27 April, 2022
Each year in Western Australia there are approximately 1,900 -2,000 people killed and/or seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents.
The sad part is that nearly all of these could have been avoided. Many are caused due to lack of driver attention, fatigue, poor driving skills or in some cases, poor vehicle maintenance.
The cost to the Australian economy amounts to approximately $30 billion dollars. *
Unfortunately, those involved in these accidents suffer emotional, physical and financial costs which are not recorded. As Accident Injury Lawyers, we see firsthand the effects experienced by many of our clients.
For this reason, we want to help you to reduce your chances of being involved in a crash this winter. The information in this blog has been obtained from various sources including an ex-Police Crash Investigator.
Your vehicle is an expensive item that you most likely rely on to transport you to work, the kids to school and getting out and about for leisure and family activities.
Most people keep their vehicles in good working order, however, with the increased cost of living, getting your car serviced may have become less of a priority.
You don’t have to be a mechanic to recognise potential issues with your vehicle.
Here are some important things to check for.
1. Check your brakes. Brakes are highly important on a proper functioning vehicle, to not only bring your vehicle to a complete stop but in braking to avoid a dangerous situation. In an emergency situation, your ability to react and the performance of your brakes and tyres will determine the outcome.
The following may be indicators of your brakes not working properly or that your brake pads are worn:
- Your brake pedal is travelling close to the floor before the brakes are engaging;
- Your vehicle may pull to the left or right upon braking;
- Your vehicle takes a long time to come to a complete stop; or
- The brakes make a squealing noise.
If any of these are present, we recommend you get them looked at and fixed by a reputable mechanical workshop urgently.
2. Check the condition of your tyres. The condition of your tyres plays an important part in your ability to control your vehicle whilst braking.
If the tread on your tyres is worn or incorrectly worn, it may cause your vehicle to veer and not stop in a straight line, or it may take your vehicle longer to come to a complete stop.
If you are travelling on wet roads, then your braking distance will definitely increase, and there is a likelihood your car tyres could aquaplane (slide) on the wet road.
For your brakes, we recommend that you inspect your tyres:
- Is the tread pattern worn evenly on every tyre?
- Is there more wear on the inside or outside of the tyre?
- Are there bits of rubber missing from the tread?
- Does the tread look low?
- Do the tyres look perfectly round or are there lumps on them?
- Are there cracks on the sides of any of the tyres?
- Are there any white strips showing where the tread should be?
- Are your tyres correctly inflated?
If any of these indicators are present, you most likely need to replace your tyres, have them correctly inflated, or have the wheels aligned to avoid incorrect wear.
If you are uncertain, we recommend that you take your car to a tyre dealer for inspections. Most will be happy to check them for you for free and to explain how to rectify any issues.
