Vehicle maintenance checks — Maine Permit Test

The Maine manual says to replace burned-out headlight bulbs and clean dirty lenses, because dirty lenses can cut your night vision by more than half.

A film of road grime on the lenses throws your light into the dirt instead of onto the road.

Headlights - Replace burned out bulbs and clean dirty lenses that can cut your night vision by more than half.

Check tire air pressure when the tires are cold, before you have driven very far.

Tires heat up as you drive, so a reading taken after a long trip looks higher than it really is.

Tires - Look for signs of worn treads and check air pressure when tires are "cold" (before you've driven very far).

When checking your brakes, make sure the pedal stays well above the floor when you step on it, and listen for scraping and squealing.

A pedal that sinks to the floor means the brakes may give out just when you need them.

Brakes - Check to see that the pedal stays well above the floor when you step on it.

If your steering wheel turns two inches or more without moving the vehicle, it has too much play.

Too much play means the car turns late, and you may not get around a crash in time.

Steering - If your steering wheel turns two inches or more without moving the vehicle it has too much play and you may not be able to turn fast enough to avoid a collision.

Push down on the front and rear of your vehicle; if it bounces more than twice, you may need new shocks.

Worn shocks make the car sway, so it can drift out of its lane on a curve.

Suspension - Push down on the front and rear of your vehicle.

Keep the windshield washer fluid bottle full and use a fluid with antifreeze in winter.

Plain water freezes in the lines, and the washers stop working on the salty roads where you need them most.

Keep the windshield fluid bottle full and use a fluid with antifreeze in the winter.

By how much can dirty headlight lenses cut your night vision?

By more than half. A film of road grime on the lenses throws your light into the dirt instead of onto the road. Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.21: “Headlights - Replace burned out bulbs and clean dirty lenses that can cut your night vision by more than half.”