You’re cruising down Route 120 in McHenry when, suddenly, you realize the car in front of you has come to an abrupt halt. Without even thinking, you slam on the brakes and hold your breath hoping you’ll stop in time.

If you hit that car, you and your passengers may be hurt, the person, or people, in the car you hit may suffer injuries and there is always the risk that you may drive that car into another car. With injuries, the cost of an accident is potentially astronomical. Even if no one is hurt, the cost to fix their car, and your car, will likely cost more than you want to spend. And then, your insurance will go up and you’ll probably receive a ticket from a McHenry Police Officer for failing to stop to add to the equation.

What does it cost to have your brakes checked? Almost nothing. So, why wouldn’t you have them checked unless you’re afraid of bad news? It’s simple – have your brakes checked. Make an appointment with your trusted auto repair shop to have them checked or simply have them checked the next time you bring the car in for an oil change.

Just think of all the cost and aggravation you can avoid simply by making sure your brakes are up to the task. As the scenario above describes, even if your reflexes are lightning fast, if your brakes aren’t equal to the task, you could have an unfortunate event.

If your brakes are fine, you can drive in peace knowing you have the best opportunity to stop in time and avoid an accident. If your car’s brakes do need work, once you have the work done, you’ll have the same level of confidence when you drive.

A number of quality auto repair shops are offering discounts on brake jobs this time of year. For instance, Performance Unlimited of Ringwood (815-728-0343), just north of McHenry, is offering up to $50 off on brake jobs with their Brake Out Savings discount. The program is good until June 30. But, whatever you do, don’t wait until you need your brakes to work to find out if they will.