The 3 Golden Rules for Every Driver
We want to share a little bit of wisdom from our 55+ years in business. These are guidelines we instill in our employees and our families to stay safe on the roads.
We swear by our golden rules, and yes, we think you should, too!
Anyone who drives a car… write these down! We’re pretty confident that these are rules you should live by.
1. Don’t let your gas tank go below half a tank.
I know this might seem crazy, but it’s a guaranteed way to not be stranded because you ran out of gas.
Who actually does this?
The Bauers. We actually do.
Running out of gas because you forgot is a brutal way to break down. It’s so preventable.
And then you have to pay a company to tow you or bring you gas, or you have to track someone down to come get you… And what if it’s at night and you don’t know where you are?
It’s better to just never even have the opportunity to run out of gas.
There’s also the idea that, if you’re called to go somewhere in the middle of the night in an emergency, you won’t have to worry about not having enough gas to get to your destination.
Or maybe a storm comes through and you can’t get gas for a few days… you’ll be glad you have at least half a tank.
2.Always have a set of jumper cables.
Let’s say you have a dead battery. Maybe you accidentally left your lights on when you parked somewhere for a few hours. You’re going to want the option to get right back on the road, and luckily, having jumper cables is the perfect tool for that.
Not only can you save yourself from a sticky situation, but you could also help someone else, like a friend or family member, when they are in trouble.
It’s a critical safety tool to carry, and even if you don’t plan on using them yourself, there might be someone who knows how to use them in the place you break down.
Ultimately, it’s better to be prepared with a set of jumper cables just in case.
And remember to always wear eye protection when jumping your vehicle. Safety first!
3. Do NOT ignore warning lights, especially check engine lights.
Warning lights that pop up on your dashboard can be serious. They are informing you of a problem that will only become worse when ignored.
It’s not a suggestion, it’s more of a cry for help. Amber lights are insisting, “Take a look at me right now!” but red lights are screaming at you: “Stop driving immediately!”
Engine codes cause check engine lights to come on, and these codes indicate any of multiple circuits related to the engine that need attention. If you keep driving your car with these problems, they could cause serious internal harm to the components of your engine or emissions systems, like an exhaust catalytic converter, ultimately making your problem bigger (and more expensive).
Also, if a check engine light comes on and you keep driving around with it, it’s only setting you up for problems down the line…Even if that problem was small, now you can’t be informed when a bigger issue arises because you already ignored it the first time. It makes repairs so much more complicated.
So, stop by a shop when you see any check engine light come on.
And a little tip: you can’t pass NJ state inspection with an illuminated check engine light or active codes.