How safe is your car? Despite getting and passing your yearly MOT, this isn't enough to ensure your vehicle is fully roadworthy and only inspects certain aspects of the car.
Maintaining your car's safety is an ongoing task and something you must always do, especially if you use your car frequently. The brakes, tires, steering and even the car's construction are all factors that can render your car unroadworthy, and there are thought to be over 3 million cars on UK roads with no MOT. With the fines of driving an unsafe car or a car with no MOT up to £1,000, what can you do to ensure your car is safe at all times?
Service
While it is legal for all cars over 3 years old to have an up-to-date MOT, having a service isn't a legal requirement. Many cars can go years without being adequately serviced, and this can cause undue stress and strain on the vehicle. A car service includes checks on water and oil levels, lights, brakes, steering, coolant, bodywork, exhaust, etc. The cost of a service can vary depending on your car, but it is recommended you get a service each year or every 10,000 miles. Doing so can give you a better indication of the condition of your car and alert you of any issues you might not have realised you have.
Tires
Low tire tread or poorly maintained tires can lead to increased fuel consumption and an increased risk of accidents due to lower grip on the road at speeds or in wet weather, for example. The legal tire tread depth is a minimum of 1.6mm. A common trick is to use a 20p coin, and the tread needs to come up to the outside raised edge to be legally viable. Visit a reputable tyre shop to have your tires changed and find the right size and model tires for your car for added safety on the road.
Don't forget to check the tire pressure on your car. As with tire tread, if you are driving with low tire pressure, you can be at increased risk of damage to your car, accidents, fuel consumption, and tire defects.
Add Assistive Technology
Modern cars come equipped with a range of assistive technology that helps drivers to be safer and more aware of the roads and their surroundings. To make your vehicle safer on the road, you can add a range of different gadgets to your car, such as tire pressure gauges to alert you of low tire pressure, a reverse camera for safer reversing, blind spot sensors, anti-collision technology, lane departure warnings and stability control systems.
Windscreen
We all know the jingle; we've seen the adverts, but how much attention do you pay to what it actually means? Your windscreen is an integral part of the structure of your car, and to retain its integrity and safety, you need to ensure you take care of any windscreen damage quickly. A small crack or chip in your windscreen puts the safety and stability of your car at risk. Even the most minor chip can crack if you hit a pothole or something else lands on your windscreen. And in the event of a collision, the windscreen won't be as stable as you need to be and will cause further damage.
Conclusion
Road safety should be paramount to all drivers, and this isn't just how you drive personally. It is about ensuring the car you are driving is legally roadworthy and can protect your and your passengers in the event of an accident.
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