Your driving style and habits might unknowingly be affecting your safety and your vehicle’s longevity. Are your driving habits putting you at risk? Find out more here.

Do You Have Bad Driving Habits?

There’s no such thing as a perfect car owner/driver. You might be super diligent with your maintenance schedule, but you might also be guilty of some driving habits that can make your car unsafe and reduce its life expectancy. You might not even notice you’re doing something wrong to your vehicle. Here are some bad driving habits you should be in the lookout for so you can break them.

Ignoring the Warning Signals

Many of us are guilty of ignoring the warning signals our cars give us. Squeaking brakes and other strange noises? Let me blast the radio to drown them out. Flashing lights on your dashboard? Nah, there’s nothing actually wrong. Your oil change schedule is past due? A few more miles won’t do any harm! Your car lets you know when something is not right. Plenty of times we ignore those signs until it breaks down and we absolutely must fix the issue. Sticking to your maintenance schedule can prolong your car’s life expectancy. It might seem annoying, but this is a habit that you should definitely break. You can improve your engine’s performance by getting a synthetic oil change. You can even get AMSOIL’s XL 5W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil if you want to have longer oil change intervals. Get everything you need for an AMSOIL Synthetic Oil change online or by calling Huff Oil Group at (910) 988-9328.

Resting Your Hand on the Gear Shifter

You might casually rest your hand on the shifter when you drive and unknowingly be affecting the transmission. The weight of your hand (and arm) cause unnecessary stress on the transmission’s bushings and synchronizers, accelerating internal wear. Try to avoid touching the shifter unless you’re changing gears. If you notice you have trouble shifting gears and you have the habit of resting your hand on the shifter, you might need to check your transmission system soon.

Resting Your Foot on the Clutch Pedal

The weight of your foot on the clutch pedal can affect your clutch. Without realizing it, you’re gently engaging your clutch and hurting the pressure plate, release arm, and release bearing. Changing your clutch can be costly. Try to keep your foot off the pedal if you’re not going to shift gears.

Ignoring the Tire Pressure

The tire pressure is greatly affected by the weather. You might be driving around with a flat tire from one day to the next and not even notice. The wrong tire pressure can lead you to an accident and unnecessary fuel consumption. Incorrect pressure can make it harder to handle your car and cause uneven tire wear. Make your car safer and get more out of your mileage by checking your tire pressure regularly.

Driving on Empty

It may happen sometimes that you’re running low on fuel and there isn’t a gas station nearby. On these occasions you just have to cross your fingers and hope that you’ll make it to your destination on just fumes. However, you shouldn’t let this happen often. Driving on empty an cause serious and expensive damages to your vehicle. All the grime, dirt, and rust residing at the bottom of your fuel tank can get sucked into the fuel system and hurt the fuel filter and pump. Besides, gasoline also works as a lubricant and coolant for the fuel pump. If you’re running low on fuel, you’ll only worsen the wear and tear. If you want your fuel to last longer get a synthetic oil change, refuel smartly, and look into fuel additives.

Tailgating

Yes, you might be in a hurry to get to your destination, but following the car in front of you a little bit too close isn’t going to get you there any faster. There’s a specific amount of pace you should leave between yourself and the car in front of you according to local conditions. Not respecting this space can result in a ticket or even worse, in an accident. Keep a prudent and reasonable distance from other cars. A few inches won’t get you to your destination any faster.

Forgetting to Signal When Changing Lanes

It might seem unnecessary to turn on your blinker sign when you’re moving to a new lane. After all, you’re already halfway there, right? This little habit can potentially get you pulled over. It’s not that hard to use your signal, do it even when the roads look empty.

Remember to Keep Your Car Safer With a Synthetic Oil Change in Fayetteville

Changing your oil regularly can help you extend your car’s longevity and maintain a safer vehicle. If your car has given you any indications that you need new oil, listen to it. Get everything you need for an AMSOIL Synthetic Oil change in Fayetteville by calling Huff Oil Group at (910) 988-9328 or by exploring their online store.