While you might have been comfortable learning to drive with your parents and tooling around your old stomping grounds at home, taking your car with you to college opens you up to certain safety issues that you might not have had to worry about before.
Luckily, with the right planning and preparation, you can feel safe in your car and know what to do if and when something should go wrong behind the wheel.
To show you just how this can be done, here are three car and road safety tips to take with you to college.
Make Sure Your Vehicle Is In Good Working Order
Before you leave home and head off to college, it’s wise to make sure that your vehicle will be able to get you there safely. For most people, this means taking their vehicle into a mechanic so everything can get looked over before hitting the road.
If you do choose to do this trip check on your own, however, we recommend that you do more than just checking your oil. To really make sure that everything is in good working order, you’ll want to do things like check all the belts, test the brakes, check your coolant and transmission, protect your car, make sure your tires are sound and more. By doing this, you’ll ensure that you won’t wind up in a car accident due to a mechanical malfunction on your way to college. Or perhaps try out a party bus Amarillo to stay safe by avoiding driving on your own. Additionally, you can visit simplycarmats.co.uk for some durable and anti-slip car mats you can get to protect your car floors and prevent accidental slips that may cause accidents while behind the wheel.
Be Smart When Packing
Now that you feel confident that your car will be able to get you to college safely, it’s time to start packing everything in.
When doing this, Consumer Reports recommends that you pack all the heaviest items toward the bottom of your car and closer to the front or center of your vehicle. By doing this, you’ll be able to keep your car’s center of gravity lower and reduce the chances of your vehicle rolling if you were to get in a car accident. Additionally, try to strap down everything you pack rather than just setting it in the car, as anything that moves can become a projectile in the event of a car accident.
Make Safety Your Priority When Behind The Wheel
Once you arrive at school, it’s important that you take the necessary precautions to ensure that your top priority is safety when driving around campus. With so many people walking around, it’s vital that you always pay attention when behind the wheel.
As a part of this, Haley Cornish, a contributor to TheOdysseyOnline.com, recommends that you avoid doing things like texting and driving, drinking and driving, or getting behind the wheel when you’re tired.
If you’re planning to take your car to college, consider using the tips mentioned above to ensure you’re able to be safe with your vehicle.