A safer vehicle, a safer road

Hello Folks, Attorney Paul Samakow here to talk about the importance of maintaining your vehicle. 

I can hear it now, you’re thinking to yourself, Paul, you’re an attorney, not a mechanic, why do you care about vehicle maintenance. 

Well, my friend, I have the answer and it might surprise you.  

Maintaining your vehicle plays a huge role in safe driving.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show a significant amount of auto collisions are caused each year because of tire blow outs, brake failure, bad brake lights and steering problems.  

So yes, today, we’ll be talking about proper vehicle maintenance and the easy steps you can take to make sure your vehicle is safe to operate and take on the road.  

The number one vehicle maintenance issue that causes accidents is tires.   Your tires are your vehicles only contact point with the road.   Worn-out tires have less tread which means less grip on the road surface.  Less grip means reduced traction, especially in wet or slippery conditions.  This makes it harder to turn or accelerate quickly and most importantly, makes it harder to stop.  This means if you need to brake quickly to avoid a collision, your tires won’t perform the way you expect them to.  Blowouts are another common result of driving with old or damaged tires.  Suffering a blowout on the highway can cause you to lose control while driving 60+mph down the road.  I doubt I need to tell you just how devastating a collision at these speeds could be. 

Driving with bad brakes is extremely hazardous and completely avoidable with regular maintenance.   If your brakes are worn, you can’t properly stop your car, you reduce your ability to maintain control of your vehicle and risk having your brakes fail completely.  This is a recipe for disaster.  

You may be thinking, Paul, of course I know I need good tires and brakes, tell me something I don’t know.  Ok. Let’s talk about your suspension system.  Your vehicles suspension is responsible for keeping you stable on the road and absorbing shocks.  If your suspension is worn-out, it can cause your vehicle to sway and bounce. This makes it more difficult to control.  This is especially dangerous when you’re driving an SUV, truck or larger vehicle.    

Another lesser known safety concern is the heart and soul of your vehicle, better known as your engine and transmission. When you think safety, you likely don’t automatically think about your engine or transmission, but failing to maintain these vital parts of your car can cause unexpected breakdowns and power loss, both of which can cause dangerous situations on the road.

Lastly, a more obvious point of concern is proper lighting and visibility.  Burnt out headlights, brake lights, or turn signals reduce your visibility to other drivers and make it difficult for them to anticipate what you’re doing on the road.  This type of driver communication confusion can easily result in auto collisions.

Here’s the bottom line.  Keeping your vehicle well maintained is part of being a safe and responsible driver.   So get your car or truck regularly inspected, keep an eye out for leaks, make sure your tires are in good shape and all your lights are shinning and blinking bright.    

Lastly, if you or someone you love is ever involved in an auto collision, please call my office immediately 703-854-9288 or 301-298-8383.

Until next time, please be safe, and NEVER text while driving!

Paul Samakow

Attorney Paul Samakow