Explained- Poor vehicle maintenance and car crash claims

As you keep driving your vehicle for a considerable period of time, the cost of maintenance rises significantly. In order to keep your car safe from unexpected crashes, which may require involved car crash claims, it is advised to opt for regular vehicle maintenance. Right from oil change, battery and hose replacement, tire change, etc., the checklist to keep your car in its best condition is unending and expensive as well.

According to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 45,000 accidents happen in the U.S. every year due to malfunctioning vehicles [1]. Hence, it is to be understood that motor vehicle accidents occur not only due to bad weather or road condition but also due to the owners’ negligence about vehicle maintenance.

Many people are still driving with underinflated tires or with the check engine light on for quite a long time. Such ignorance might lead to major motor vehicle accidents, a threat to the car owner and other vehicles on the road.

Vehicle maintenance issues that can cause a car crash

Following are a variety of vehicle maintenance issues, which can cause fatal motor vehicle accidents. If any of these factors get involved in your car crash, you can claim major negligence against the opposition driver.

• Impaired or underinflated tires: The maintenance charge for keeping your car’s tires inflated does not cost expensive. Probably a couple of dollars change in the gas station can work. However, before taking the vehicle on the road, you should consider checking all tires to ensure the proper pressure in both front and rear tires. Again, an owner’s manual may help.
• Fractured Windshield: Often, drivers deem a broken or cracked windshield as no big deal. But it is! A broken windshield is significantly responsible for obstructing a driver’s vision. It can potentially lead to life-threatening situations. During emergencies, a driver could have less than a second to react. Eventually, a minor obstacle can make an enormous impact on the driver’s response time.
• Faulty or failing brakes: A sudden brake failure can happen at any time of your driving experience. Your negligence towards brake servicing may cause such a situation. Such grinding or screeching noises while pulling brakes, including pulsating brake pedal, the vehicle pulls to one side, lack of brake fluids, etc., are signs of severe brake issues. If your opposition car has this issue, you can legally call for car crash claims against the driver.
• Broken lights & wipers: Intact wipers and lights ensure a safe and protected driving experience. Both are highly significant parts of a car. If any of them is not maintained, you are likely to involve in a mishap at any point. You must follow signs like dimming lights, rapid blinking (for lights), streaking or extreme noise (for wipers), etc., take action immediately.

What tips should drivers consider to maintain their cars?

With affordable options to maintain vehicles, you can make sure your car is safe to operate. Though some basic knowledge and manual guidance, it is easy to prevent yourself from being financially liable for a motor crash.

Being a responsible driver, you should always consider a small sign and fix it on time. Also, make sure you take your vehicle to the mechanic or dealer to receive a certificate for proper condition. Sometimes, knowing the basic maintenance process can help you detect whether your mechanic is doing faulty work or good because a minor mistake while repairing or servicing can cause a disastrous accident. You can be held liable for that situation, and car crash claims can knock you back severely.

• Check your car’s mileage to determine any defective factor. If it shows high, the vehicle is prone to malfunctions and breakdowns.
• It’s essential to take care of the car engine since it is the heart and soul of the automobile. Make sure your vehicle engine is running with golden brown oil to keep it operating smoothly.
• Check the tire pressure each time you are about to drive it. Make them inflated adequately by putting more air when needed.
• It would help if you investigated defective steering immediately. If you notice trouble turning, vibrations, or feel it takes more effort to turn the wheels, fix it soon.
• If noises like squealing, grinding, screeching, or squeaking come from your vehicles, your car brake may need repairing. Also, if your brakes feel spongy, it is time to be more concerned and attentive and call for a mechanic right away.

Proving maintenance negligence that led to an accident:

A driver may find it difficult to prove other drivers’ fault in a car crash due to lack of maintenance. Hence, your motor vehicle accident attorney may need to perform a wholesome investigation to reveal the vehicle’s condition before the crash. In this situation, witness statements and police reports can highly influence the case. Also, dashcam footage and traffic camera footage can help you prove the opposition’s oversight.

Moreover, capturing some photos of the accident scene might help you a long way to validate your car crash claims. If the other driver’s car’s taillights or headlights were out causing a crash, explain the matter to the responding police officer in detail.

Often, your mechanic can put into accountability for an uncertain crash. He probably performed faulty repair work, poor fixing, or ignored any signs or warnings that your car was giving.

How can The Legal Helpers Assist?

In order to prove the fault of a driver, it is crucial to take up the investigation with expert assistance. Having a qualified motor vehicle attorney by your side will help you lay down the car crash claim suit better. We at The Legal Helpers work as a connecting bridge between you and the lawyer you have been searching for. Check out our lawyers’ directory and search for your case to get a credible list of lawyers in your area. Start your search now!

Resources-
1. https://www.marylandinjurylawyer.net/the-role-of-vehicle-maintenance-in-roadway-safety.html#:~:text=Based%20on%20research%20provided%20by,poor%20maintenance%20or%20lack%20thereof.