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Driving a car is a privilege and, in our house, just because you turned 16 didn’t mean you were ready. We wanted to make sure our teens were prepared with not only driving skills but basic car owner skills as well. Each of our kids was given a used car (yes, they are lucky) to get them to and from school, work, and sports. But before we let them leave the driveway, we made sure they were prepared with more than the rules of the road.
TIRES – PART 1
A tire gauge was one of the tools my dad put in the toolbox the kids got on their 16th birthday. Low tire pressure can affect braking and steering, so teens must know how to check and fill their tires. The proper tire pressure can be found inside the driver’s door. Take your teen to the gas station to show them how to fill their tires and use the gauge to determine the amount of air in the tire. This is also a good time to inspect the tire for any nails or damage.
TIRES – PART 2
Teens should also be taught the proper way to change a tire. This includes taking the spare out of its compartment, placing the wheel wedges on other tires so the car doesn’t roll, the proper placement of a jack and how to loosen or tighten lug nuts. Many adults don’t know how to change their tires so don’t worry if you are not the best teacher for that skill. Reach out to driver’s schools for lessons and make your teen aware of any road assistance programs you are enrolled in such as AAA.
HOW TO JUMP START A CAR
Two of my kids had to have their cars jumped in the school parking lot due to leaving their headlights on before heading into class. Thankfully, they had a set of jumper cables in their car and we taught them how to open their hood and where the battery was located. There is a proper way to connect and disconnect the cables to both the booster car and the car that needs jumping. The car should remain running for at least 20 minutes after starting to allow the alternator to properly recharge.
OILS AND FILTERS
My husband took our teens to the oil change place with their car the first time it needed to be changed. Your teen must know what to expect when they arrive and what questions they will need to answer. Most cars have six essential fluids—oil, transmission, brake, coolant, power steering and windshield wiper. Those same vehicles have four filters—cabin, air, oil and fuel. Teach your teens to keep track of how often those filters and fluids are changed. Free apps like aCar (Android) or Fuelly (iOS) are great tools.
WINDSHIELD WIPER AND FLUID
My daughter had a windshield wiper come off during a rain storm. She and her friend pulled over at a gas station and were able to put it back on because she had learned how to do it before getting her license. YouTube is a great source for how-tos for your particular make and model. Also, if you live in an area where you are constantly using your washer fluid, show your teen how to fill their own between oil change visits.
WASH AND WAX
The art of hand washing and waxing your car is a dying skill, but one all teens should have to do at least once. It is important to keep your car’s paint clean to avoid costly repairs and extend the life of the car. Hand washing is especially important after long road trips to get the bugs out of the grill or after parking under a tree with a lot of birds. To extend the life of the original paint, wax your car every six months – usually right before the extreme heat and cold.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE IN AN ACCIDENT
I was in a fender bender with my 15-year-old son in the car. He saw us move the cars to a safe area to inspect the damage. It was a great teaching moment as he got to watch the other driver and me exchange driver’s licenses and insurance cards. While we did not need medical care, I explained that he should call 911 if either driver or passengers were injured. When we returned home, I had him hang around while I made the claim online so he could see the other side of the process and why we carry insurance.
Pam Molnar is a mother of three drivers and the daughter of a car geek. Car maintenance is a life skill they learned before they got the privilege to drive.