Back-to-School Road Ready: A Parent's Vehicle Safety Checklist

Back to school season means new schedules, new activities, and for a lot of Midwest families, a new driver on the road. If this is the year you are handing over the keys for drop offs, practice, or a first part time job, a quick vehicle check now can save a lot of worry later. Here is a straightforward safety checklist any parent can run through in the driveway before that first solo drive.

Tires are the only part of the car actually touching the road, so they are worth checking first. Grab a penny and insert it into the tread with Lincoln's head facing down. If you can see all of his head, the tread is too worn and the tire needs replacing. While you are down there, look over the sidewalls for cracking, bulging, or uneven wear, which can point to an alignment issue that is worth having a technician look at. Check the pressure against the number listed on the driver's door jamb, not the number printed on the tire itself, and plan to do this monthly since temperature swings across Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota can drop tire pressure fast once fall weather sets in.

Brakes rarely fail without warning first. Squealing usually means the pads are wearing thin, while grinding means metal is meeting metal and service should not wait. Have your teen brake gently in an empty parking lot while you listen from outside the car. A soft or spongy pedal can point to air in the brake lines or a fluid issue, both worth a technician's attention before the car goes back on the road. Most service centers, including Kunes, offer a complimentary brake inspection if you just want a second set of eyes before school starts.

Most batteries last three to five years, and a battery on its way out often shows symptoms before it leaves someone stranded, like a slower crank on startup or headlights that dim at idle. Pop the hood and check the terminals for white or greenish corrosion, which can weaken the connection even in a battery that otherwise tests fine. Getting ahead of this now matters more than it might seem, since a battery near the end of its life is far more likely to fail once overnight temperatures start dropping later this fall.

A few more items take just a couple of minutes each:

• Wipers: replace if they streak, skip, or chatter across the windshield
• Lights: have someone stand outside while you cycle through headlights, brights, turn signals, and brake lights
• Fluids: check oil, coolant, and washer fluid levels
• Spare tire: confirm it is properly inflated and the jack is actually in the car

Running through this list together is also a good excuse to talk with a new driver about why these checks matter, not just how to do them. Understanding what a squealing brake or a soft tire feels like now means they are more likely to notice it themselves later, long after you have stopped riding along.

If you are shopping for a first car this fall instead of prepping the family vehicle, there is a way to skip most of this list entirely. Every vehicle in our No Fear Certified lineup goes through a multi-point inspection before it ever reaches the lot, covering tires, brakes, battery, and the rest of what is listed above, so the mechanical guesswork is already done before you ever start shopping. Inspection coverage can vary by vehicle age and mileage, so ask your Kunes team for the specifics on any unit you are considering. For a parent weighing a first car purchase, that is one major category of worry already handled before the keys ever change hands.

Whether you are getting the family car road ready for a new driver or looking for that driver's own first set of wheels, a little preparation now goes a long way toward a calmer school year. Browse our No Fear Certified inventory and stop by your nearest Kunes location and let our team walk you through exactly what has already been checked.