Check Your Vehicle Regularly

Highways England has stated this week that drivers should to commit to checking their vehicles on a more regular basis as it reveals the most common day for breakdowns is a Friday.

According to Highways England, during 2018, Highways England recorded nearly 36,000 breakdowns on a Friday compared to just over 29,000 on a Sunday. The total number of breakdowns recorded during 2018 was more than 223,000.

The government-owned company responsible for England’s motorways and major A roads has launched a campaign encouraging drivers to carry out basic checks on their vehicles to help reduce the number of breakdowns.

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said:

We want everyone to get to their destination safely and drivers can help themselves by carrying out simple checks before they set off. Breakdowns can often be prevented by carrying out basic checks that can prevent your vehicle breaking down. So, it’s not too late to make a new year’s resolution to regularly check your vehicle.

Simple Regular Car Checks

Here are some simple regular car checks that drivers can do to help avoid breakdowns:

• Check tyres: prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressures are suitable for the load and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit.
• Check engine oil: use your dipstick to check oil regularly and before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual.
  Check water: to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen.
• Check lights: if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MOT
• Check fuel: before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination.

Free Car Check in Chorley

To help you avoid breaking down, and for a free car check, call into Autofit Garage Chorley at 46-50 Bengal Street, Chorley PR7 1SA and we will be happy to carry out a safety check for you free of charge.

Alternatively, if you would like to book your car in to be checked, please call us on 01257 267 829 to make an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you.

Further advice can be found online on the Think! web pages.