(ThyBlackMan.com) Your eager teen has finally earned (or is about to earn) his or her driver’s license. While teaching them how to drive safely and avoid accidents might be your top priority, these aren’t the only skills you’ll want your soon-to-be-adult to know.
As a parent, you also have a responsibility to educate your teen about caring for and maintaining their vehicle. From choosing an extended warranty to checking the oil, keep reading to learn what you need to be teaching your new driver, and how to go about making sure they are fully prepared for the road.
1. Oil is Just as Important as Gas
If your teen is footing his or her own gas bill, that’s going to be the top auto fluid on their mind. And unless they’re driving a newer vehicle with a light indicating when the oil is low, they’ll likely forget about other important fluids entirely.
When your teen first starts driving, teach them how to check their car’s oil right from the start. You’ll want this important task to become as much a habit as filling their gas tank, and not just an afterthought. Even if they drive a newer car now, they may one day find themselves behind the wheel of an older model. This simple habit will come in handy one day.
2. Invest in an Extended Warranty
Teaching your teen what they need to know about caring for and maintaining a car of their own should start a bit before the time when they’ll step behind the wheel of their car. It’s also a good idea to go over things they’ll need to know when shopping for a new vehicle. You can explain to them things to look for when buying a used car, or even help them learn a bit about haggling prices.
Another important tip to teach your kids is about the importance of warranties. Many car salespeople aren’t going to tell your teen that there are warranties available through third party companies, because they want to sell overpriced warranties directly from the dealer. Teach your teens about aftermarket warranties, what to look for in a policy, and the importance of an extended warranty.
3. Teach Them What to do if Disaster Strikes
You don’t want to think about your teen being in an accident. But the reality is that teenage drivers are at a high risk of auto accidents. In fact, one in five 16-year-old drivers will be involved in a car accident during their first year of driving. While you are probably already teaching them about things they need to do to avoid accidents, like not talking on the phone or eating while behind the wheel, using turn signals, and staying within the speed limit. But you should go ahead and talk with your teen about what to do if disaster does strike.
Teach your teen not only what they should do immediately after an accident, but also what they’ll need to know about cleaning up hours later. Explain how to submit a report to their insurance, how to schedule maintenance, and about keeping careful records. This is also a great time to teach your teen about the importance of choosing the right car insurance.
4. Don’t Forget the Tires
As an experienced driver, you know how often your tires need to be replaced and how to check the tread or tire pressure. But don’t assume that your teen does. Like the oil, tires are a part of your car that can easily fall into the category of out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, driving on old or worn tires is very dangerous. Educating your teen about replacing tires and checking the tread is a must.
If a person drives within the average range of miles, which is 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year, their tires will last between three and four years, though this does depend on the car and tires, and the conditions they’re driving in. Make sure that your teen understands that they can’t just stick to a timeline. Show them what “good” tires look like, as well as what old or worn-out tires will look like so that they’ll understand the difference.
Preparing Your Teen for the Road
Prepping your teen to climb behind the wheel and drive away on their own can be intimidating. And even if you teach them everything you can possibly think of, mistakes can still happen.
But by educating your teen about how to properly care for and maintain their vehicle, you can set them up for a lifetime of responsible ownership.
Staff Writer; Peter Jackson