Avoid A New Haven Auto Accident While Traveling For The Holidays With These Safety Checks

If you have plans to travel for the holiday season you are going to want to take a good long look at your car that you plan to drive in and make sure it is ready for a long trip. A car that you might only usually use for a commute to work, may have some things that need to be checked to be sure it is safe to drive on a long road trip. If you make these safety checks you will go a long way in preventing yourself from getting into a New Haven auto accident.

Of course you will always want to make sure that your vehicle is ready for a road trip, but taking a few extra minutes to insure that you have checked all of the safety boxes before you head out on a long one is a good idea. By now, hopefully all of your shopping is done and you can take a few extra minutes while you wait for those packages to be delivered to get your car inspected and ready for the road ahead.

Some of the safety checks you will be doing you are able to do yourself. You may even be able to address any issues that you notice by yourself. However there may be some safety checks that you can perform but that you would want to consult a mechanic to look over, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time before you leave on your trip.

These safety checks will make allow you to head out on the road, like the estimated over 100 million people are going to do this holiday season, with peace of mind. Take these steps and you should be able to breath easy as you drive to your destination.

1.) Check tire pressure. As temperatures fluctuate this time of the year, so too will your tire pressure. You will want to make sure that your tires are inflated to the manufacturer suggested PSI (pounds per square inch) so you are driving with a high degree of confidence that your tires are giving you the best grip on the road that you are driving on. Tires that are underinflated can make skidding or sliding much more likely then those that are inflated properly.

2.) Check your fluids. You should be checking all of your fluids in your vehicle, but some of the most important ones you will want to focus on include your windshield washer fluid, your oil and your power steering fluids. These three fluids are so important to how your car operates and whether or not it operates safely that they are a must check before you hit the road for a long road trip. If you find any of these fluids to be low, make sure to top them off so you can have peace of mind when you’re driving to your destination.

3.) Check your headlights, tail lights and brake lights. You will want to check all of the lights your vehicle uses to stay visible during the day and at night. Check these lights to make sure they are working properly and also to make sure you have cleared off any debris that may have accumulated over the first few weeks of the winter season. Any film that is on these lights may make them less effective and leave your vehicle less safe as you hit the road.

4.) Check your seat belts. If any of your seat belts appear to be fraying or not buckling for any reason at all and you plan to have riders in those seats where the seat belts are not 100% functional you will want to get them taken care of immediately. It is dangerous for anyone to travel in a vehicle that does not have fully operational seat belts.

Safety should be your number one priority before you get on the road to go anywhere this holiday season. The highways and back roads around us are going to be heavily congested and you will be navigating roads with a wide-variety of drivers on them. If you can make sure your car is safe before you even get out on the road you will be going a long way to avoiding a New Haven auto accident and arriving at your destination safely this holiday season.

From all of us here at the Loricco Law Firm we are wishing you and your family a very happy holiday season. Please stay safe!