As a full-service law firm with its fair share of personal injury attorneys, we’ve unfortunately seen our fair share of car accidents. A failure to keep a properly maintained vehicle can lead to these accidents – bald tires, broken headlights, and low engine oil can all contribute to vehicle malfunction and cause problems on the road.
As of 2026, New Hampshire’s yearly vehicle inspection requirement, which sought to address many of these issues, is suspended until further notice. While inspection isn’t currently mandatory, for the sake of your safety, your car, and the people around you, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the condition of your vehicle.
Despite the suspended inspection requirement, New Hampshire still has rules for roadworthiness that need to be followed. Even if you don’t want to take your car to a professional, there are a few simple things you can do to help keep your car safe and roadworthy.
Keeping the Lights On
A simple way to stay road-safe and prevent yourself from being pulled over by law enforcement is to make sure your headlights and taillights are working. Once every month or so, park your car somewhere you can safely walk around it, turn on your lights, get out of the car, and make sure that none of your bulbs are dead.
You can also take this opportunity to test your blinkers, high-beams, fog lights, and even your brake lights. If you find any lights that aren’t working properly, you can attempt to replace the bulbs yourself (depending on your vehicle, this can be a fairly simple DIY process or significantly more complex) or bring your car to a professional. If replacing the bulb doesn’t fix the issue, you may have a fuse or wiring problem, in which case, professional assistance may be advisable.
Making sure your lights are working is an easy step toward safer driving.
Tire Pressure and Tread
Your tires are where your vehicle meets the road, which makes them essential to maintain. While some cars have their own tire pressure monitors built in, it never hurts to do a monthly check with a tire pressure gauge. You can find the recommended PSI for your tires on a sticker inside the driver’s-side door jamb. If you’re low, many gas stations have air machines that you can set to your desired PSI.
Checking your tires’ treads is also important. While less precise than the legal standard for measuring tread depth, if you have a penny on you, you can use the “penny trick” to get a sense of your tread depth. Take a penny and place it top-hat first into your tread. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tires are bald (the tread is at the legal minimum depth of 2/32s of an inch or lower) and in need of replacement.
Driving on properly pressurized tires with a good tread is not only safer for you and the people around you, but also makes for a better drive. Be mindful of your tires.
Checking your Fluids
Regular fluid checks are an important part of keeping your vehicle driving as smoothly as possible. There are five common fluids to keep an eye on, each with a specific way to check them. While every car is a little different (either look for information on your specific vehicle or consult a professional), here’s a general rundown on what each does.
- Engine Oil: Engine oil might be your car’s most important fluid, and does what its name would suggest: lubricates moving parts within the engine. It also helps keep things clean and cool.
- Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF): Transmission fluid also helps keep things cool and keeps your gears shifting smoothly. You can check the health of this fluid by its color: pink or red are a good sign, but if looks brown or burnt, it may be time for a change.
- Coolant: Especially important to check before long trips in extreme temperatures, coolant keeps your engine from over or under-heating.
- Brake Fluid: This fluid is essential for transferring the force of your brake pedal to your brake pads. You’ll notice it in a translucent plastic reservoir under the hood.
- Power Steering Fluid: This keeps your vehicle’s steering functioning properly, allowing for smooth turning.
You can find guidance on checking all of these fluids online or consult a professional to make sure your car is in top shape. While you’re under the hood checking on your car’s fluids, you may also want to refill your windshield wiping fluid if it looks low.
Be Safe on the Road
Although you currently don’t need to get your vehicle inspected, that does not mean that your vehicle never needs maintenance. Take care of your car, and you’ll help make our state a safer place to drive.
As always, be careful, follow all driving laws, and do everything you can to make the roads a safe place for everyone. And if you do unfortunately wind up in a collision and need help, contact us for a free consultation and guidance on your next steps.
