As teenagers prepare for college life, many parents face a challenging decision: Should they permit their teen to bring a car on campus? Many teens eagerly await this newfound freedom, but there are a number of risks and concerns that come with the privilege of having a car on campus. AAA offers a list of safe-driving tips for parents to share with their teens. By following these guidelines, parents can ensure that their teens will drive to the top of the class when it comes to traffic safety.

• Determine what the vehicle will be used for. Will it be used only for occasional errands? Does your teen need transportation to a job? This will help you determine what type of vehicle to purchase for your child.

• Discuss with your teen the price of insurance, gas and other financial/payment issues of the car. Work out an agreeable plan.

• By now, your teen has heard all the talk about drunk driving and drug use, but this topic can’t be emphasized enough now that your child will be away at college. The legal drinking age in New York is 21, but there is always the possibility that your teen will disobey you and the law. You should encourage your teen, if intoxicated, to call a taxi (and keep the local cab company’s number in their wallet) for a ride back to the dorm, or, if safe, to stay at the current location overnight. Also, warn your child never to get into a vehicle with an intoxicated driver behind the wheel.

• Car crashes are the number-one killer of teens, with more than 5,000 killed annually on U.S. roadways. Talking on the phone, texting while driving and other driving distractions account for 87 percent of teen-driving deaths. Please urge your teen to pull off the road safely and stop before using their cell phone.

• Rain, snow or fog make it difficult to see road signs, obstacles and other vehicles. Advise your teen to avoid hard braking and sharp turns on wet or icy roads to reduce the risk of hydroplaning and skidding. Additionally, your teen should drive slowly and avoid using cruise control in inclement weather.

• Your teen should keep an emergency safety kit in the car that includes items such as a snowbrush, ice scraper, booster cables, window-washing solvent, a flashlight with extra batteries and a blanket.

• Make sure that your teen knows how to use the car horn, hazard lights, alarm/door, window locks and other safety features before they begin driving on a regular basis.

• Read the vehicle’s owner’s manual to understand what to do if dashboard lights or signals indicate that the vehicle is not operating properly. Your teen can consult AAA’s online tool to help evaluate vehicle problems.

• If the vehicle does breakdown, your teen can call AAA's Roadside Assistance 24 hours a day/365 days a year. You can sign up your teen here for AAA membership or you can give AAA membership as a gift. Also, you might wish to review AAA.com with your teen to make sure they are familiar with the procedure and information necessary to request Roadside Assistance.

• If your teen’s car gets a flat tire, they should signal, slow down and carefully pull off the road on to the shoulder, avoiding any sudden maneuvers.

• If the car runs out of gas or its engine stops, your teen should switch on the emergency/safety flashers to alert other motorists and carefully steer the vehicle off the road. If your teen cannot steer the vehicle to a safe place, encourage your child to evacuate it immediately and call for help.

• Show your teen how to conduct periodic safety checks to ensure that the vehicle is in good operating condition. Stress that they should report any incidence or problem with the vehicle, especially before inclement weather strikes. Safety inspections include an examination of the tires, lights, belts, hoses, fluids and windshield wipers, as well as a thorough check of the electrical/exhaust systems, brakes and heat/cooling system. When a vehicle is serviced or repaired at one of AAA's Approved Auto Repair facilities, the car will receive a free maintenance inspection. Search for a shop near your teen’s college.

• Teens should program their phones with emergency numbers (800/AAA-HELP), contact information and campus police numbers.

• Teens should be familiar with landmark destinations and basic directions of the surrounding college town. For instance, point out major highways and exits. Notably, AAA Mobile cell phone service provides GPS navigation and maps. Also, it can pinpoint Approved Auto Repair stations.

• Review with your teen the driving laws and regulations in the college area. Also, review the college’s parking guidelines with your teen. If your teen is a freshman, make sure they are permitted to have a vehicle on campus. Obtain a campus-parking permit for your teen’s vehicle.

Most universities regularly patrol campus streets and parking lots and will quickly issue citations for parking violations. Some schools will even place a hold on students’ transcripts if they have unpaid tickets, preventing them from registering for classes or even from graduating.

• Teens must obey speed limits and signs on campus, including yellow curbs, handicapped spaces, stop/yield signs, fire zones and no-parking zones. Remind your teen that pedestrians have the right of way.

• Teens should park vehicles in well-lit areas with foot traffic and should walk with a friend to the car if it is late at night.

• A college student’s schedule might involve a late night of studying followed by an early wake-up call. Emphasize that fatigue results in drowsy driving, which slows reaction time, decreases awareness and impairs judgment.

• Your teen, before taking a road trip, should review directions and alert a friend about where they are going and their designated day of return. Encourage your teen to use AAA's TripTik Travel Planner so they know the distance of the trip and the locations of gas stations on their route.

• Last but not least, encourage your teen not to keep valuables in the car and to always lock the doors.

Meghan Droge, a junior at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in English Literature.