As someone who drives a car, you understand how crucial it is that your car be in the best shape to keep your passengers and other drivers safe. There is a reason for having your car serviced routinely as this can identify any problems that need to be addressed and ultimately keep you safe on the road. Nevertheless, you’ll want to set up a regular schedule of checking the car yourself because something can go wrong in between service checks. It’s certainly important to examine your car prior to long trips or during winter when you need to be prepared for icy and snow packed roads. Continue reading to learn a few of the things you can do to make sure your car is safe.

Your car’s windshield enables you to see the roads and so you need it to be extremely clear. It’s very important to check out your windshield for any small nicks because it is easier to get rid of them when they’re small before they turn into full-fledged cracks that can be dangerous while you’re driving. At the very least, make certain you keep both the inside and outside of your windshield clean and don’t forget to keep any eye on your wiper blades. In addition to being a distraction, an old wiper does not work well and can result in poor visibility in inclement weather. While you clean your windshield, make sure to use a cleanser made especially for glass so that you can see through the windshield clearly without having to look around smeared spots.

Looking at your tires visually is a simple process and, once you discover how to do it right, you can catch small problems before they turn into major ones. Tire tread can easily wear down in a range of locations so be careful to inspect a tire completely, especially on the inner surface where it’s not as easy to see. Checking more closely may uncover that a sharp object such as a nail may have made its way into the tire and, therefore, you will need to take it to a tire shop to see if they can repair it or replace it. In the course of the process of checking the tires already on your car, take a look at your spare tire and make sure that it doesn’t have any problems because you never know when it may come in handy. You can check the pressure in your tires on your own and it’s important to do this on a regularly scheduled basis.

Any lights upon your car require regular checks, as well as obvious fluid levels such as oil and coolant. Keeping your brakes in functioning order is essential and you should keep an ear out for any strange sounds as this might indicate a problem. It is also worth checking that you have everything you need in your car in case of an emergency and this can include first aid kits, car fire extinguishers and in the winter, blankets and anything else you may need to stay warm.

If vehicle safety is going to be a concern for you, it’s not that hard to complete some easy checking of various car systems; all you need to do is train yourself to check them regularly.