For some families summer is a time of relaxation, but for others the opportunity to travel creates a more crowded schedule than the routine busyness of commuting and carpooling and sports practices.
Before summer ends, it would be a good idea to check your brakes and other safety systems. Of course this is true for you and your own family, but there is a heightened sense of culpability if you transport children from other families. The primary concern is the safety of your vehicles occupants, but there are several factors that might affect your financial responsibility for injuries to your passengers. For example, if you receive any compensation for transporting passengers then you have more of a legal duty to ensure their safety. If you are on notice of any unsafe condition in your car and fail to react, then you are legally more culpable for any damage that results.
The safest strategy is to have your vehicle checked routinely, particularly in the areas where the price of neglect would be higher, like brakes and tires. It is a simple matter to check the tread depth of your tires, but it is surprising how often this easy step is neglected. Usually your brakes will let you know they need attention by producing an unpleasant sound, but that is not a completely reliable method because most drivers in Central Florida drive with the air conditioners on and the windows up, and many listen to music inside that makes it difficult to hear any noise outside.
Do not ignore dashboard warning lights. Often they warn of problems with safety systems. Because those problems will usually not affect the operation of your vehicle, too many drivers ignore those warnings until there is an accident. However, this is an example of a situation where ignoring the notice of a hazardous condition would result in more culpability for the owner of the vehicle.
At Cassels Garage in West Melbourne, we are ready to help keep your cars in good working condition. We are a family-owned shop well equipped to provide routine maintenance or do major repairs on your car. We have been serving Brevard County since 1966.
