Your Kid’s First Car

As a parent, one of the most stressful things to deal with is your kid’s first car. In addition to having to deal with initial costs, you have to figure out what restrictions you need to have with your son or daughter. That doesn’t include when the inevitable accident happens. Here are some tips to help anxious parents!

Buying First Car Tips

It’s time for your kid to start driving! The idea of your child having this much independence is exciting and terrifying. The feeling can be overwhelming especially as you prepare your child’s first car. When buying your kid’s first car, there are a few essential things you need to take into account:

• Figure Out Car Feature Priorities
• Research Car Options
• Set a Budget for the Car
• Get the Insurance

Typically, the first car for a teenager will be previously owned (used car or truck). For a used vehicle it is important to get the car inspected prior to letting your child drive it. However, getting a car is typically the second step. After all, the biggest hurdle a parent has to face is how to coach their child through their driving experience.

Teaching Your Child About Driving

Driving is a privilege that requires a level of responsibility that your teenager is starting to learn. Furthermore, driving can be a complicated task. According to the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, injuries from car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Although driver’s education teaches teenagers how to drive, they need a lot of practice to drive effectively. In fact, parents should consider spending 50 hours of supervised driving time with their children to help teach them safe driving.

When teaching your child how to drive you need to have open and honest communication with them about goals and expectations. While driving, parents should:

• Keep Calm
• Focus on the Driving
• Give Clear and Focus Feedback
• Praise Your Child for What They Do Right

In addition, there are plenty of ways you can help your child at the beginning of their driving journey. To be sure, one of the most important things is teaching your child about maintaining and taking care of their car or truck.

Your Kid’s First Car Maintenance and Repair

When you were young did you pay close attention to oil levels, tread on your tires, or muffler noises? I’m guessing most of you didn’t. There are plenty of checks that you can show your teenage driver how to do. However, certain maintenance task needs to be done by professionals. And when your child inevitably has their first accident, it’s important to teach them about choosing an auto repair shop. When it comes to car maintenance and repair,  Mr. Muffler has been servicing parents and their kid’s cars for nearly 30 years! We treat our customers like family, just ask anyone in Westland or check our reviews on Google or FaceBook!