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The Importance of Vehicle Maintenance
20 January 2021
Maintaining your vehicle is important not only for own safety but also the safety of other road users. Vehicle defects can be contributing factors to road traffic accidents, and in some cases the accidents may have been wholly avoidable if the car had have been maintained to a good standard.
Vehicle defects that can lead to accidents
The following vehicle defects can lead to car accidents:
Faulty Brakes
Faulty brakes are the most common culprit for car accidents caused due to a defect. Defective brakes can lead to the driver reacting too slow or ineffectively. In the worst case scenarios the driver may be left completely out of control of being able to brake at all.
Tyre problems
Damaged and flat tyres can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle. A tyre blowout whilst driving can be particularly dangerous, leading to the car spinning out of control.
Mirror defects
Damaged or incorrectly positioned mirrors can lead to accidents, as the driver is unable to see what is going on, on the road around them. Being unable to see other motorists or pedestrians can lead to collisions.
Steering defects
Issues with steering can be extremely dangerous and lead to series accidents if the driver is unable to effectively control the vehicle.
Light issues
Faulty lights are dangerous for both the driver and other road users, as when travelling at night each will struggle to see each other on the road.
Car maintenance to keep you safe
You must take your vehicle for a regular MOT to ensure it is roadworthy and safe to drive. An MOT lasts for a year, the date it expires is printed on your most recent MOT pass certificate. It is also important to note that you can be fined to £1000 for driving a vehicle without a valid MOT.
There are however some day to day maintenance jobs that you can do to keep your car safe on the road:
Check your brakes
Brake defects can lead to the most catastrophic accidents. It is therefore important to test your brakes before setting off on your journey.
It is recommended to have the brake pads checked every 10,000 miles and to replace brake fluid around every 25,000 miles.
Lights
Check your lights before setting off on a journey, especially if travelling at night or when you know it will be dark upon your return. If travelling with a passenger get them to check that lights are in good working order. If travelling alone you can check that your lights are working by looking for the reflection of the lights in garage doors or against other parked cars. Check lights are working from a static, parked position.
Steering
If your steering wheel is making unfamiliar or squeaky noises, and feels different to normal, it is important to take your car to a garage to get it checked over.
What should I do if I’ve been involved in a road traffic accident?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, your first priority is to rest and recover from your injuries. After which you may wish to consider making a personal injury claim, which will compensate you for any loss of earnings, travel expenses, rehabilitation and medical treatment to help you get your life back to normal.
Read our blog on ‘What you should do after a road traffic accident?’ to find out more.
If you would like to make a claim contact our car accident solicitors on 0344 854 7000 or submit an online enquiry below.
