[h=2]Bi-annual inspections are your friend[/h] An employee of an automobile garage is at work on June 19, 2015 in Chateaubriant, western France. | Jean-Sebastien Evrard/AFP/Getty Images



Some states don’t require annual safety inspections. And while the potential for getting slapped with a bill for repairs once a year is tough for anyone to deal with, we think it’s essential to get your older car looked at

by a fresh set of eyes — read: a better mechanic than you — at least once a year.

The last thing you want is an unexpected problem to pop up at the worst possible time, so do yourself, and other drivers on the road a favor and make sure your ride is safe.