Preparing Students to Take Cars to College

As August comes to a close, it doesn’t just signify the end of summer. Tons of college students are heading back to dorms and apartments, many of whom are living on their own for the first time. In addition to living apart from their parents, these students now have to care for their vehicles as well.

According to AAA, there are several common mistakes that college students make when it comes to cars. If you or your child are leaving for college soon, be sure to consider the following “Rookie Mistakes”:

Letting a friend borrow the car– Not everyone at college has a car, so friends asking to borrow isn’t uncommon. However, car insurance sticks with the car not the driver. If a friend gets in an accident, it will affect the owner of the vehicle. In the cases of many college students, the owner is Mom or Dad.

Ignoring regular maintenance– Students might try to save money by avoiding small maintenance without realizing that doing so could contribute to a bigger, more expensive problem. Talk to your son or daughter about knowing when to change oil, rotate tires, and how to check tire tread.

Not preparing for roadside emergencies– Another aspect to consider is that college students can’t always call home when they have car trouble. Some type of roadside assistance service, like AAA, could help them with car trouble and even find a trustworthy auto shop in the area.

Discussing these mistakes with your college student might help to avoid some pesky, pricey accidents in the future. Also, you’ll be giving him or her a great lesson in vehicle responsibility.