If you’ve ever been in a vehicle accident around St. Peter, MN, even a minor one, you know how upsetting it can be. It’s hard to think straight and know what to do.

Let’s review what you should do in case of an accident in St. Peter, MN:

When an accident occurs, you should always stop. Leaving the scene of an accident is considered a crime in MN, even if it’s not your fault. And hit-and-run penalties are fairly severe, possibly resulting in steep fines, loss of your driver’s license or even jail time in our local St. Peter lockup.

Most places, including MN, require that you try to help someone who is injured by calling for help or performing first aid if you are able.

Warn other St. Peter motorists by putting out flares, using your flashers or lifting your hood.

Call 911 as soon as possible. Tell the operator if medical or fire help is needed.

Always file a police report. It’s tempting to skip this if everything seems to be ok. But without a police report, the other guy can say whatever he wants about the accident later, and you won’t have an objective report to help defend yourself.

Discuss the accident only with the police. Emotions are strong after an accident and we naturally want to talk about it – don’t. Never admit fault or guilt to anyone, including the police officer. Sometimes we may feel at fault, but in the eyes of MN law, the other guy may be responsible.

Truthfully give the officer the facts: such as, “I was going 35 miles per hour,” or, “I was going 55 kilometers per hour,” not, “I wasn’t speeding.” Remember, anything you say to the officer or anyone else can be used against you.

Also get the officer’s name and badge number and ask where you can get a copy of the accident report.

Get the facts on the driver and owner of the other vehicle:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Date of birth
• Driver’s license number and expiration
• Insurance information

Also take down a description of the other vehicle, license plate and vehicle identification number (VIN). Most insurance companies don’t record license plate numbers, so the VIN is the best way to track the vehicle.

Ask witnesses, including passengers, to wait for the police. If they can’t wait, ask for contact information and request that they write a brief description of what they saw. If someone refuses to leave their name, write down their license plate number so the police can track them down later if necessary.

Always call your insurance agent or your MN auto insurance company’s 800 number.

Call or see your local St. Peter physician if you think you may have been injured.

We here at Autotronics of St. Peter hope that you never have to use this information and wish you happy travels.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

A lot of people get custom wheels in St. Peter. When you do this yourself (over the internet . . .) you could run into trouble if you’re not careful. Sometimes, once they’re mounted, they just don’t fit right. The tires rub in turns or on bumps. You don’t want that.

Consulting your Autotronics of St. Peter tire professional can ensure you get the right fit. First he’ll ask you a series of questions about your St. Peter driving needs and what you want in your new wheels. Now, not every wheel can go on every car. Care must be taken so that tires and wheels are not too large or that the wheel is centered too far towards the outside or the inside so the tires rub.

If you don’t want to make any modifications to your vehicle, you would need to focus on the wheels that would fit. With trucks, some people in St. Peter like much bigger tires so they need a suspension lift.

Also, most St. Peter drivers don’t realize that you need to keep the rolling diameter of your new tires – the overall height of the tire – very close to what came from the factory in order for your vehicle’s anti-lock brakes and stability control systems to work properly.

The computers that control these systems are calibrated to a certain size tire. When you go bigger or smaller, the computer doesn’t know what changes you made so it can’t tell how fast you’re going. This, of course, means it sends commands to the brakes and traction control that are based on the wrong speed. If you go with a different rolling diameter, your vehicle engine control computer can be reprogrammed for the new tire size.

Either way, there are hundreds of wheel and tire choices to choose from in MN. You can pick the style of wheel you want and then talk with your friendly and knowledgeable Autotronics of St. Peter tire professional about how big the wheel should be – and how to select the right tire for your vehicle. Your Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor will help you find the best tire to meet your style, performance, ride and handling needs in St. Peter.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

Ask any St. Peter man or woman if they’ve taken their vehicle in for preventive maintenance lately, and the answer may well be “no.” Surveys indicate that over 80% of vehicles on the road today are in need of some kind of repair or maintenance. Now, ask that same person why he hasn’t taken his car in for care. The answer will probably be that he forgot or that he just didn’t think about it. Most St. Peter residents seem to have a hard time remembering about scheduled maintenance for their vehicles.

Funny, because most of us in St. Peter have no trouble remembering to wash our clothes, mow our lawns or brush our teeth. It isn’t that we can’t remember to take our vehicles for service; it’s a matter of making it a priority.

When it comes to our vehicles, St. Peter drivers like myself, need to be a little more maintenance-minded. The fact is, we can choose to do it, or we might find ourselves being compelled to do it.

For example, when we consistently forget to brush our teeth, a major consequence usually follows. The pain of that experience usually compels us to be more mindful of our teeth and take better care of them.

The same goes for our vehicles. If we ignore them long enough, a painful experience is sure to follow—painful for our pocketbooks, that is. People in St. Peter who have gone through that experience are usually more conscientious about proper car care.

So, if you’re not a fan of the school of hard knocks, at least when it comes to vehicle maintenance, remind yourself to look after your car. Pay attention to the little oil change tag on your windshield. When it’s time take your car in, do it. But don’t just change the oil. Get a full-service oil change at Autotronics of St. Peter. Your technician will then check all of your fluids. He can advise you if any of them need to be changed or if any of them are low.

Low fluid levels can indicate leaks or a worn hose or seal, so they can check those for you as well. Other signs of wear are also immediately evident when you get a full-service oil change, such as a cracked serpentine belt or corroded battery cable. Your Autotronics of St. Peter technician will also check the vehicle manufacturer’s service recommendations for your vehicle and advise you of any other routine service that is coming due.

It’s like a one-stop shop for auto advice that will keep you on top of your vehicle’s maintenance.

If there is more to be done than the budget allows, you can get a picture of what needs to be done.  Then, create a plan with your Autotronics of St. Peter service advisor and budget for it during the coming months. It’s a whole lot less painful than unexpected car repairs.

Vehicles are more reliable than they ever have been. They can take a lot of abuse and neglect. But they’re also expensive and complicated machines. St. Peter drivers can’t expect them to run forever without proper fluids and filters. Preventive maintenance at Autotronics of St. Peter in St. Peter will improve the reliability and life expectancy of your vehicle, as well as ensuring your safety on the road in MN.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com