As the spring weather begins to come around, many people begin to plan their spring and summer road trips with friends and family. When it comes time to pack the car, gather the kids, and get ready to hit the road, do not forget to go through a brief Pre-Trip Checklist. We have gathered a brief list of items to check before you take off on your journey. 

1) Get your oil changed before your trip

Modern oil, and modern cars can go much longer between changes then in the old days. Most factory specifications are 10,000 km or more between changes. But if it's been more than 5,000 go get it done before the trip. That way not only do you know it is full of oil, but the engine will run cooler, and you will get better fuel economy with fresh oil in the motor. 

2) Check and top off all the other fluids

Most places these days do this at no extra charge on top of an oil change. That being said, be sure to mention that you want them to do it, even if it costs a few dollars more. If you run out of gear oil, or run low on coolant it can lead to expensive problems while you should be relaxing.

3) Check the tires

Make sure your tires are fully inflated before you go. Not only will you get better mileage, but an under-inflated tire, plus an increased load, plus lots of highway travel can cause the tire to wear out very fast and fail.

While you are checking the air pressure, look for bulges and cuts in the side walls, often times cause by hitting pot holes or curbs. Don't chance it, if you have a bulge or a cut, get a new tire before the trip. Most tires these days get dry and cracked, or beat up before the tread goes bald. Make sure you have plenty of tread. 

4) Check the spare

Make sure your spare has air in it, and make sure you have your jack and lug wrench. In town a can of "Fix a Flat"  but if you are in the middle of nowhere you're going to want that extra tire. 

5) Bring your cell phone charger

The weaker signal your phone gets, the more power it takes to send and receive calls. The last thing you want if you become stranded, is having no way of contacting any help.

6) Check the belt

Cars today have just one long belt that runs all the accessories. If it breaks not only will you lose the AC, but also the power steering, and most importantly, the charging system. 

7) Hoses

Like the belts and tires make sure they don't look cracked and dry, or swollen or bulging. 

Seem like a lot to remember? Stop by your local Dilawri dealer before your trip and we will be happy to make sure your car is ready to go before that big trip. Happy travels!

A teen’s 16^th birthday marks an exciting growth in responsibility, autonomy and character development. They anxiously wait for the moment in which they can start the engine for the first time and hit the road with friends. Teens expect to drive wherever and whenever as soon as they earn their license.

Despite your teen’s eagerness to drive, consistent driving practice is important to develop your teen’s ability to make smart decisions and judgments rather than rely on trial and possibly error.

Here are a few tips for teaching your teen to drive that address how your teen can avoid making these mistakes.

1. Start with the basics and slowly progress to more difficult driving conditions

The vast majority of collisions amongst teens are a result of “lack of experience and improper perception of risk." Driving instructors recommend that new drivers ease into driving on actual roads.  Empty parking lots are a great place for your teen to test the car’s steering, handling and brakes. Parking lots are also useful to teach your teen certain concepts before applying them to the road. Once your teen is comfortable with the basics of driving, advance to a less crowded area with a low speed limit such as streets without an outlet. 

2.  Define a clear agenda and a goal for each driving session  

Giving your teen a clear and tangible goal to accomplish for each lesson is a great way to isolate and tackle more complicated aspects of driving such as awareness of the car’s blind spot, switching lanes and parallel parking. Parking lots are also a great place to simulate these scenarios without the fear of making a mistake. 

To demonstrate how the vehicle’s blindspot impacts the driver’s ability, stand behind while your teen observes you from that side mirror.   Walk towards the front of the car and have your teen tell you to stop walking when he or she can no longer see you. At that point, your teen should get out of the car and look at where you are in relation to the car. Afterwards, switch roles so that your teen can gain an understanding of spatial awareness in and outside of the vehicle.

3. Devise a Strategy to Prevent Distracted Driving

         Even if your teen has the knowledge and skills to drive safely, driving while distracted severely impairs these abilities.  Based on a Canadian Automobile Association time trial, replying to a single text message takes an average of 33.6 seconds. To put those seconds into perspective, this is the equivalent of losing sight of: 85 parked cars, 36 houses or 5 intersections in a residential road. For teens, devising a strategy is pertinent since texting is considered the standard form of communication amongst their peers. A recent study conducted by Hertz reveals that almost half of all teens view texting as the main distraction behind the wheel.

Developing a pre-drive routine for your teen before he or she drives will limit your teen’s temptation to use the phone while driving. Each time that your teen drives to a new location, walk through the process of not only inserting the address into a GPS system, but reading the directions before driving. Highlight important roads and highways that your teen should look out for while driving. In addition, set your teen up with either hands-free headsets or your car’s blue tooth system.

4. Do what you teach

         As a role model, demonstrating the driving techniques and behaviors as you drive will only help solidify the concepts that you and your teen practiced.  Adversely, driving unsafely will negate the safe driving techniques previously taught to your teen.

         As stressful as teaching your teen to drive may be at times, it is also one of the most memorable bonding experiences a parent can have with their child. So before you let your child hop in the front seat, take the time to go over the basics and remember, safety first.