Driving Tips for College-Bound Students
From packing to registering, there’s a lot to do before your child heads off to college. But there’s one thing both parents and students often overlook and that’s the car. If your child plans to drive on or around campus, please share these important driving safety tips.
Pay attention!
Walking is usually the preferred mode of transportation at college and that means pedestrians are everywhere. Pedestrians should only cross at crosswalks when it’s safe, but they’ll cross anywhere, anytime. To be on the safe side—literally—always yield to pedestrians. Slow down or stop and let them pass. And never pass a car that’s stopped in a crosswalk. There’s likely a good reason why it’s not moving.
Know your surroundings
Take time to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. Learn the route to the places you’ll need to go like stores, gas stations, the movie theater, and the Laundromat. If you know where you’re going, you can avoid making last minute turns, illegal turns and sudden stops.
Know where to park
Your older child probably won’t know where it’s legal and safe to park. So teach him or her to look for and obey posted parking signs. It’s also a good idea to explain about potentially dangerous places to park such as those that aren’t well lit, are secluded, or are in overgrown areas.
Get good grades
Sure, good grades can help land a great job later on. But right now, maintaining a “B” average or better may entitle your child to a “Good Student” discount on auto insurance. Now that’s incentive!
Notify insurer of address change
Even though there’s always the chance that rates will increase, it’s really important to let the auto insurer know that your child’s car will be housed in another location. On the flip side, rates could decrease because of the address change.
Perform a visual inspection
Before your child takes off, check to make sure that all lights are working, that the tires are properly inflated, and that the engine has adequate oil.
And now, the don’ts:
- Don’t drink and drive.
- Don’t leave valuables in your car in plain sight.
- Don’t forget to pack an accident kit—pen, paper, disposable camera, flares, emergency blanket, flashlight and spare batteries, proof of insurance, first aid kit, and emergency contact numbers.