Essential Items Your Teen Should Have In Their Car
Sending your teen out on the road by themselves is a scary new step to take in your parenting journey. Knowing your teen is prepared for every situation they may encounter is one of the best ways to feel more secure about your child taking the wheel. Knowing these essential safety items your teen should have in their car will ease your mind and keep your teen safe and sound on the road.
GPS
While many cars have a GPS built-in, an older car might not have this luxury. A portable GPS can be plugged into the car’s auxiliary outlet or run on its own charging power to keep your teen on the right roads. Smartphones are also equipped with GPS technology, but be sure to buy your teen a dashboard mount to discourage them from holding and checking their phone while driving.
Cell Phone Charger
If your teen is going to be using their phone as a GPS source, make sure they have a working car charger in their car. GPS can quickly drain a phone battery, and you’ll want to make sure your teen has enough battery power to keep the GPS going as long as needed. Phones also need to be charged so your teen can reach you in case of an emergency or to simply check in with you.
Food and Water
Have your teen’s car packed with water and some nonperishable food items, like granola bars. Snacks and water are important to have on hand in case of an emergency that can keep your teen stuck on the side of the road. A more common reason for having snacks in your teen’s car is to simply keep them alert and not distracted from hunger or thirst when driving, especially on longer drives.
Emergency Tools
Breakdowns are sometimes unavoidable. You should always have jumper cables stored in your teen’s car in case they need a boost. Be sure to equip their car with a spare tire, car jack, and wrench to change a flat tire. Flat tires and a dead battery are two common breakdowns that your teen can likely handle safely on their own or with minor assistance from another driver or a roadside service company.
Snow Scraper
Detroit can have some serious snowstorms in the winter. Put a snow scraper in your teen’s car so they do not have to sacrifice visibility when an unexpected snowstorm hits.
Making sure these essential items are in your teen’s car can calm your nerves and keep your kid safe.
