It’s no secret that global conditions have led to ongoing (and, often, increasing) supply chain problems that are affecting every aspect of life – including people’s ability to get replacement parts for their vehicles when they need them.
Could this have dangerous – or even deadly – consequences on the nation’s roads? It could. Here’s what you need to know:
There’s a long wait for repairs, but people are still driving
Auto parts have been so hard to come by that thieves are grabbing expensive parts, like catalytic converters, out of vehicles parked right in front of people’s homes. Other hard-to-find parts for vehicles these days include:
- ABS brake modules
- Windshields
- Engine sensors
- Transmission control nodules
Missing parts or much-needed repairs aside, most people simply cannot afford to let their vehicles sit idle for weeks while they wait on a repair shop or dealership to get what they need. This means that if a vehicle will still run at all, drivers feel forced to take them out on the road.
That could lead to serious, even deadly, consequences for both those drivers and others. Imagine, for example, that you’re sharing the road with a vehicle that needs new parts for its brakes. If those brakes give out right when the car’s behind you at a red light, you could easily get rear-ended.
Even a cracked windshield can lead to a wreck. The reduced visibility from a seriously damaged windshield can make it harder for a driver to safely navigate in traffic. (There are reasons there are laws against driving with a damaged windshield, after all.)
If you end up in a wreck because another driver had a poorly maintained vehicle, find out more about how to recover fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
