Imagine yourself in a situation stranded late at night with your car broken down in the middle of nowhere. Worst nightmare, isn’t it?
There is a famous quote, “With great power comes great responsibilities.” The same may be said about having a car. Many people can see the benefits, but they often overlook the responsibilities that come with owning one.
Whether you're going on long drives or short trips, there are more than a handful of items in your car to take care of to secure your family and friends' safety. But we have picked seven items that you cannot afford to forget to check before getting in your car. For you to remember them effortlessly,
we are calling it BLOWBAG.
A Checklist to Ensure Your Safety in Every Drive: Diving Deeper into BLOWBAG
The acronym BLOWBAG stands for Battery, Lights, Oil, Water, Brakes, Air and Gas. Let’s dive deeper to get a good grip on each of these components.
Battery
Your car’s battery is the very first thing that you should look at. It is one of the most neglected components of the car despite the fact that it is responsible for starting the vehicle.
Check to see if your battery is still in good shape which means it has an adequate electrolyte, bears no damage and is attached securely to the car.
If you're going on a road trip, you should consider keeping an extra one in case your current one is flat out. When you encounter difficulty starting your car, you should consider replacing your battery.
Lights
Who wants to be fined for the broken lights of their car? No one, right? Your car's headlights and taillights not only let you see in the dark, but they also help other drivers see you on the road.
Ensure that your headlights, daytime running lights, brake lights, taillights, fog lights and signal lights are all in the best condition. Give extra attention to them especially when you are driving at night.
You also need to check if the lights are free from dirt and breakage. If there is an issue with any of your lights, visit the service center as soon as possible.
Oil
While many car enthusiasts make it a habit to replace motor oil on a regular basis, newbie drivers are sometimes unaware of the necessity of pouring fresh motor oil in.
Your engine requires adequate and proper lubrication as it has countless gears and bolts mounted in it. Regular oil changes ensure that these gears and bolts don’t grind against each other and cause damage to the engine.
The first thing you need to look at while checking the oil is its color. Check if the oil is still as clear as honey and the oil level is in full. If it has a darker color, you should replace that with fresh oil.
Don’t forget to examine for an oil leak.
Water
Just like you need water to stay hydrated, your car needs it too. Besides oil and battery, water is of equal prominence in terms of the proper functioning of your car. It helps cool down the car’s engine while driving.
One of the biggest reasons why car engines break down is overheating. You should always check to see if your radiator is properly hydrated, especially during the summer season.
Carrying some water with you is a surefire way to get out of a slightly overheated radiator which is a prickly situation that you would want to avoid.
Brakes
Brake failures can be fatal. This is why you simply cannot afford to ignore it.
Before getting on the busy roads, always check if your brakes are working properly. If you have the slightest confusion about whether your brakes are in the finest shape, visit the repair shop without any delay.
Press fully on the pedal while turning the engine on to check if the brakes are working perfectly or not. The brakes should not be too hard or too soft.
Moreover, do not use sudden brakes unless called for.
Air
Checking the air means ensuring that the tires are in perfect condition. If you aren't prepared, a flat tire may cause you great suffering.
Examining your tires before pushing the start button of your car may be the best choice as very few cars can house a spare tire.
Before leaving the garage, check that all of your tires are properly inflated, free from bulges or any sharp objects that may be stuck to the surface of the tires.
Also, often check for the tire pressure and make sure it doesn’t go under or over the indicated psi (pound per square inch).
It is always best to know how to replace a flat tire even if you don’t like to do that.
Gas
Obviously, you don’t want to push your favorite car in the middle of the road just because your car has run out of fuel. Because it is not only stressful but also embarrassing!
We advise you to keep an eye on the fuel gauge to make sure the amount of gas is enough for reaching your destination.
Don’t wait for the gas gauge to start flashing that annoying red light before you finally stop by a gas station. Refill your fuel tank as soon as the indicator goes a little below the half-tank meter.
Conclusion
Maintaining your favorite car can be a not-so-fun task for regular consumers and car owners. But we really hope that with BLOWBAG in mind, you can ensure that you don’t find yourself in any situation that could easily be rectified with a little more attention. Also, it can be your life-saving mnemonic, who knows?
We threw light on the seven most important factors that any driver should check before pushing the accelerator. In an addition to this, it is equally important that you, as a driver, have enough mental and physical soundness to go through the driving.
Once everything has been checked and found in the right shape, it’s time for you to hit the road. Happy driving!
