Keeping Your Car & Yourself Road Worthy

Driving continues to be one of the most liberating things we have the opportunity to do. Hitting the road behind the wheel and heading off where you want to go is one of life’s great feelings.

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But there are sorts of things that can get in the way of your driving plans; they range from problems with the car to issues for yourself. Here we are going to discuss some of the things that can crop up and how you can deal with them quickly and efficiently.

Car Trouble

There are a number of things that can go wrong with a car, that is one of the big downsides to loving the freedom that comes with having your own vehicle. Let’s take a look at some of the more common problems that can occur and what you can do to fix or avoid them.

If you are going to get a problem with your car, it is more than likely going to be electrical if you are driving a newer car. There are also wear and tear issues that need to be looked at, but first of all electrics. Before we get into some of the electrical issues that can come up, you should be practising good car maintenance. That means paying attention to the lights on your dashboard and any warnings that your car is giving you. Cars are getting smarter and smarter these days, and that means a lot of the time they are telling you when something isn’t quite right. If you need to, Google the meaning of different dashboard lights on your car model to make sure you recognize faults before they become critical.

Now, electrical problems can range across a whole spectrum, but the most common of these is a dead battery. An easy test to see if your battery has died is to flash your headlights if they don’t turn on then your issue with the battery is likely to be a serious one. However, quite often a battery issue can be fixed by getting a new one. That said if you’re unsure you should speak to a breakdown specialist or mechanic for assistance. Your battery means a lot to your car so getting it problem solved properly is essential.

Other issues to keep an eye out for when it comes to the electrical parts of your car are loose spark plugs and damaged fuses or wires. The former of these can often be connected to a mechanical problem with the internal combustion and should be kept in mind when it comes to your car behaving strangely. Issues with fuses and wires will usually crop up if you are having problems that haven’t be solved by looking at the battery, alternator or starter. A professional mechanic will need to be sought if you notice that your car’s issues have got to this point.

Looking away from electrical, though it will no doubt creep up within some of these troubles, and looking now and other issues that your vehicle can have.

A lot of what we will discuss with wear and tear will come down to making sure you are regularly checking your car for issues and generally looking after it. Before we get started, make sure you are paying attention to your service and MOT results and listen to the mechanic. There is a good chance your local garage has looked at your car much more intimately then you have, in part thanks to the technology they have available to them.

So, some of the issues that can crop up. Well, one of the worst ones can be worn brake pads, you will want to catch this issue well in advance of it becoming a problem – to check for yourself you should be looking for at least a quarter of an inch of pad against the metal rotor. Sticking with the wheels, you should also be keeping an eye on uneven tire wear. If your tires are wearing out quickly or unevenly, this could be a sign of trouble with your suspension and catching that early is a good thing.

Finally, you should be aware of the liquids that are running through your car and the damage they can do. Water, for example, can leak into the transmission from the radiator and other places and the last thing you want is for water to mix with transmission fluid. Transmission failure can occur because of water damaging the components of this part of your car. With this in mind, your car can also get radiator troubles such as leaks and for reasons already discussed you should act quickly if you notice this happening.

Driver Problems

Being a driver comes with its own risks and responsibilities and we should look at some of the things can happen to you so that you know how to react in case of these eventualities.

Firstly, one of the most common things that stops drivers – falling foul of the law. Sometimes this can be a genuine mistake and others it has happened because of different reasons. If you have a traffic violation or a court order has stopped you from driving, one of the ways that you can start to get back to your independence is by attending a traffic school. You should make sure that you are attending the best online traffic schools which will help you get back on the road quicker than if you went for a lesser alternative. The fact that you can take these courses online now makes getting back on the road easier and quicker than ever before.

One of the other reasons a drive may not be able to get behind the wheel is due to injury or illness. While this one will be based on personal feeling, it is important to reference because you should be aware of how your health impacts your ability to drive. If you have recently hurt yourself in any way, make sure you do some checks on regular movements you require in order to drive. The best drivers in the world can find themselves unable to drive due to an injured arm or lack of movement in their leg due to an accident outside of the car. Taking precautions for your own safety cannot be understated when it comes to enjoying the pleasure of driving.

And lastly, make sure you know where you’re going. As a driver, you should have at least a rough idea of the route you need to take and the destination in mind. This might seem like an obvious thing to say, but we’ve left it to last because it can cause so many problems and therefore needs to be in your mind. There are many devices that will help you these days to get you where you want to go, so use them. Regular road users will know only too well the frustration of driving behind someone who doesn’t know where they are going or worse have seen an accident caused by someone making a last minute dash for an exit or in the wrong lane of a roundabout. In addition to the impact on other road users, sudden changes in direction can hurt your car and as we have already looked at, there are many things that can go wrong in a car so don’t be a contributing factor.

Owning a car is to have independence, but you should still understand the other parts of being able to drive. Now, hit the road, Jack.