The moment your teen gets their first car is cause for celebration. Whether it is theirs to own or borrow, they need a lot of foundational knowledge to make their ride last. To help keep those rides safe and smooth, go over these important car maintenance tips for new drivers to know with your teen.
Rotate the Tires
This is common knowledge for experienced drivers, but not every new driver will know to ask for this service or perform this maintenance themselves. Rotating your tires is essential to ensuring that your tires last as long as possible and wear down evenly. Tires don’t grow on trees, and intermittently replacing your tires one at a time becomes both cumbersome and expensive. Maintaining tires by rotating them helps new drivers avoid this trouble.
Watch for Signs That Indicate Damage
Hopefully, the vehicle doesn’t have any glaring issues left to find and fix or just never had problems before. However, it is still crucial that your kids know what to look out for when driving older cars.
For example, if they experience constant vibrations when accelerating, there is likely something wrong with the suspension system. This issue is more prevalent for those who have purchased a used car. Understanding the importance of maintaining the suspension and the signs that help identify the problem is crucial to ensuring your teen can spot risky issues before they become hazards.
Check the Brake Pads
There is a significant difference between brakes that stop on command and those that come to an unsteady halt. If the vehicle your teen is driving has gone anywhere between 10,000 and 20,000 miles, checking on the condition of the vehicle’s brakes can mean the difference between a safe and life-threatening stop, especially on slick roads.
A good brake pad should look similar to a smooth piece of metal. Scrapes, markings, and a dirty façade are obvious indicators that it is time to get the brake pad replaced.
Have Spare Wiper Blades
As wiper blades wear out, it sometimes gets hard to notice their declining efficacy. However, having a spare in your car enables you to make a quick fix that has an enormous impact.
Suppose it is raining heavily as your teen is driving down the highway at night. They turn on their wipers to the highest setting and realize they are hardly clearing the water, leaving them with limited vision. As water continues to smudge, the reflections of oncoming traffic make it impossible to see. Situations like these don’t have to weigh on your mind when the solution easily fits in the trunk.
By the time your teens can drive on their own, the idea of letting them get behind the wheel might be anxiety-inducing. To help alleviate that stress, equipping them with some basic but essential knowledge is a great place to start. Share these important car maintenance tips for new drivers to help them prevent any hazardous scenarios in the future.
