This week is Queensland Road Safety Week and together with the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) we're committing to putting road safety first.
According to RACQ, only 52 per cent of Queenslanders service their cars at six- or 12-month intervals. While it may be tempting not to spend your hard-earned cash on maintaining your vehicle, by keeping it in good condition, you're protecting yourself and other road users.
Simple safety checks only take a few minutes to complete:
- Wipers - in the 'Sunshine State' it can be easy to forget, but it's important to regularly check that the windscreen wipers and washers operate efficiently
- Tyres - make sure you check your tyre pressures, conditions, tread wear and depth
- Lights - make sure you're visible on the road by checking your exterior lights are in good working condition
- Brakes - if you notice noisy brakes, a spongy brake pedal or your car pulling to the side while braking it's a sign your brakes may need checking by an expert
- Servicing - following your service intervals can ensure any issues can be picked up by a mechanic as early as possible.
Not maintaining your vehicle can impact the safety of you, your passengers and other road users. It can also have implications if you are involved in a crash as defects in a vehicle can be evidence of criminal negligence.
Plan ahead and stay safe
Get to know what's normal for your car. If you start to feel or hear anything different you may be at risk of a breakdown.
For more information, visit https://www.racq.com.au/cars-and-driving/cars/owning-and-maintaining-a-car/car-maintenance/routine-maintenance.
Queensland Road Safety Week is running from 24 - 28 August. Put road safety first and show your support by signing up for road safety:
- Think of a road safety message you want to share, then put it on a sign or create one using a TMR template.
- Take a photo of your sign, making sure we can read your road safety message.
- Share your photo! Fill in this form to add your sign to the TMR gallery, or share it on your socials tagging @StreetSmarts QLD.
