 I know you may be tempted not to spend your hard-earned money on basic vehicle maintenance, but it's really important and should be a priority because one day it may save your life. To go through some common maintenance items, we've enlisted the help of Howard from RICQ. In Queensland, we're blessed with a lot of sunny weather, so it's easy to forget about these bad boys. Wiper blades. They're not that expensive and they're easy to replace, so try and do those at least every year. Tires. They might look like much, but this patch of rubber here has the single biggest influence on how your vehicle reacts with the road. Make sure you check your tires regularly. You need to be checking your tire pressure as well as tire wear. Don't forget, a wheel balance and alignment is much cheaper than a new set of tires. Next up are the lights. Possibly the easiest thing to check, all you need is an assistant. Turn on the hazard lights, brake lights, headlights, pipe beams and reverse lights to check to see they're all working. Most newer cars will prompt you if there is a globe out, but it's best to check them routinely. Brakes. Now these are a big one. I wouldn't recommend working on your brakes yourself, however it's important to know if they are working correctly. Keep an ear out for squealing, squeaking or grinding noises. A spongy brake pedal or the car pulling to one side during braking are also good indicators that something is wrong. Next on our list is servicing. Just like the dentist, a lot of people put this off, however it's always much cheaper to follow your service intervals. You'll also avoid being stranded or damaging your engine. Your mechanic will have all the gear to have a proper look at your car and keep you safe. Lastly, it's important to consider the legal implications of driving a defective vehicle. Not only are you endangering yourself and others, the defect may be evidence of criminal negligence. So get to know your car a little better and go through these simple checkups on a regular basis. That way you and your car are in the best position to respond if the worst should happen.