One can’t stress enough the importance of having working brakes in driving. In a study of car crashes between 2005 and 2007, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) discovered that brake-related problems accounted for one in five of such accidents. If not brake failure, the failure to brake hard enough is as much of a problem (Source). This is what brake maintenance vital!

When bringing the car into the shop or doing the maintenance yourself, brakes should at least be high up on a car owner’s to-do list. A working brake system can mean the difference between a smooth drive and a fender bender, if not injuries and whatnot. Perhaps other parts of the car can wait, but brake maintenance is a must-do, no matter what.

Regardless of who’ll work on keeping your car’s standard or performance brake kits working, it pays to know a few crucial things. Follow these tips to have lifesaving stopping power wherever you decide to drive: