With National Car Care Month (NCCM) in April right around the corner, the Car Care Council offers the following tips to help you plan your vehicle check-up event.   

• View the Car Care Council’s new Community Car Care Events video online. This 10-minute video helps businesses learn how to host their own consumer vehicle check-up event during NCCM.

• Download the Car Care Months Event Planner. This free PDF planner can be downloaded online from the Car Care Council’s Web site at www.carcare.org and has just about everything you need to participate in NCCM. It provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up and organize a vehicle check-up event.

• Decide the Size of the Event. Any event – small, medium or large – takes time to plan. Allow plenty of time to prepare. An in-house check-up lane is ideal if you want to participate in NCCM on a small scale. A medium-sized event is generally conducted by several businesses and takes place in a parking lot to allow ample space to have several check-up lanes. A large car care aware fair may take many months to organize and plan. These events are usually held in parking lots and involve several businesses and several check-up lanes. You may opt to secure sponsors to help defray the costs.

• Set a Date and Time for the Event. Technicians and volunteers are key to making your event a success. Consult with those who you plan to involve about their schedules, and determine a date based on when most are available. If there is a shortage of technicians available, consider bringing in students from your local automotive training facility. Most communities have an online “Calendar of Events” that should be checked for any potential conflicts or opportunities.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For more information, visit www.carcare.org.