Nearly 22 million students will head to college this fall. While many of these students’ parents will prepare their teens with instructions about personal safety, laundry and cooking, parents often forget to address automobile maintenance and repair.
“Frequently, a teenager’s vehicle is maintained by parents while living at home, and lessons on proper car care are only briefly discussed and seldom utilized,” said John Nielsen, director of AAA Automotive Engineering and Repair.
Before sending a son or daughter off to college with an automobile, AAA encourages parents to sit down and discuss a plan for proper vehicle maintenance, as well as how to deal with unexpected problems when parental rescue is more than just a few minutes away.
Check and Maintain Tires
Tires are one of the easiest components of a vehicle to maintain, but they are frequently overlooked until something goes wrong. Every student should have a tire pressure gauge in their vehicle, know where it is located, and understand how to use it properly.
A number of short videos that demonstrate proper tire care are available on the AAA YouTube channel. Parents can save these videos and send them to their children at college as reminders to check the tires.
Know the Vehicle’s Maintenance Schedule
Performing the manufacturer’s regularly scheduled maintenance on a vehicle will greatly extend its life and help ward off more costly repairs down the road.
Parents should go over the owner’s manual with their son or daughter, explain the recommended maintenance schedule and remind them that in addition to basic oil changes other important items such as filters, batteries and brakes must also be regularly checked and maintained.
Find a Repair Facility Near College
It is important for parents to help their college-aged children identify auto repair shops they can trust near school, in case routine servicing or unexpected repairs become necessary.
If unfamiliar with the area around a college, visit AAA.com/CarCare to locate nearby AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities. As a free public service for all motorists, AAA inspects auto repair shops around the country and only approves those that meet and maintain high professional standards for equipment, customer service, cleanliness and training.
When first arriving at the college, AAA recommends parents and students visit the selected repair shop and meet the staff. While there, ask for some shop business cards that to keep handy in case an emergency arises.
Prepare for Roadside Emergencies
It’s also important for parents to prepare their children for a breakdown or other roadside emergency – especially if they are attending college too far away to ‘call home’ for help.
Make sure the student’s vehicle has a well-stocked roadside emergency kit with contents suitable for local weather conditions during the school year. A basic kit should include a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, first-aid kit, bottled water, rags or paper towels, a tire pressure gauge, a blanket, granola or energy bars, and a selection of basic hand tools. In areas with winter ice and snow, add an ice scraper, snow brush and kitty litter or other material to increase traction if stuck in snow.
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
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