Back To School Car Checks: Are You School Run Ready?

The dreaded ‘back-to-school’ moment always seems to sneak up on you, be it after the festive period or at the end of the summer holidays.

From hurriedly packing lunch boxes and signing consent forms, the morning of the first day back at school is often chaotic to say the least. So, don’t let car troubles add to the list. If you’re a parent, let Kwik Fit take one thing off your plate this back-to-school period and make the first morning back run as smoothly as possible. 

While we can’t iron your child’s uniform for you, we can give you some pointers to make sure that your motor won’t let you down while you drop your little ones off.

59% of parents don't enjoy the school run

If you’re a parent or carer, the school run is perhaps one of the most regular trips you’ll make. And yet, a recent survey commissioned by Sustrans found that 59% of parents in the UK do not enjoy their daily journey to school. 

While the reasons given were mostly down to congestion and parking problems, we strongly believe that a smoothly running vehicle can significantly reduce the stresses associated with the school run. Maybe you can’t control the amount of free drop-off parking spaces, or the number of other parents on the roads, but you can control the safety and performance of your vehicle.

In the days leading up to the back-to-school run, or even the night before if you’ve left things a bit last minute, use the following pointers to give your car a once-over.

The school run checklist

Here’s a handy condensed checklist version of our school run advice. For a more detailed breakdown of each check or top up, scroll down a bit further.

The night before:

• Check your fuel level. No one wants to hurry to a petrol station during rush hour.
• Check your tyre pressure & condition
• Top up your washer fluid. A clean windscreen will help you see better on particularly bright or rainy mornings.
• Check that your lights are working properly.
• Pop the essentials in the car. A bottle of water if it’s summer, and a de-icer and scraper if it’s winter.
• Check your children’s car seats are in the car and fitted correctly. There’s nothing worse than battling with a seatbelt attachment when running late.

The morning of:

• Check local traffic and weather reports. If there’s a road closure, bad weather, or an accident, it’s better to know before you leave so you can make adjustments.
• If it’s cold, get the car running and allow it time to warm up and demist.
• Clean your mirrors of any ice or dew that’s accumulated overnight.
• Perform some last-minute safety checks: has everyone got their seatbelts on?

Now all that’s left to do is get there! For more advice on driving safely with children in the car, you can read another one of our blogs. 

Now let’s take a look at the core back-to-school car checks in more detail:

Check your tyres for pressure & damage

Up first comes tyre maintenance, vital to ensuring that your vehicle is able to drive smoothly and safely on the road. Naturally, as one of the UK’s leading tyre sellers, we have a lot of handy tips for this one.

• Check that your tyres are inflated correctly and that you have enough air in them. This is a great idea if your car has been sitting idle for long periods of time.
• Look out for scrapes, punctures, bulges, or rips on your tyres, as these may lead to tyre blowout.
• Ensure your tyre tread is deep enough. You can do this using the 20p trick. This one is especially important in winter when there is more likely to be water, sludge, and snow on the roads.

Test that your brakes work

The condition of your vehicle’s brakes is one of the most crucial safety factors for any journey. It’s especially important for school runs, where you may need to stop suddenly for unexpected hazards, such as children crossing or walking out between parked cars around drop-off zones.

• Make sure your brakes do not feel spongy when you press down on the brake pedal, as this may be a sign of reduced performance.
• Remember to brake in good time in wetter weather as stopping distances double.
• If you’re doubtful about the condition of your brakes, book in for a free brake check at your local Kwik Fit centre.

Check your lights & signals work

In busy, congested areas like school car parks or drop-off zones, it is crucial to be able to signal to other road users before you manoeuvre - and there’s no chance of you being able to do that without correctly working signals and lights.

• Be sure to check that your headlights and brake lights are working properly.
• Test whether your indicator lights are flashing when you signal left and right.
• Test if your hazard lights work when you press the red triangle on the dashboard.
• At this point, it is also a good idea to check whether any of your dashboard warning lights come on when you start the ignition, as these can indicate a more serious fault with your car.

We’re also including checking the battery in this section, as the last thing you need is for your car not to start when you’re already running late.

Check your fluid levels

An overheating engine or lack of coolant really can throw a spanner in the works on the way to school. Luckily, these things can be easily prevented with the following precautions:

• Use a dipstick to check whether your vehicle has enough engine oil and make sure your vehicle does not require an engine oil change.
• Check the engine coolant levels are correct.
• Check the brake fluid levels and top up if necessary.
• Ensure that the windscreen washer fluid is topped up. If you’ve run out, we have a blog on the types of liquids you can use as last-minute replacements.

Ensure your car's safety features work

If you’re on a school run, you’ll be transporting children to and fro; so, it’s essential that you know you can rely on your in-car safety features should the worst happen. This can involve any of the following:

• For younger children, ensuring that any car seats are plugged in correctly and that use of them follows official guidance.
• Switching on child lock.
• Checking seatbelts and airbags.
• Making sure your vehicle is equipped with the necessary emergency equipment, such as high-visibility jackets and a warning triangle, in case of a breakdown.

For extra peace of mind, book in for a free vehicle safety check at Kwik Fit today.

Check for additional comfort features

And, lastly, parents, do yourself a favour and make the back to school period as comfortable as possible. 

• If it’s the back to school period at the end of summer, make sure that your air con is in good working order as it may be hot. Get it regassed at your local Kwik Fit centre, or book in for a free air con health check.
• The same for heated seats and/or heating systems in winter.
• Clean your windscreen and make sure the wipers are in good working order.
• Lastly, if there’s time, why not give your car a clean out before the school runs start again?

Ace the school run with Kwik Fit

While we’re not expecting you to get top marks on the back to school run checklist, even conducting a handful of those preventative maintenance checks may mean the difference between a smooth and manic morning drive in.

If you have any more serious concerns about the condition of your vehicle, book in for a free vehicle health check at your local Kwik Fit centre, or get in touch with our team of experts today.

Found this useful? Feel free to share this with other parents. Or, for more motoring advice, keep up with our blog.