Back to school is upon us, which means the amount of time behind the wheel is about to go up. Are you dropping kids off at school? Sending your newly licensed teen out for the first time? What about saying goodbye to your son or daughter as they drive off to college? Here at Warrenton Auto, we’d like to remind drivers to make sure their vehicles are road-ready and child-safe to tackle these busy couple of weeks.

Take a look over our Back-To-School checklist and your automobile, whatever it’s being used for, will be as ready as your kids are with these five tips:

Check Your Lights and Wipers

How well you can see others – and how well others can see you – could mean the difference between getting there safely and not getting there at all. Make sure your headlights, brake lights and wipers are in good working order. Are your turn signals working? What about your hazard lights? As the days grow shorter, your lights will play a more valuable role.

Check Your Brakes

Undoubtedly, this is your vehicle’s most important safety feature. If you’re planning on driving in school zones, you may have to make sudden stops as children could dart out unexpectedly between cars or in crosswalks. Before you get behind the wheel, make sure your brakes are functioning properly. Does your car stop immediately? Are you hearing any weird noises as you brake? Ask yourself when was the last time you replaced the pads and the rotors. If the answer does not immediately come to mind, it might be time to have your brakes serviced.  

Check Your Tires

These are your vehicle’s only contact with the road. They should be seasonally correct and properly inflated. Check your tires for excessive wear. Is the tread uneven or extremely worn? An easy way to do this is to place a penny into your tread groove. If the tread doesn’t cover Lincoln’s head, then it’s time to think about replacing your tires. Check for nails and other potential hazards. Finally, check the pressure on each of your tires to make sure it’s correct. Follow your manufacturer’s suggested pressure to ensure your tires are at an optimum fill.

Check Under Your Hood

You won’t be driving anywhere if these items aren’t checked off on your safety checklist. Prevent costly maintenance repairs later in the year by ensuring your fluid levels are topped up. This includes your coolant and transmission fluids, and brake and power steering fluids. Have you had an oil change recently? If you run your oil down too much, it can cause engine damage and possible failure. When in doubt, check it out.

While your under the hood, check up on your battery. It’s recommended to replace your battery once every three to five years. Check its date located on the top of the battery.

Do You Have Everything You Need?

A smoothly-running car won’t get you far if you don’t have proof of up-to-date insurance. What about a first aid kit in case of minor accidents. Finally, make sure you always carry a spare. You never know when a flat tire may strike and it’s best to have one in good, working order. It wouldn’t do you any good to have a faulty spare when you need it most.

Back-to-school can be a hectic time and while you’re getting everything else ready, your car may fall to the bottom of the pile. Don’t let it. If you’re short on time and need some help you can trust, give the expert mechanics at Warrenton Auto a call. We’ll be happy to get your vehicle ready in no time.