Smart Driving Tips: Save Your Wheel Alignment!

If you've completed all your summer road trips and are starting to settle in for the Fall Season, you may want to have your wheel alignment checked. Loss of the proper car alignment is a common occurrence after traveling bumpy roads for very many miles. However, the preventive strategy is about preparation, driving skills and reacting appropriately if a big bump or a pothole sneaks up to surprise you.

Smart Driving Tips --

As you get back on a busy schedule of work, school, sports, music lessons, etc., you can keep your ride comfortable and reduce potential damage to your vehicle by practicing these smart driving tips:

• Check your tire pressure on a regular basis. If a tire is too soft, it handles poorly and a sudden bump or pothole may cause it to rupture. Over-inflated tires are susceptible to damage as well.
• Keep the windshield clean! You want to make sure you can see any bumps or other obstacles in the road.
• Stay focused and pay attention to the traffic around you. What are the other vehicles doing? Don't tailgate—this restricts your ability to anticipate obstacles or sudden braking by the vehicle in front of you.
• Beware of hidden potholes lurking under puddles.
• Reduce your speed on bumpy gravel roads. Slower hits generally involve less damage from losing your car alignment or a punctured tire.
• If you do have to drive over a bump or hit a pothole, take your foot off the accelerator, brake lightly, if at all, and then let off the brakes entirely the moment before impact. Immediately pay attention to whether or not you have a flat tire. You may want to pull off the road at your next opportunity to check your tires or rims for damage.
• Try not to make a sudden swerve in an attempt to avoid an obstacle. It creates a hazard for vehicles immediately behind and beside you. You could also hit the bump on an oblique angle, potentially causing greater damage to your tires and wheel rims, and throwing off your wheel alignment.

Lost your wheel alignment? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Rum River Automotive by calling (763) 389-3811, or go online at https://www.rumriverauto.com/ for more information about car alignment service. Since 1997, our auto shop has served vehicle owners in Princeton, MN and in the surrounding areas of Milaca, MN, and Zimmerman, MN.