Every time spring rolls around, I remember the time that I took my 1936 Pontiac out of the storage garage I rented, drove it about a mile down the road and sailed right through the stop sign. Over the winter, the brakes on the car had absolutely gone away. If a car or truck had been coming through the intersection that day, I wouldn't be here writing this blog today.

The morale of this story is to check your brakes carefully when you start using your old car at this time of year. Look around the wheel cylinder boots for leaks. Check the brake lines for any rust that developed during winter storage. Listen for any sounds you shouldn't be hearing. If the pedal is low or mushy, find out what's causing it.

The life you save may be your own.