Regular car maintenance: a road safety essential

October is Fall Car Care Month and a good time for drivers to think about how they can stay safe on the road. While practicing good driving habits is key, taking care of your car is just as important. Here’s what you should know.

Mechanical breakdowns cause accidents
Vehicle malfunctions are the cause of countless car accidents every year. Faulty engines, defective brakes and blown transmissions are common culprits. These types of breakdowns are often caused by hidden issues that can be identified by a mechanic during a routine maintenance check.

Degradation of parts is inevitable
All moving parts on a car degrade over time. Individual components, however, have distinct lifespans, that require servicing at various intervals. For example, brake pads last three to five years, serpentine belts about six years and timing belts about eight years.

It’s dangerous to drive your car if mechanical parts become excessively worn.

Tires and wheels require ongoing care
Wheels and tires need to be carefully maintained. Your tires grip the road and allow you to turn safely. As they start to wear down, it becomes increasingly difficult to reliably control your car.

As for the wheels, they need to be aligned. The tires of misaligned wheels drag and deter the car from rolling freely, causing problems with vehicle handling.

Wheels and tires should be inspected several times a year.

There are other benefits of regular maintenance
Safety may be the best motive for staying on top of your car’s maintenance needs, but there are other reasons. Regular car care can save you money by keeping your warranty valid, improving your gas mileage and remedying small issues before they result in costly breakdowns.

The Million Mile Club
Did you know that some motorists have racked up more than a million miles on their odometers? That’s the equivalent of driving around the world 40 times! It’s no surprise that the Million Mile Club is pretty exclusive. You can be sure that each of these drivers took exceptionally good care of their vehicle.