Waterloo Automotive

You can’t just rely on driver’s ed courses when it comes to teenage driving: parent involvement before and after your teen receives their driver’s license is key. In fact, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, teenage drivers whose parents establish driving rules and supportively monitor teenage driving are 50% less likely to get in an accident, 71% less likely to drink and drive, 30% less likely to use their phone while driving, 50% more likely to use their seatbelt, and generally less likely to speed. Give yourself a little peace of mind by following our tips for preventing teenage driving accidents. Tips for Parents: Preventing Teenage Driving AccidentsSupplement Required Teenage Driving Education Depending on where you live, your state will have different requirements for teenage driving education. For example, if you live in St. Louis, MO, your teenage driver will need to complete 40 hours o ... read more

In most cases, a new teen driver is extremely excited about their new found freedom of the open road. This excitement mixed with a lack of real world driving experience can be quite dangerous. While the average teenager is going to feel that they know everything about being a good driver, the simple fact is teens account for more driving related accidents than any other age group. This doesn’t mean you should be banned from driving. It just means you need to really focus on learning how to be a safe and responsible driver while you are gaining the experience of being behind the wheel of a car. The following are some of the best teen driving safety tips to help along your journey. Safety tips for teen driversTurning Off the Cell Phone Research studies have concluded that using a cell phone is equal to the effects of driving under the influence. This also includes the use of hands-free mobile phones. Cell phones have become a ... read more

Driving in the city can be stressful. You may be in an unfamiliar area with more cars, more pedestrians and intense traffic. What to do when you find yourself venturing through the city (your own or a new one)? Have a strategy! Be prepared for your city driving excursion, and you’ll make it to your destination with your car in tact and a relaxed attitude. When you’re getting ready to do more city driving, you’ll need some guidelines to make it easier. That’s why we’ve made this list of city driving tips. City Driving TipsPlan your route
Know where you’re going- including the addresses and phone numbers of each location. Instead of just knowing you’re meeting a friend at a sushi place on Marigold Street for dinner, have the details saved somewhere. Write the address on a piece of paper or save it on your phone so you know that you’re heading to “Crazy Sushi” at 124 Marigold Street. The more details, the better. Avoid r
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Are you ready for prom? Last time we started a list about making prom night fun and memorable. It’s so easy to get stressed out when you’re trying to coordinate a group. Where should you take pictures, where will you get dinner, who is driving, and what will you wear?! This year, don’t get freaked out. We’ve already talked about making a schedule for the day and picking a driver for the night. Check out the rest of our tips for a fun prom night! Check out the first three prom night tips.4. Buckle up
We know you don’t want to wrinkle that handsome tux or beautiful dress, but they will hold up fine! Keep your seat belt on no matter who is driving- it’s worth it. 5. Get Your Car Ready
If you do drive, make sure your car is ready. Give it a thorough check. How are the tires, windshield wiper fluid and oil? Have a mechanic give a chec

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Are you counting down to prom yet? We’re betting that you might have the perfect dress already, and maybe you’ve made plans for after prom. Planning for prom is exciting- it’s not only a fun night, but it’s a clue that the end of the school year is near! Prom can be a fun night that you’ll remember for years, but it can also turn into a horrible memory. Every year, newscasters have to share the details of accidents that took place on prom night. Too many young adults lose their life too early because of prom night excitement. This year, make sure prom is a night you’ll want to remember. Prom night can be stressful- planning who you’ll go with, where you’ll have dinner, and what you’ll all do after the dance. Make it fun from start to finish. If you have a plan, there will be less stress. You’ll be able to focus on having a good time. Here are the first 3 tips for making prom night fun. Our next post will cover the rest! 1. Make a Schedule ... read more

The next month will present some difficult situations for teens as you will eventually end up a party. Whether it is for Christmas, New Year’s Eve or just a regular party, you will inevitably be in a situation where you are offered a drink (or two). As a teenager, you are given more freedom and with that freedom comes responsibility. You have a responsibility to yourself, your friends, your family and to anyone on the road. Responsibility to yourself – Whenever you take a sip of alcohol, you need to understand that you are now putting yourself at risk of being arrested. In Missouri, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to possess or consume alcohol. If you get behind the wheel of a car after even having any sort of alcohol in your system, you can be arrested for drinking and driving. Not to be taken less seriously, but a minor in possession is a misdemeanor in Missouri. Take responsibility for yourself by not putting yourself in a situation where you embarrass y ... read more

We just finished up with National Car Care Month in October but we are still looking to share ideas to keep your teens safe by simply maintaining your cars. Parents primarily focus on texting, distractions in the car, drinking and driving and using seat belts (and for good reason) but there are other dangers to your teens while they are out driving on their own. Teens are not educated enough about proper maintenance of their vehicles so we would like to share AutoMD.com’s top tips for teens (and parents) to keep their cars running well and staying safe on the road. Know your car’s maintenance intervals and keep up with service
Each vehicle has a maintenance schedule, outlined in your owner’s manual. Be sure you read and understand the schedule. Items that require regular maintenance include the car’s fluids, tires, brakes, and oil and filter changes, too. Oil and air filter changes are particularly important to keep the engine runnin
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