Safety & Your Vehicle
- Created by: AnaisMarieNTR
- Created on: 09-08-20 13:53
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- Safety & Your Vehicle
- Basic Maintenance
- Regular care & maintenance should ensure that your car is safe and roadworthy. It will also help fuel economy and keep exhaust emissions to a minimum. Check the following on a regular basis:
- Lights, brakes, steering, exhaust system, seat belts, horn, speedometer, wipers & washers
- Oil & water levels - this is especially important on a long journey (be careful not to overfill with oil, as this can cause leaks)
- Brake fluid - if this is allowed to get low, it's dangerous and could cause an incident
- Battery levels - unless it's a maintenance-free battery, it may need topping up with distilled water (to just aboev the cell plates)
- Tyre pressures - check regularly, at least once a week. Do this when they're clod to get a more accurate reading. This will affect:
- Steering - it will feel heavy
- Fuel Consumption - it may increase
- Braking
- Tyre Condition - the tread (on the car and trailer tyres) must be at least 1.6mm deep across the central three-quaters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire circumference. It's illegal to drive with tyres that have deep cuts in the side walls.
- Uneven wear on the tyres can be caused by faults in the:
- Braking king System
- Suspension
- Wheel Alignment
- If the wheels are unbalanced, they could cause the steering to vibrate
- Regular care & maintenance should ensure that your car is safe and roadworthy. It will also help fuel economy and keep exhaust emissions to a minimum. Check the following on a regular basis:
- Defects
- If you have a basic understanding of how your car works, it'll help you recognise the signs of a defect. It's important that your car is checked regularly by a qualified mechanic, espcially the brakes and the steering
- Warning lights on the dashboard monitor the performance of the engine and give you warning of any defects.
- Check your vehicle handbook for their meaning
- Don't ignore the warning - it could affect your safety
- The ABS warning light should go out when the vehicle's travelling at 5-10 mph (8-16 km/h). If it doesn't, have it checked by a qualified mechanic
- To check the condition of the shock absorbers, "bounce" the vehicle. Push down hard on each corner. It shouldn't continue to bounce unduly when released
- Consult a garage as soon as possible if:
- The steering vibrates - the wheels may need balancing
- The vehicle pulls to one side when you brake - your brakes may need adjusting
- Safety Equipment
- Modern cars are fitted with equipment designed with your safety in mind
- Wear your seat belt and make sure your passengers wear theirs (unless exempt). You, as the driver, are responsible for making sure that children under 14 wear a suitable restraint. If a correct child restraint isn't available in the rear seat, an adult seat belt must be used.
- Never fit a rear-facing baby seat protected by an airbag. This could case fatal injuries. The airbag MUST be deactivated first
- When you get into the car
- Adjust the seat to ensure you can reach all the controls in comfort
- Adjust the head restrint to help prevent neck injury in a collision
- Wear suitable shoes so that you can keep control of the pedals
- Adjust the mirrors to maximise your field of vision. Convex mirrors give a wider view but can make vehicles look further away than they are. If you're reversing and can't see behind you, get someone to guide you.
- If visability's poor, use dipped headlights. It's important for other road users to see you. If there's thick fog, use your fog lights.
- When leaving your car on a 2-way road at night, park in the direction of the traffic. If the speed limit is over 30 mph, switch on your parking lights
- Hazard warning lights are fitted so you can warn drivers of a hazard ahead, such as:
- When you've broken down
- Queuing traffic on a dual carriageway or motorway
- Don't use them as an excuse to park illegally, even for a short time
- Basic Maintenance
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