How To Avoid An Accident When Your Steering Wheel Fails While Driving

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mrsam

Guest
It is possible of any part of a vehicle to malfunction anytime, be it brakes, tyres, steering wheel etc. When such happens and it is not properly managed, accidents are bound to occur. The steering wheel plays a very important role in driving. Therefore, if you discover that your steering is no longer active while driving, here are a few tips to help you out:

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Don’t panic
: This is usually the first reaction when drivers discover such, but instead of entertaining fear, put on your hazard light, so as to let other road users know that you have some emergency, hence they should take caution. Your actions or inaction within the next moments could make or mar your journey, so be calm.

Reduce your speed: As soon as you discover that the steering has failed, reduce your speed so that you could have a bit of control of the vehicle. If you are in a crowded area, apart from putting on the hazard light, use your horn and put on your headlights to create enough awareness.

Move to the side of the road
: When your vehicle has steering problem, you should not be in the middle of the road. It is entirely clear that you could be on the fast lane when it happened, thus when you discover it, continue turning it to the side that is safer, and that should be to your right. You could be lucky, and it could respond slightly. So, find a way to move to one side of the road.

Don’t put off the engine
: Some people are fond of putting off the engine when the car is moving, especially when descending a hill. And this is usually done to save fuel. But that is not right and it is very risky too. Apart from the fact that it would make the steering wheel to be stiff, it could lead to accident, given the slow response of the steering. So, you need the steering wheel to be as soft as possible, perhaps it will respond along the line.

Do a brief check
: If you are able to bring the car to a stop without hassles, check your power steering fluid whether it is low. If low, refill it, wait for some time before starting again. If that does not work, you need to consult a mechanic.

Carry out routine checks: Findings have shown that people tend to forget to check this oil because it is not used up quickly like others. But, to avoid unfortunate situations and putting your life at risk, check the power steering oil every day before leaving the house. Also, endeavor to use recommended products so that a wrong product does not damage your vehicle.

Good luck!!

Source: Punch Newspapers
 
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