Everyone develops their own style of driving, which breeds both good and bad habits. Although most people are responsible and safe behind the wheel, there are pesky little tendencies we all have that can cause damage to your car. If you break these bad habits and change the way you drive, it can minimize the risk of having to deal with costly auto repairs. Check out these 5 Bad Driving Habits to Avoid!
Slamming on Brakes – Try to avoid tailgating cars and keep your eyes on the road for any quick stops. By slamming on your brakes, you’re wearing down on your brake pad, rotors and tire tread. Also, when going down a hill, avoid riding the brakes altogether if possible. Instead, shift into a lower gear that will slow your car down without having to use the brake pedal.
Fuel Levels – A lot of people tend to avoid filling up their tank until the very last minute. Running on empty is a bad habit that can result in damage to your fuel pump because it relies on high fuel levels to keep cool. If the fuel levels are low, your fuel pump can heat up and get overworked. To break this habit, try to fill up whenever you have a quarter left in the tank.
Flooring It – Let’s admit it, we’ve all punched the gas on our car at some point imagining ourselves as Batman or Jeff Gordon. However, gunning your car from 0 to 60 can take a toll on your engine as well as your tires. Not to mention it can be dangerous if you suddenly need to stop or if you somehow lose control. Avoid this bad habit by driving the speed limit and being
Rapidly Shifting Gears -Be cautious and make sure you’re at a full stop when putting your car in park, reverse or drive. If you violently change gears it can damage your vehicle’s transmission. This also applies to resting your hand on the shifter when you drive. The added weight and stress on the shift handle can have the same effect, so make sure you keep both hands on the steering wheel while you’re driving.
Hauling Too Much Weight – Take every chance you can to clean out any unnecessary clutter out of your car. All of this extra weight can impair your fuel economy and add stress to your brakes, suspension and transmission. In order to save money in this regard, keep only the essentials stowed away in your vehicle, such as a safety kit, tire changing tools, ect.
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