When your car has been in an accident, having it repaired is almost always recommended. Even if the damage is very minor, you'll at least want your car to be inspected. However, you might wonder if it's safe to drive your car after an accident or if you should have it immediately towed to an auto body repair service.
Follow these tips if you choose to drive your car following an accident.
Contact the Authorities
After an accident, you'll want to contact an officer to arrive and issue an accident report. During that time, the officer will evaluate your vehicle to determine if it's safe to drive. Your headlights, turn signal and brake lights might not be functioning properly.
You might not have control over your vehicle's steering. Your vehicle might also be leaking fluids. If so, you may be required to call a tow truck rather than driving away from the accident.
Pay Attention to Warning Lights
Your vehicle might produce warning lights, such as a check engine light or an ABS light. If this occurs, something is wrong with your engine, and you'll need to have it serviced. If a light comes on that you don't recognize, check your owner's manual.
If nothing has happened recently to your car, you may be able to correct a check engine light by replacing a loose gas cap. But after an accident, avoid driving your car if you see a check engine light just to be safe.
Don't Drive on a Flat Tire
When your car has a flat tire, don't drive on it. It won't take long for the wheel to become damaged, which might lead to more expensive repairs. A flat tire can also be very unsafe to drive on. If you have a spare tire, use that until you're able to reach a repair technician.
Beware of Smoke and Steam
Your car should never be smoking or steaming as you're driving it. Regardless, if you notice smoke or steam, you'll usually do more damage to your vehicle as you continue to drive it, even if the smoke stops on its own.
Continued use if steaming or smoking can be repaired initially, but if you don't make repairs quickly, you may be forced to replace your entire engine or give up on your car entirely.
Pay Attention to Your Brakes
Your braking system needs to be functioning properly before you return to the road. Otherwise, you'll place yourself at risk alongside other motorists if you lose control of your vehicle. You shouldn't have a squishy brake pedal, which means that you must push the pedal all the way to the ground to stop.
You shouldn't be pulling left or right when braking or a brake pedal that is difficult to push down. If you hear a grinding sound when braking, this means that the brake pads are completely gone.
Beware of Loud or Strange Noises
When you notice loud noises coming from your car, you should take it to a mechanic. If you notice strange noises that you don't recognize, think about the normal noises your car makes. Sometimes, changes in weather can produce strange noises, but you should have these noises investigated by a repair technician.
Take Your Car in for an Inspection
When in doubt, you're best off taking a trip to the Automotive Super Sports team to perform an inspection. Your vehicle will receive the best care possible if you visit
Automotive Super Sports. The cost of hiring a tow truck is worth it, especially when you're not able to perform an inspection on your own car to determine if it's safe to drive. Call us today.
