We know that you, loving parent extraordinaire, have the absolute best intentions while teaching your teen the rules of the road. However, you might be advocating for some in-car habits that are no longer common practice (and some that aren’t even considered safe). Since you’ve received your driver’s license, there have been many changes and
developments in cars and what is considered the best methods for operation, so it’s time that we put some car myths to rest. We come bearing facts.

Myth 1: You should run your car for a few minutes in the winter to allow your engine to warm up before driving.

Fact:
Back when carbureted engines dominated the roads, there was reason to warm up your car before driving. Now, it’s actually doing your car more harm than good. Letting your car idle for a few minutes in the driveway
on a cold day hurts your engine by stripping oil away from the engine’s cylinders and pistons. The best practice is to take it nice and easy during the first 5-15 minutes of your drive to allow the engine to warm up.

Myth 2: Idling is more fuel-efficient than restarting your car.

Fact:
If you’re going to be idling for longer than 10 seconds, it’s more fuel efficient to turn off the car. Plus, today’s car engines are not damaged by turning the car on and off with greater efficiency.

Myth 3: You should drive with your hands at ’10-and-2′ on the steering wheel.

Fact:
‘9-and-3′ is the new ’10-and-2’. The force of airbag deployment can send the hands at the ’10-and-2′ position straight into your head. The last thing you need during a car collision is to punch yourself in the
face in the process.

Myth 4: Red cars get more tickets and cost more to insure.

Fact:
Surprise! A recent study showed that the most ticketed car color was white, likely because it is the most visible. So if red is your color, got for it.

Myth 5: Manual transmissions offer better fuel economy than automatics.

Fact:
This one is at least true-ish. It really depends on the particular model of the car. In the past, manual transmissions were always more fuel efficient, but now there are some automatics that perform just as
well as their manual counterparts.

Myth 6: You get more for your money when you fill your gas tank in the morning.

Fact:
This one is at least true-ish. It really depends on the particular model of the car. In the past, manual transmissions were always more fuel efficient, but now there are some automatics that perform just as
well as their manual counterparts.

Myth 7: You need to change your oil every 3,000 miles.

Fact:
Most car owner’s manuals recommend changing out the oil less frequently, usually after 5,000 or 7,500 miles. And with synthetic oils, you might be looking at 10,000 to 20,000 miles. In short, check the
manual!

Article Sources

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a19086/warming-up-your-car-in-the-cold-just-harms-engine/
https://www.afdc.energy.gov/uploads/publication/idling_personal_vehicles.pdf
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a9343/forget-10-and-2-drive-with-your-hands-at-9-and-3-15851738/
http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/redcars.asp
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/under-the-hood/cost-of-car-ownership/red-cars-get-pulled-over-more-often-for-speeding.html
https://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/five-myths-about-stick-shifts.html
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2008/08/save-on-gas-with-morning-fill-ups-don-t-bet-on-it/index.htm
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/oil-change-truths/