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Drivers in California are certainly well acquainted with speed bumps. They can be found in school zones, housing communities, to shopping parking lots. And they sometimes seem like they're inescapable. They are used in areas where speeding is a frequent issue or safety hazard, so they're intended to make you slow down. However, some drivers may not notice them or be impatient or reckless and end up running it over one of these humps. Ramming your car in and over a speed bump can be very harmful to your vehicle, and we're here to tell you why.
Different Areas That Can Be Affected
Traveling too fast over a speed bump is similar to hitting a pothole at high speed. The jolt you feel afterward can cause significant problems with your vehicle alignment, springs, shocks, struts, and/or ball joints. It can even change your tire pressure or cause a tire to blow out. Lastly, it can scrape the car's undercarriage and impact the exhaust system.
How to Properly Drive Over Speed Bumps
While some people try to find every opportunity to bypass a speed bump, it can be very unsafe. You can't possibly avoid every speed bump out there. To ensure you don't take any damage, you'll need to slow down to approximately 3-5 mph. For less prominent speed humps, going upwards of 10-15 mph is okay. No matter what you do, try to point your tire to go straight over the bump. Having each set of tires go over the mound simultaneously will lessen the impact and chance of scrapping your car.
We get it - speed bumps can be an annoyance on your everyday commute. However, they are a necessary item to regulate traffic in certain areas. If you handle them with care, you shouldn't have to worry. If you notice your car pulling to one side, steering oddly, or making odd noises, you may have issues that need to be addressed. For all your automotive repairs, we invite you to H B Auto & AC today!