When a parent sends their children off to college, they'll send them on their way with all of the essentials that these students need to live while studying: Clean bedding and towels, laundry soap, and an industrial-sized box of macaroni and cheese.
But what about transportation? If your university-aged child is bringing a car to college, make sure that they will be safe while driving. If I remember back to my college days, the cars of college students were not the safest or most reliable pieces of machinery on the roads. So you might make sure that they have clean underwear but you should also make sure that they can get to and from class safely.
Give them the gift of safety by bringing their car in for a tune-up, oil change, and tire rotation before they leave for school. Chances are, they won't have enough money or time during school to do this themselves so you'll ensure that the car is in good working order before school starts. Consider replacing the tires on their car from those bald balloons to something with a little more traction. After all, you want them to get home safely for Christmas.
Provide them with an emergency roadside kit that contains booster cables, safety markers or pylons, a first aid kit, emergency candles, a blanket and a small shovel. You might also consider springing for some traction mats or kitty litter in case they end up stuck in the snow.
This is also a good time to make sure they know a few fundamentals about the car: For example, do they know how to change a tire? (Hey, why not get them to rotate the tires on your car as practice?). And, do they know the top reasons that a car won't start? And don't forget what happens if they do get into an accident: Do they know what to do? Do they know what information to get from the other driver? And do they know what to do with their damaged car?
As a parent, you want to make sure that your child's university years are safe, fun (and full of learning – of course) and you can do this by making sure that their car is in good shape and that they are ready for anything.
Here's one way to help them: Put a list of important telephone numbers in the glove compartment for them: Do some research and include the names of the police department, tow trucks, your insurance company, a taxi company, and a local Boyd Autobody & Glass collision repair facility so that if they do get into an accident, they'll have all the information at their fingertips.
