Car care key when making Memorial Day travel plans

With the Memorial Day holiday weekend right around the corner, there's no better time to "Be Car Care Aware" about your vehicle.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, an average of 13,000 Americans are killed between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. A portion of these deaths can be directly attributed to unperformed vehicle maintenance as each year neglected maintenance leads to more than 2,600 deaths, nearly 100,000 disabling injuries and more than $2 billion in lost wages, medical expenses and property damage.

Proper car care is important at all times, but is particularly critical during the holiday travel seasons. When vehicle maintenance is put off too long, you're potentially putting your safety, as well as the safety of your passengers and other drivers, in jeopardy.

With American drivers spending 11 percent more time on the road than in 1995, having a safe car and driving safely are both high priorities as we head into summer. Car trouble, usually due to neglected maintenance, brings an abrupt end to vacation plans and can also lead to dangerous results.

This scenario usually can be avoided with a pre-vacation inspection. This "physical" for your automobile should address the following systems:

• Cooling
• Braking emission control
• Steering/suspension
• Fuel
• Electrical and ignition

In addition, an evaluation of the following should be performed:

• Engine performance
• Tires/wheels
• A.C./heater/defroster
• Instruments/gauges
• Windshield wipers
• Horns/lights/mirrors
• Seat belts
• Car's body, inside and out.

Not only can a pre-trip inspection help reduce chances of costly and possibly dangerous road trouble, it also provides an opportunity to have repairs made by a trusted technician who knows your vehicle inside and out.

To find a technician you can trust in your local area, log on to www.geminicarcare.com.