Making sure your kid's car is safe to drive

As your children get older and head out of home to go to university or start their career you'll find that you still worry about them staying safe and sound. Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common ways that young adults are injured or die, with 45% of young adult deaths due to motor vehicle accidents. By offering to pay for your child's car to get regularly serviced and getting some standard car safety inspections done you can make sure that their car is safe to drive.   

Here are some of the common things to check for car safety. 

Tyre tread

Having bald tyres make it harder for the car to grip the road, particularly in the wetter month. Regular car servicing can identify unusual tread patterns, rebalance wheels if your child has a tendency to have small bumps and taps while parking and rotate tyres so that they receive regular wear. Inspections also ensure that if tyres do become bald you be told and you can decide how to help your child to pay for these items. 

Brake pads and systems

Again many newer drivers tend to be hard on their brakes by pumping the brake pedal and slamming on brakes at the last moment. This can wear down brake pads and if left unchecked can lead to scratching of the brake disc. This means that the brakes may not respond when pressed which can obviously be extremely dangerous. 

Regular service allows the auto repair shop to inspect the thickness of the brake pads and replace them as necessary. They can also remove and machine a deeply scratched ('scored') brake disc to ensure that the brakes are responsive when pressed.

Lights and indicators

Another car issue that can cause safety problems is blown head lights or non-working indicators. These items can make a car harder to see or predict on the road, making it more likely to have a collision. An auto service will check all lights and indicators and replace any blown bulbs. Of course, they can't make your child actually use the lights or indicators, but they can ensure that they are functional. 

As a parent, you will never stop worrying about your child's safety. Making sure that their car is regularly serviced and subject to car safety checks will make them safer on the road and give you one less thing to be worried about.