I’ve got a car, now what?
Today’s teens are far less keen on getting their driver’s licenses than those of generations past. As many of us can attest, kids used to be ready to hit the road the minute they turned 15 and nine months old. But the latest numbers from the Federal Highway Administration show that a mere 25.6% of 16-year-olds in the U.S. had a driver’s license in 2018, compared with 46.2% in 1983. And the percentage of license-carrying 18-year-olds fell from 80.4% in 1983 to just 61% in 2018.
Despite these declines, this still translates to well over 10 million new teen drivers getting behind the wheel each year. And whether they’re driving a spiffy new birthday present or a decades-old beater (a la my maroon “soccer mom” caravan), these millions of new teen drivers are exposing themselves to something that all drivers face: the trials and tribulations of staying on the road.
With this in mind, I reached out to the best two car guys I know—Mike Penn, an Automotive Technology instructor at the Center of Applied Technologies North (CATN), in Severn; and Randall Adams, a former Volkswagen mechanic and lifelong car DIY-er from Annapolis—for their top tips on what new drivers need to know to keep their car running and stay safe on the road. Here’s what they offered as tips to new teen drivers.
Familiarize Yourself With the Owner’s Manual
Penn says it’s essential for all new drivers to do what one of his own instructors very memorably stressed to him: “RTFM” (Read The Freaking Manual)! Available in both print and online, manuals contain lots of details you’ll need to know for maintenance of your car, from the location of its fluids to the proper pressure of its tires, as well as for safe driving. These include not-so-no-brainers such as how to use your windshield wipers, turn on your regular, bright, and warning lights, and pop your hood and trunk.
Check Your Fluids
Penn says you might want to avoid trying to change your own oil (aka “your engine’s lifeblood”) given how hard it can be to get to the drain plug and how important it is to get it right.
But new drivers should at least know how to check it on a regular basis. In addition, it’s essential to keep tabs on your car’s many other fluids. This includes antifreeze/coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and windshield washer fluid. It’s also important to check your wiper blades at least once a month and replace them if they’re leaving streaks, says Penn, given that “many new drivers are far from comfortable when operating in the rain.”
Check Your Tires
Both Penn and Adams named checking your car’s tire pressure as the single most important thing to do to prevent on-road issues such as blowouts, inconsistent accelerating, handling and braking, and poor performance in bad weather. Proper pressure can even save you money on gas because it’s essential to fuel efficiency.
Adams recommends checking your pressure at least once per month and definitely before any long trips. Use a digital tire gauge to get a reading and add air until you hit the specific PSI (pounds per square inch) designated in your owner’s manual and in your door jambs. He also stresses the importance of doing this when your tires are cold, in order to get an accurate reading, and never overinflating. And no, not having an air compressor is no excuse for neglecting your tires. As Penn puts it, “Your tire pressure is paramount, and air is free at every Wawa!”
Make an “All Other Maintenance” List
There are plenty of additional tasks that you’ll want to make sure you (or, given the complexity of today’s cars and strictness of today’s safety regulations) or a mechanic take care of regularly.
To that end, Penn and Adams suggest having a professional check on the status of the following as soon teens start driving, take care of anything that needs immediate attention, then work on adding them to a master regular maintenance schedule:
- Tire Rotation—tires should be rotated every six months or 6,000–8,000 miles so that they wear evenly and last longer.
- Brake Pads—it’s a good idea to check the thickness of your brake pads every time you rotate your tires, and plan to replace them at least every 50,000 miles.
- Alignment—proper wheel alignment ensures straight steering and maximum traction, so it should be checked annually or immediately if you notice your car pulling to the left or right or your steering wheel vibrating.
- Lights—making sure your headlights, parking lights, and brake lights are working is important for the safety of yourself and other drivers, but also key to not being pulled over.
Plan For A Pullover
Last but not least, Penn stresses the importance of preparing for two of the worst things that can happen on the road: pulling over due to a flat tire or a traffic stop. He instructs his students to ALWAYS wait to pull over at an off-ramp if they have a flat, since “the price of a new rim is well worth avoiding the risk of being hit, and possibly killed, on the shoulder.” He puts each of them through a mock traffic stop so that they know where to pull over, which lights to put on, and what to do (or not do) and say (or not say) to the police. This is something that he says is more important than ever for every driver, but especially his high proportion of minority students.
Want to learn more?
Penn’s Automotive Technology class teaches students how to inspect and adjust automobiles. He hopes to train kids in what he calls “recession-proof” careers.
Visit catnorth.org to learn more about Auto Tech or any of CAT North’s many other courses.
By Steve Adams
