All drivers know they’re supposed to slow down before going over a speed bump, but when you’re in a hurry, the idea of keeping your speed is tempting. Before considering racing over a speed bump, you should have all the facts. Not slowing down before hitting a speed bump could put your safety at risk and damage several parts of your car.
Ruin Your Tires
If you drive too fast over a speed bump, you’ll come down hard. Your tires weren’t made to withstand that much force. It could cause your side walls to come into contact with the road, making your tires more likely to blow. This is dangerous and would be expensive if you need to buy new tires.
Break Your Exhaust System
An exhaust system that hits the road could get banged up or break off entirely, making it completely ineffective. You won’t have the noise reduction and efficiency that an exhaust system provides, which is bad for the environment, your ears, and your neighbors.
Reduce Your Shocks’ Performance
Your shocks make your ride smoother by absorbing the energy caused by bumps and imperfections in the road. Even though a speed bump doesn’t appear to be that large, you’ll land too hard too fast if you don’t slow down enough before you reach it. Such a landing creates too much energy for shock absorption and may cause them to bend and reduce their effectiveness.
Misalign Your Steering System
Damage to the shocks can pave the way for damage to the steering rack mounts and misalignment of your wheels. Your power steering system could end up leaking fluid, and your air conditioner may break. Unless you repair these systems soon, you can expect to see even more damage, and these repairs will cost you more money.
Driving too fast over a speed bump could affect your entire car, and the damage may worsen the longer you wait to repair it. These issues damagxe your car and put your safety at risk. Slow down, and if your car needs repairs after driving over a speed bump, contact your auto repair shop today to get your car back on the road safely and in working order.