and practice before starting your trip. And whenever you can try to drive on virgin snow,not on the marks left by other vehicles.

4. Turn on the low beam and fog lights,as the road lights could dazzle you and the other cars.

5. Take the full fuel tank,and the mobile phone charged. This will allow you to ask for assistance in an emergency.

6. Never leave the vehicle on the road.

In case you cannot continue the trip because of bad weather or a breakdown,look for an area to stop with the appropriate signage or go to a service area or gas station from which to shelter from the bad weather and notify the operations center of the highway.

7. Keep calm at the wheel.

Not being nervous and knowing how to act when an unforeseen or risky situation can make you avoid an accident. Driving safely in bad weather is important and one should read real-time information on highways about speed incidents or limits.

In conclusion

At the wheel,you always have to be careful,comply with the rules,and keep in mind that you are not alone on the road.

Moreover,one should keep in mind that speed and carelessness are among the primary cause of accident injuries.