As a parent, sooner or later, your child will want to learn to drive. It can be a nerve-racking experience, but one that is valuable for both you and your kiddo. Getting them from neophyte to new teen driver takes a lot of patience.
In most states, your teen will need to get a significant amount of guided driving, which is driving while a parent is in the car. For example, to get a driver’s license in Colorado for teenagers, they need to hold a permit for six months and get 20 hours of behind-the-wheel training, which is driving around with parents or an instructor.
By the time your child is ready to drive, the worry about how they drive slowly recedes. With each hour of driving, they learn the experience that makes them better, more competent drivers.
However, just because your teen is a capable driver does not mean that nothing will ever come up while owning a car or driving a car.
Car Batteries
Car batteries are consumables. Over time a battery’s maximum charge grows lower until the battery can no longer provide enough power to start the car. If they are lucky, your kiddo’s car will fail to start when they are parked somewhere safe with people around to help them. However, you want to be prepared for when that doesn’t happen.
First, your child’s car must absolutely have a pair of jumper cables. Whether you just toss them in the trunk, or make them a part of some roadside kit, jumper cables can be a necessity. Just because there is a helpful person around, doesn’t mean that they will necessarily have jumper cables. Having your own set means that anyone can jumpstart your car and they don’t need to have any jumper cables.
Portable Car Battery Charger
Another option is to carry a portable jump starter in the car. Unlike jumper cables which require another running automobile, a portable jump starter is a battery itself. Simply connect the jumper cables to the car batter and jump start the car, all without the help of friends or strangers.
Look for a portable jump starter that has long-life storage. Some jumpers require charging every 3 months, or even every month. I don’t know what your life is like, but I’m going to forget all about that until the time comes that I need it. Good portable jump starters hold their charge for at least a year or longer. I got this one which says it only needs to be recharged every two years. Now THAT I can remember.
I’ll let you know in two years if it’s true.
AAA Membership For Kids
Sure, you have experience, and maybe a little bit of know-how. You’re also a full-grown adult who knows danger when you see it. Your children might not have nearly the same aptitude yet.
As my oldest heads off to college we became AAA members. I’ve never needed anything like them at for the most part I feel like it might not be the best spent money, but I love the peace of mind that comes from my college freshman having a card in their wallet that they can call AAA for anything that they used to call me for.