College marks the first time that many teen drivers are truly out on their own. Besides all of the other preparations involved in leaving home, there are some special considerations involved if they plan on taking a car to college with them.

If you, or your son or daughter are planning on taking a car to college this fall, below are four factors to think over before driving off.

Parking

Some colleges and universities don’t allow freshmen to park on campus. Many also require freshman to live on campus, which raises the question of whether freshmen should attempt taking a car to college at all.

Most colleges do allow students to park on campus, but require a parking permit to do so. The cost of such permits needs to be included in your vehicle budget, or you’ll be spending an even larger amount on parking tickets.

Sharing your car

Because many college students won’t have a car, those who do will often be asked for rides. And since parking is scarce, carpooling may be a good idea for those who live off-campus. You’ll want to decide ahead of time how to handle such requests, so your study time doesn’t become chauffeur time. You also want to be careful about loaning out your car for others to drive, because such trips may not be covered by…

Insurance

College often marks the first time that students are responsible for their own insurance coverage, but staying on the family’s policy will often be cheaper overall. You can also get insurance discounts by being studious and having a good GPA.

Maintenance

On-campus college students often don’t drive many miles per month, but you still need to keep up with car maintenance. If you’re taking a car to college far from home, this means you’ll need to find a new repair shop close to school.

If you need a new car to take to college, check out our wide selection of affordable lease transfers available at Swapalease.com. Getting a car with a short-term lease is also a great option for high school or college students.

Image via Shutterstock.com