The Most Overlooked Car Safety Issues

Cars are generally safe, because mostly their safety rate depends on how you drive yours. However, most of the car accidents are not caused by you, but by other drivers. It is important that you check into all safety features before that road trip to ensure you get to your destination safe and to insure you against the madness of other drivers. If you are driving in a place like Africa where people have no regard for road rules, that is, if there are rules at all, you will definitely need to insure yourself against them.

Guard against these mistakes

Not checking on compromised bumpers – These are like doormats at home. I mean, who really cares about such? Once they serve their purpose, that of absorbing the impact when you are rear-ended or when you rear-end someone, many people give the bumper a casual check and if it seems ok, they go on with their journey. However, that is not the way to go. Because most of the bumpers are made with dense foam for absorbing the impact, such only work once. Next time you get rear-ended for the second time, your car could sustain a lot of damage.

Animal damage – No one remembers to check on this and it happens quite often. Because your car is warmer, if it is left sitting too long, rodents like mice could make it their habitat. They could gnaw your car cables leaving them exposed. It is recommended that before you start on a long trip, you have a mechanic go over your car in detail to check that everything is all right.

Malfunctioning airbags – You know the importance of airbags. In a side, rear or head-on crash, airbags save life. It is said that two in every five fatal accidents occur because of missing airbags. It is important that when you buy a car, you make sure there have been no prior airbag deployments, which by the way, deploy even in small collisions.

Ignoring the brake lines – The most common problem here is rusting. Brake lines are usually exposed and therefore are more prone to damage. They show no telltale signs of damage. You need to look for puddles of brake fluid. Check out for any holes. You can do this by passing your hands over casually, or better yet, have the mechanic give your car a thorough look over before you embark on a long trip.

Headlight lens damage is a very common problem and when you are traveling at night, this could affect your visibility on the road. Plastic does sustain scratches and scars which could be real bad. Slush, stones and other things also contribute to the scratches and blurring of the lens. If you see any moisture or mist in the headlights, you will know that the seals are broken and they need to be replaced or the bulb will be damaged.

Improperly inflated tires – Many people make this mistake. If tires are under-inflated, they make steering bad, and they will be more susceptible to blowing out. In addition, did you know that under-inflated tires make the car consume more fuel?

Steering and suspension – Unknown to many people, exposure can cause rust. Luckily, you will know of any problems by the way the car squeals when tackling bends or when steering tightly. It is best that such parts be given a good going over before embarking on a long road trip, especially if your car is old.