The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

F o r saf er t een d r i ver s, re ad t h is b ef o re h an d i n g o v er th e key s Moms are the ones who usually cart kids around from school to scouts to soccer. More often than not, these women take responsibility for the repair and maintenance of their vehicles. But what happens when the kids grow out of the backseat and into the driver's seat? Who's looking after their vehicles? Automotive preventive maintenance and repair knowledge is like algebra, says Car Care Canada. We're not born knowing it, it has to be learned. Teach your young drivers the basics about their cars before they get the keys. If you don't know much about automotive maintenance/ repair, do yourself a favour and learn it along with your kids. Here are a few tips: · Explain that all cars, new and old, need regular attention. Make sure your teenager knows and follows the maintenance schedule for his/her car. In addition to making a car safe to drive, preventive maintenance can save thousands of dollars during a lifetime of driving. · Don't overlook the owner's manual. This is full of information about the car that your young driver may never know unless he/she is familiar with this automotive bible. · Make it fun. There are myriad sites on the Internet that are fascinating for young and old drivers, alike. Some have Q & A sections. Let your teen send his/her tough questions to the professionals. · It's probably been a while since they went on a field trip. Take them with you to the repair facility, the tire store, the body shop and wherever you have automotive work performed. Get them accustomed to the automotive world--its people, places, jargon and prices. · There are hundreds of books available on this subject. Many are written specifically for non-technical audiences; some are even humorous. Buy a few and make them required reading for the licensing process. · Make a plan. What happens if the car breaks down, he/she has a wreck, or the car gets stolen? What if no adults are home to receive the panic call? Whether you want your teenager to call your family repair facility or Aunt Sadie, give them some instruction and put important phone numbers in the glove compartment. For many parents, driving age is the final frontier. Certainly it is an important rite of passage for teenagers. Don't let your child pass into this stage of his/her life without being prepared. Take the time and the necessary mate- ON THE ROAD FALL Wednesday, November 1, 2006 · Page 12 rials to make your young driver feel competent and secure. Ev ery v eh i cl e ne eds a w i nt e r e m erg en cy ki t (NC)--As temperatures plunge from cold to freezing, winter preparedness becomes all the more important. Long after winter's sweaters have been pulled from their summer hibernation, people remain woefully unprepared for vehicle emergencies. While most people have jumper cables and maybe a blanket in their car, those that have had the misfortune of breaking down or spinning off the road on a frigid winter day know they should have thought ahead. With over 75 years of experience in helping people and their vehicles make it safely through winter, Prestone has identified a list of emergency essentials. These items include: · A small, lightweight shovel · Traction aid, such as a bag of sand or kitty litter · A combination ice scraper and snow brush · A winter formula windshield washer fluid or additive (Prestone De-Icer Concentrate can be added to the windshield washer fluid reservoir to boost ice removal.) · Antifreeze (Prestone LongLife Premixed Antifreeze/Coolant in the "All Makes, All Models" formula is designed specifically for topping up without the guesswork.) · A charged cell phone · Extra hats, boots and gloves · Blankets or sleeping bags · Non-perishable, highenergy food items, such as energy bars or peanuts. More tips on preparing your vehicle for winter are available online at www.Prestone.com. "Full service automotive repairs" $N10 OOINGF F A NY CO OL ING A Y CO L SYSTEM SERVIICE SYSTEM SERV CE 438 Talbot St. N., Essex, ON 519-776-4499 Reliable CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP Insurance Coverage ...can mean the world to your loved ones. Car Insurance Life Insurance Home Insurance Business Insurance DPM Insurance Group 29 Talbot St. North, Essex 519-776-6457 www.dpmins.com Jim Barnett Mark Barnett Cindy Barnett Doug Barnett Elizabeth Higgins Martial Voligny Brenda Clarke Doug Queen 458 Talbot St. N.,Essex, Ontario · Phone: 776-5287