Each year, vehicles release 7 million quarts of motor oil are released into the Puget Sound basin.

If you don't measure things in quarts, that would be 1.75 million gallons.

Or, if you measure in money, that's about $53 million people pour down the drain.

Earlier today at the Ballard High Road Automative, workers hoisted cars up for undercarriage inspections to check for oil leaks.

In the month of April, through the Don't Drip and Drive Campaign organized by the Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities (STORM) consortium, rivers can take their vehicle to a participating repair shop for a free and easy visual inspection (a service valued at up to $80). Inspection is especially recommended for vehicles that are 2005 models and earlier.

If there is a problem, the driver will receive a coupon for 10 percent off service (up to $50) to fix the problem, for a total savings of up to $130 between inspection and service. All participating technicians are members of the Automotive Service Association (ASA) to ensure they meet ASA’s standards of quality.

You can find participating ASA repair shops at www.fixcarleaks.org. In Ballard, High Road Automotive (1531 NW Leary Way) is the only participant.

Not only are oil leaks bad for the environment, but, STORM representative Stef Frenzl argued, they're bad for the driver.

"A leaky car isn’t a reliable car. As you think ahead to this summer’s road trip with your family or just your daily commute to work, you definitely don’t want the inconvenience and cost of calling a tow truck and a taxi if you get stranded! A little car maintenance could save you a lot of hassle and money later."

He added, "If you want to stretch your budget, fixing vehicle leaks is a great way to keep your car on the road longer. You’ll have more years before you need to finance buying a new one."

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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