The celebration of a new year has come and gone, bringing with it the carpool season. If you are one of many South Africans who managed to fit in a road-trip in between the festive social gatherings, don’t forget to check that your vehicle is in tip-top condition and kid-safe with this five-point checklist:
- Check lights and wipers for visibility: With summer upon us and unpredictable weather conditions, make sure lights and windscreen wipers function properly so that you can see and be seen. Check the exterior and interior lights and replace any lights that are dimming, rapidly blinking or not functioning. Replace wiper blades if they are worn.
- Annual brake inspection: The braking system is one of your car’s most important safety features. Before carpool season is in full swing, ensure that your brakes are in excellent working condition. Warning signs that your brakes need to be checked are illuminated brake lights or screeching as well as grinding or clicking noises when applying brakes.
- Check tyres for under inflation or excessive wear: Check tyre pressure and refill underinflated tyres, including the spare. Don’t forget to look for uneven wear and check tread depth.
- Make sure everyone is buckled up: For younger kids, make sure that you have the correct car seat or booster based on the child’s age and size. How to make sure that children are buckled up correctly (this will be hyperlinked to the previous article)
- Make sure your Beame stolen vehicle recovery device is in good working condition: Beame has made it easy for you to test your unit by using the Beame App. Simply download the Beame Smartphone App from Google Play Store or iStore to test your unit and access all of Beame’s services. For your login details, contact our Customer Care Team on 0860 BEAME1 (232631). Alternatively, give us a call each month to check that your Beame unit is in working order.
Back to school time is hectic for most families but scheduling a complete vehicle inspection is a necessity. Knowing your vehicle was checked by a professional will give you peace of mind, making those trips to school and after-school activities safer and far less stressful.