The world becomes a much bigger place for your children as they get their licenses and begin exploring the road. It’s only natural in all this excitement that you begin to worry about their safety when going out on their own. To help ease those fears or uncertainties you may have, these are some car maintenance tips to teach young drivers.
Keep the Tires Rolling
Understanding how to care for your tires and replace them is a basic skill necessary for any driver. No one wants their kids stranded in the middle of the road, and setting them up with this ability is important for unexpected circumstances, from checking the air pressure to using a jack to set your car up for a replacement.
Luckily, these are not very difficult but are best learned in a controlled and stress-free environment, so the information sticks. The penny trick is always a quick and useful method for checking tire wear.
This involves pointing the head on a penny toward the center of your tire and placing it in the tread. If the entire head is still visible, you should replace the tire.
Clean Mirrors and Windows
An often overlooked aspect of car maintenance includes mirrors and windows. The grime and dirt that sometimes builds up to do not become an issue when driving in clear weather.
However, when it is raining or late at night, these factors become glaring problems when a driver needs clarity to stay safe. Cleaning the mirrors regularly and waxing the windshield are good practices to keep in mind when taking care of the car.
The sooner you are able to instill the importance of this maintenance tip in your younger driver, the less you have to worry about when they stay out late or the weather takes a sudden turn for the worse on their way home.
Warning Signs
A car has several audible queues to let drivers know something is wrong. These are normally learned through experience.
However, giving your young drivers a head start is always a great help. From clanking sounds under the hood to signs that point to a bad drive-shaft, knowing what some of the warning sounds mean gives them an advantage in identifying issues before they become worse. This helps the car last longer and hopefully saves money on repairs in the long run.
A car is an intricate machine that not everyone is completely familiar with. By considering some of these car maintenance tips to teach young drivers, you are sure to relax a bit more the next time your teens go out for a drive.
These skills are also important to carry on into adulthood and help young drivers be more proficient and independent in the future.
Download this free Auto Maintenance Log to track your vehicles.
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