With school in session, many teens will be driving vehicles that are maintenance flunkies. Because studies show that a number of car crashes are due to neglected vehicle maintenance, parents and their young drivers should take a hard look at their service repair habits.
Remind your student that freedom of mobility is a privilege that bears responsibility beyond mature driving habits; it also includes proper care of the vehicle. Whether it's a cross-country drive or just a Friday night date, knowing what to have serviced and when is essential.
The Car Care Council has created a Service Interval schedule just in case you have no clue where to find your owner's manual. This must-have guide helps ensure safety, dependability and return on investment (available at www.carcare.org). The easy-to-read, one-page schedule is perfect for teens and adults alike. It takes the guesswork out of preventative maintenance, breaking the vehicle's maintenance needs into simple monthly, quarterly, biannual and annual checks.
Whether a car is new or used, sooner or later the battery, brakes, belts and tires all wear out. This schedule explains how often these items should be checked, which helps young drivers prioritize, an important ability when it comes to weighing the options between a new prom dress, a sound system or repairs that will keep them safely going down the road.
