Hertfordshire may be known as the home of the garden city, with Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth being two prime examples, but that does not mean that it doesn't suffer from urban congestion. As well as the garden cities, Hertfordshire's older, market towns are just as liable to problems with traffic, especially during the rush hour. Places like Bishop's Stortford, Hoddesdon and Royston can all become extremely clogged up with local and through traffic trying to make it way. Heavy road use leads to wear and tear on your car. What can you do about it?
Check the Oil Level
If you know you are going to be stuck in traffic on a typical journey in the county, then make sure your oil level is correct. In slow-moving traffic, your car doesn't warm up so quickly as it would on the open road. As such, moving parts can grind into one another unless they are properly lubricated. Check your oil level using the dipstick once the car's engine is cool. Don't wait for your dashboard lamp to come on to indicate there is a problem.
Inspect Your Lights
Driving on sidelights only because a headlamp has blown is dangerous. On some of Hertfordshire's trunk roads, there are no street lights to rely on, so you must keep an eye on the state of your bulbs and change any that have blown. Remember that it is not just your headlights. Check your indicators, brake lights and fog lamp, too.
Tyres and Tracking
Running around on misaligned tyres, or those which have insufficient grip due to worn down tread, mean that you could lose control at a vital moment. Many B-roads in Hertfordshire see water running off from nearby fields onto them which means you need all the grip you can get. Tyre and tracking checks should be part of a normal servicing regime, of course. DAT Tyres provides car servicing in Baldock which you can book on their website here. Doing so will help to keep your car on the road in wet and icy conditions.
Screenwash Reservoir
With so much muck on the road, it is vital that you can see ahead for hazards. This is very hard if you cannot wipe your windscreen properly. Make sure you top up your screenwash bottle every couple of weeks so that you remain safe at all times on the county's road network.
