Keeping teens car safe while in college

PHOENIX — Schools are starting up all over the state and that means colleges and universities aren’t far behind.

Plenty of nervous parents will be watching their teens head off to college but there are some things they can do to help put their minds at ease.

AAA Arizona said whether students are heading off to school out of state or staying nearby, there are some important tips that they should follow to keep out of trouble, especially with cars.

“Cars are a hot commodity in college,” said Michelle Donati, the public affairs supervisor for AAA Arizona. “If you have a car you’re going to have a lot of friends, you’re going to have a lot of people wanting to ride with you, and you’re going to have a lot of people asking to borrow your car.”

Donati said lending a car to roommates, friends or fellow students is a very bad idea, though, because car insurance follows the car and not the driver.

“You’re essentially loaning them your car insurance,” Donati said. “That means if there is a crash, that crash is going to go against whoever owns the vehicle, which is usually means mom and dad.”

Donati also recommended parents get their teens renter’s insurance to protect their things while students are away from home. She also said getting them some kind of roadside assistance is a good way to know they won’t ever get stranded somewhere.