Poor car maintenance is a major factor in many auto accidents in Springfield, MO. If you don’t care for your car correctly, you could end up facing a collision on the road, which could ultimately lead to a lawsuit. As attorneys that handle car accident cases, we at Mann Wyatt Tanksley Injury Attorneys know all the mistakes that car owners make in this thriving city. Here are seven of the top mistakes you need to avoid to keep yourself safe.
1. Not Maintaining Your Car
The biggest mistake most car owners make is doing nothing to maintain their vehicle. You need to regularly check over your car to ensure it is in good condition, as well as change your tires and oil according to the recommended schedule.
2. Ignoring Warnings
Modern cars are equipped with a variety of sensors and warning lights to let you know when something is wrong. Your job is to listen to what your vehicle is trying to say. When the lights on the dashboard tell you to check the engine, that’s exactly what you should do. Take your car to a repair shop so it can be checked over.
3. Using the Same Oil Forever
If you can’t remember the last time you changed your engine oil, go and do it now. Next, set a reminder on your phone or computer to let you know when it’s time to change it again. For synthetic oil, the right amount of time between oil changes is about six months. For natural oil, it’s only three months. Engine oil allows your engine to run as efficiently as possible, which reduces the risk of a fault developing.
4. Driving With the Wrong Tire Pressure
Many car accidents occur because the driver isn’t able to stop the vehicle quickly enough. Sometimes, this is because the tire pressure is poorly adjusted, which negatively affects the distance that the car takes to stop, particularly in wet weather. Check your tire pressure and add air until it is in the correct range.
5. Repairing Your Car Yourself
When your car isn’t running well, it needs professional attention. If you’re not an expert, don’t try to fix problems yourself, as you’re unlikely to manage a reliable repair.
6. Using an Inexperienced Mechanic
The best auto repair shop in Springfield, MO, isn’t necessarily the cheapest. Although it might be tempting to save a few dollars by going to a cheap repair shop, a better approach is to choose one that has a good reputation. By allowing only suitably experienced mechanics to carry out repairs on your car, you can avoid situations in which you need to hire a attorney that handles car accident cases to represent you in court.
7. Ignoring the Dangers of Overheating
Vehicle engines can only operate safely within a certain temperature range. If your engine gets too hot, it could break down while you are driving along the freeway, forcing you to stop in a dangerous location. If this begins to happen, drive without air conditioning while you look for a safe, shady place to pull over and wait for your car to cool down.
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.
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