Posted in: | Jan 11,2019
According to statistics, there are more than 250 million used cars travelling on American roads. At least 40 million used cars are sold each year, forming a large percentage of second hand automobiles on our roads and highways.
Buying a used car is a cost effective measure for many Americans and families. Some groups of motorists, like student drivers or first time drivers, for example, may be more likely to buy a used car for budgetary and other reasons. While cost is a factor in your purchase, it is also important to look at the safety characteristics of the car you are buying.
A risk when buying a used car is an accident history. Fortunately, there are tools like Carfax that inform you of whether a vehicle has been involved in a crash. Apart from accident history, there other things you can look for to make sure that you do not end up with an unsafe car.
Conduct your own investigations on the history of the car. Look up the car model number on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall check tool, and find out whether the car you are considering has been involved in a recall earlier. Recalls are announced by the federal agency when it has reason to believe that the car has a defect that could impact the safety of persons riding in the car. If your car has been involved in a previous recall, investigate if the car was brought in to fix the defect that led to the recall. Millions of cars that are recalled every year are not brought in for the fixes that manufacturers are required to provide at the dealers’, with the result that these defective vehicles continue to ply the roads.
Also look up the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s car ratings, and find out if the car you are considering buying has a good record for safety features and crashworthiness.
A Vehicle History Report can also give you more formation about the car to base your decision on.
Lastly, get the car checked by your mechanic, and ask for a report about its condition. The mechanic will be able to find signs of damage and wear and tear that you may not be able to see. Also remember that not all crashes are reported, which makes it even more imperative to get the car checked by your mechanic. He will be able to spot signs that the car has been involved in an accident in the past.
A used car need not be an unsafe car. Follow these tips, and be a responsible and safe car buyer.
The Indianapolis car accident lawyers at Montross Miller represent persons catastrophically inured in automobile accidents across Indiana.
