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Thousands of motorists could be putting their families in danger this Easter weekend by taking to the roads in cars unfit for the journey.
  
Easter signals the end of winter, the beginning of spring and provides the first opportunity for millions of motorists to take to the roads on journeys as diverse as a trip to the local DIY superstore to a family holiday. [For non-British readers, 'DIY' means 'Do It Yourself' -- another name for 'home improvement'.]
  
But at the end of a winter with a late sting in its tail, many cars will be ill prepared -- and beneath layers of grime and deposits of the salt used to treat frozen roads, a catalogue of neglect could be waiting to turn a happy outing into a disaster.
  
During the dark winter evenings and cold weekends, many motorists are reluctant to undertake even the most basic DIY tasks on their vehicles. Recent research demonstrated that almost 90 per cent of drivers forget to carry out basic safety checks like tyres and lights during the winter. Even those who rejoice in shiny vehicles and wash their vehicles regularly
rarely do any more than re-fuel or fill up the windscreen washers.

  
The RAC Foundation for Motoring is encouraging motorists to make use of the extra time off that comes with the Bank holiday to tackle the car:

• Check the condition of tyres. Wear and damage, exacerbated by bad weather and pot-holed roads together with incorrect pressures, can significantly affect safety, stopping ability and correct braking;

• Make sure that lights and indicators are [clean,] working and correctly adjusted. Badly lit vehicles are involved in crashes that could have been prevented by a simple two-minute check. Vehicles with defective lights are not only a menace, they are illegal -- each year police and the courts deal with around 50,000 such offences;

• Have the car serviced. Safety components like brakes, which will have taken a battering during the dark days of winter, are best left to the professionals. It's also a good idea to have the battery checked -- many garages offer checks free of charge;

• Check the car's wiper blades are in good condition with no tears or cracks;

• Make sure the screen wash, oil and water are at the recommended levels;

• Check the anti-freeze content in the washer reservoir and cooling system is appropriate - there may be cold weather yet to come;

• Wash it thoroughly. Dirty windows not only compromise road safety but can constitute an offence when they become badly obscured. The legal implications of having mucky number plates [i.e. license plates] have also become more significant - GATSO speed enforcement devices, automatic number plate recognition systems and congestion charging cameras all work on registrations. Whilst motorists will usually be encouraged to clean their vehicle if stopped by the police - they can, in the worst-case scenario, be issued with a fixed penalty notice and fine of £40 if their vehicle is filthy;

• Clear out the rubbish that has accumulated inside the car during the winter months -- a recent report by Auto Express magazine showed that many family cars have more germs than toilet seats, posing a health risk to occupants.

Kevin Delaney, Traffic and Road Safety Manager for the RAC Foundation said:
  
"Once the car has been spring-cleaned and checked, the RAC Foundation has simple advice for all drivers. Start fresh, stay fresh and take it easy.
  
"Having prepared the car, drivers should make sure they are up to the journey. A fresh start and regular breaks on long journeys will help drivers and passengers alike to enjoy the journey.
  
"Finally, whatever journey they are making, drivers must remember that Easter is a peak travel period on the roads. They should consider starting their journey early or late, allow plenty of time and perhaps plan diversion routes to their destination, rather than fuming in traffic jams."

Source: The RAC Foundation (UK)