When you are teaching a new driver about taking care of a car, you want to make sure you go over all of the bases so they know what to watch for and how to keep their car in good running shape so they can avoid costly repairs in the near future. Here is some educational information you want to be sure you include when you are going over the basics of car care with them:

Brakes: You will want to educate them on knowing the signs of wearing brakes so they know just when to take the car in to have the brakes replaced. Let them know that a squeaking sound is the first sign to get the car in, by the time they hear grinding the brake pads will be doing damage to the rotors which can be dangerous and costly to repair.

Tires: Explain to them that they should regularly look at their tires to make sure there are no abnormal bumps (eggs) in them, they don't have any foreign objects like nails or screws in them and they want to make sure they have enough tread. An easy way to check is by using a penny. Put the penny in-between the tread with the president's head going in first. The tire surface should come up to the top of the president's head. If not, then it's time to get the car in for new tires. The tires should also be rotated and balanced according to the manufacturer's suggestions.

Battery: Most new model cars will automatically turn off the headlights when the key is removed from the ignition, but older cars don't have this feature. Therefore, a new driver should be taught it's simply good practice to make sure the lights are off manually. Also, they shouldn't keep the radio on for an extended period of time when the motor is off. These things can cause a dead battery. They should also be taught how to jump start the car and it should be explained to them that they want to take the old battery in with them when buying a new one so they can collect the core fee.

Fluids: New drivers should be taught how to check and fill all of the fluids in the car like the motor oil, water, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid and windshield washer fluid. Show them where each fluid can be checked and explain to them how to read the stick so they add the right amount. Too much fluid can cause damage to the vehicle.

What to do in an accident: Another very important thing to teach every new driver is what to do if they are involved in an accident. Let them know to stay at the scene, even if the other driver leaves and to call the police to come file a report. If the other driver stays then they will need to exchange driver's license and insurance information with them. They will want to call their insurance carrier and let them know what happened. Then, they should take their car into an auto collision shop to get an estimate on the repairs.

To learn more about car repair tips, contact a company like Brad's Deer Valley Collision.