More and more households are run by single women, so women are responsible for vehicle maintenance in a growing number of households and families. Even if there is a male partner in the household, many women are still responsible for their vehicle's maintenance. Historically, women have reported that they felt they were treated differently than their male counterparts by repair facilities.

Attitudes in repair facilities are finally changing. More and more repair facilities recognize that a large part of their customer base is female and that those customers should be treated with respect, just like any other customer. Surveys show that women enjoy the safety and security of having a well-maintained vehicle, but dislike having limited knowledge.

How can women learn more about their vehicles, practice good safety measures, and even save money? Car Care Canada recommends to female motorists that they practice proper overall vehicle maintenance. A properly maintained vehicle is less likely to break down and costs less money to maintain in the long run. The average annual cost for vehicle repair for a three to eight year old vehicle is around $900, so you should budget accordingly. Of course, the older the car, the more the annual cost for maintenance is likely to increase.

Car Care Canada also recommends ensuring that all the safety features on your car are properly maintained and in proper working order. One area to focus on is the Safety Triangle, three parts of a vehicle -- brakes, tires, and shocks -- that work all together. If any one of these key components is not in top working condition, stopping distances can increase dramatically and driver control can be seriously diminished. There is a strong relationship between shocks, brakes, and tires, and Car Care Canada believes it is vital to ensure proper maintenance of each point on this safety triangle.

Straightforward Safety Suggestions
Women may want to remember a few other key safety points. If your vehicle does break down, you should pull as far off the road as you can, and put your hazard lights on. Your emergency kit should include a sign that says "Call Police". And motorists should remember to be careful when looking under the hood while trying to assess a vehicle problem. Engine parts can be VERY hot, and can cause severe burns.

Inexpensive items that are vital to safety include:

Wiper blades - we all take them for granted, but wiper blades keep the front, and in some cases back windshield, clear of rain and dirt, so you can see where you are going. And seeing where you are going, and what is happening ahead and behind you, is one of the keys to safe driving. Car Care Canada recommends switching blades every six months, in the fall and in the spring.

Headlights - darkness at night causes you to have a reduced field of vision, considerably reduced contrast detection and difficulty in recognizing colour. A brighter and wider illumination of the road leads to safer driving. A vehicle's headlights, including high-beams, play a significant role in keeping your field of vision as large as possible. In essence, the lighting provided by headlights allows for greater safety by making road-side hazards more visible.

Signal lights (including brake lights and turn signals) -- if other drivers can anticipate your next move because they see your vehicle's brake lights and/or a turn signal, then they can react appropriately and you can help to avoid any accidents.

Tire Pressure – Check your tire pressure at least once a month. Proper tire maintenance is not only critical to the safe operation of your vehicle, it also improves fuel efficiency; helps prevent avoidable breakdowns and collisions; extends tire life; reduces exhaust emissions and enables better vehicle handling.

Gas Caps - Most people don't realize how important these are. Besides the safety concern of gasoline free flowing out of a recently filled gas tank, gas caps can save a car owner a lot of money in fuel expenses if they are properly used and then properly replaced when the cap becomes worn out. When properly fitted and used (no more leaving it on the gas pump), gas caps are incredibly fuel efficient. They eliminate fumes and gas evaporation from escaping the gas tank and polluting the air. Gas tank caps also help protect the fuel system of the vehicle. They stop damaging water, dirt, and other contaminants from getting into the precision systems that make up a car's vital performance.

The last safety reminder is for everyone to ensure they have a properly equipped first aid or emergency kit in their vehicle

For more information about vehicle maintenance visit www.carcarecanada.ca.