Whether it’s your oldest child heading off to college for the first time, or your youngest heading off for their senior year, watching your children drive away to live on their own for the semester is never an easy thing. However, as kids head back to school, a few tips and basic safety precautions can help parents sleep a little easier at night, knowing their children are prepared whatever may come their way. We at Heidebreicht want to make sure your college students have all the best tools for success; thus, we present a few tips to keep in mind to make your student’s drive to college a safe one.
First-aid kit
As basic as it is, one of the first things you should do is make sure that your college student has a first aid kit in their vehicle. Hopefully it will just be a convenience for them – Band-Aids available for scrapes and paper cuts – but in case of an emergency it could be a real lifesaver. Kits can be bought pre-stocked at most drug stores, or you could buy a case or bag and stock your own with the basic essentials: Band-Aids, alcohol pads, gauze, medical tape, cold packs, disposable gloves, safety pins, scissors, tweezers, hand sanitizer, antibiotic ointment, and a first aid manual.
Emergency weather supplies
Here in Michigan, our winters can bring some pretty extreme weather, so make sure your college student has appropriate cold weather emergency supplies in their vehicle. They should always have an ice scraper, and a blanket is also a good idea in case they get in an accident or become stranded when it is cold. Rubber mats are also a great purchase to invest in for winter weather to help protect the floorboards of your vehicle.
Map
For anyone headed off to a new area, it is important to learn your way around! College students will likely intend on relying on their phones or GPS to direct them, but batteries die, and often at the most inopportune times. Make sure your college student has a map to the city in their vehicle, and also take the time to look at a map of their college campus with them, so you can find the best (and safest) places to park. Students should always try to park in well-lit areas, and try to avoid walking to their car alone late at night.
Spare keys
Another basic safety tip that often gets forgotten is locking car doors! It is so easy for a college student to get in a hurry to get to class and run off without locking their doors, but it is so important for their safety and the security of their belongings. On this note, it is inevitable that we all at some point lock our keys in our car. No matter how careful you are, it seems like it happens to everyone eventually! To that end, your student should have a spare key somewhere accessible — perhaps carried by a trusted friend, or hidden somewhere in their dorm room. Having a spare key can help save your student the cost of a lock service, and make sure they are always able to get where they are going on time.
Of course, a big part of any road trip or move is ensuring that the vehicle being driven is in top shape. Heidebreicht offers a wide range of service and maintenance, and our highly qualified technicians can help you make sure that your student is driving a safe vehicle. Getting serviced before a long trip is incredibly important and can save your child the trouble and cost of breaking down in a new town. Ensure your student does not leave home without a quality servicing of their vehicle from Heidebreicht.
