Your car is especially vulnerable to skids and crashes when the roads are wet and the potholes filled with rainwater, so here are a few things you should immediately do to minimise your risk during these monsoon months.

Tyre care: It is your tyres that connect your car to the road so they are by far the most important item you should check because tyres suffer from gradual wear and tear and lose traction and balance over time making your vehicle more prone to skidding and poor braking. Get all your wheels balanced as the wear and tear can make them wobbly. Potholes on the roads are more frequent in the monsoon months so damaged or worn out tyres can burst. Therefore, make sure that you replace your old tyres now and try to replace them in pairs. Also rotate your tyres and always ensure that your best tyres are in front since they faces the maximum stress while cornering or braking. And please don’t forget the spare tyre in your boot. Make sure that it is okay and that its air has not slowly leaked out.

Electricals: These suffer the most because moisture can cause short circuits and other problems. Ensure that your batteries are

serviced to ensure full power for starting or lighting. Modern cars have so many electronic gadgets with miles of wiring connecting them that the batteries always have to be in very good condition or else your car may not start. Routine servicing of the starters and dynamos is

also essential.

Lighting: Unless you suffer a crash you do not usually notice that the brightness of your headlights gradually fades. This is mostly because the reflectors get dirty or the glass lenses get scratched. Good lighting is very important when it is difficult to see the road ahead because of rain, mist or water splashed from the road. This is sometimes missed during routine servicing but is usually quite easy to fix and can be handled by your car company or a lighting dealer.

Brakes: Brake shoes and discs do suffer from slow wear and tear and need to be routinely reset. We even forget to get the brake fluid checked so now is a good time to get them all serviced.

Undercoating: Your service station will offer you a protective rubberised underbody spray for a small price. It is a recommended expense because it will not only stop rust and the collection of muck but will make your car run more smoothly.

Servicing: Most of us think that servicing is only about a general wash and changing of lubricating oil and filters. These are important but a pressure wash under the chassis and axles will also wash out a lot of encrusted mud and muck that slows down your car. The oil spray will also keep out mud for quite a while. You should get regular servicing every three to six months depending on the distance your car usually travels. If you tend to forget sometimes, get your car serviced just before the monsoons and once again before winter. Show this checklist to your service manager to ensure that they service all the main systems.