For many students, heading off to university by car is the first time they’ve driven a long way. It’s an exciting time, but it’s important not to get swept along in the excitement and forget the basics. As well as packing your clothes, books and laptop, there’s things which need to be done to get organised for the trip, and for having your car at Uni with you.

Insurance

The biggest job is probably sorting out insurance. If you’re planning to keep your car with you while you’re studying, then you’ll have to tell the insurer the new address. Change the address on your policy before you leave your parents’ address. This may change the price of the premium but leaving the address on the policy as your parents’ address isn’t an option.

Parking

Many university campuses are in city centre locations, and may not have parking available. Bringing a car with you might not be the best option so do your research about parking and restrictions before setting off from home. It might be a better option to get someone else to drive you down to Uni with all your stuff, then drive the car back home again.

Maintenance and Breakdown Cover

It’s always a good plan to give your car the once-over before setting off on a long trip. This is especially true if the car usually only drives short distances. If the car is due a service, book it into a trusted garage at home rather than try to find a new mechanic in an unfamiliar city. Remember to pay your road tax online, and book your car in for a MOT in the month leading up to its expiry date. You may also want to consider taking out breakdown cover, especially if being at Uni means several trips up and down motorways over the course of the year.

Brush Up on Motorway Driving

If you’re unfamiliar with driving on motorways, it might be appropriate to have a couple of additional lessons to brush up on your skills. If that’s not possible then go over the theory of motorway driving. Take your time, remember to pull back into the left-hand lane whenever possible, and take frequent breaks to stretch your legs or get a coffee. Having a satnav can be useful too as it means you don’t have to worry about navigation and can just concentrate on driving safely.

Packing

Your car is going to be packed with all your most precious possessions when you head off to University, so it’s essential to make sure you’re transporting it all safely. Try to distribute the weight evenly, with the heaviest items in the centre of the car. Don’t pack anything above the height of the headrest, or blocking your view from the rear window. There are many courier companies which specialise in transporting student possessions from home to Uni and back again. Using these services might be more convenient than trying to squeeze everything into your car.