The Basics for Safe Driving with Kids

When you have kids in the car, taking care of them is your top priority. What some people don’t realize is that driving safely is the best way to take care of your tiny passengers.

Prepare First

Turn your phone on silent and leave it in the back seat. Stock up on snacks. Make sure the secure child seat is buckled in properly. Figure out where you’re going before you leave the driveway. Driving off with a million things on your mind is dangerous enough when you’re flying solo, but it’s worse when you add kids to the equation. If you have to, create a short set of rules for proper car behavior for the kids, so they know it’s dangerous to distract the driver.

Buckle the Kids Up

Teach them that buckling up is essential to safety. Get the kids buckled in, buckle yourself in, and don’t move the car until you’ve double-checked that everyone has a seatbelt. Instilling this good habit in your children keeps them safe while they’re with you as well as with others.

Focus on Driving

If you have to repeat a mantra to yourself to keep your eyes on the road, do it. Your life with kids is busy, and it’s tempting to try to make work calls or write out that shopping list while on your commute. Don’t. Having kids in the car is enough of a distraction, and distracted driving is dangerous. In the second it takes you to turn around and hand your child something in the back seat, the car ahead of you could slam on the brakes. When you’re behind the wheel, focus on driving.

Keep Entertainment on Hand

Of course, focusing on driving is not easy when you have a rowdy group of first-graders in your back seat. That’s why you should always have entertainment for them in the back seat. Whether that’s puzzle books, music, snacks, or mini DVD players, keep things back there that will occupy them as much as possible. You can get in on the fun, too. Listen to an audiobook together, play road games, or do singalongs.

Hit the Brakes

ne good reason for hitting the brakes is to keep you focused on driving. If you need to discipline the kids, help your child out with something, or are tempted in any way to take your eyes off the road and twist your torso to the back seat, pull over. Once the car is safely in park, you can deal with whatever problems have arisen. Another good reason to stop is to give your kids a break. Sitting for long periods is more uncomfortable for children than it is for adults, both physically and mentally, so stop often on longer trips.

Many parents are tempted to turn around to interact with their children in some way. If you’ve got another adult in the passenger seat, let that adult handle the kids in the back. If you’re alone, remember that staying focused on driving is your top priority to get down the road safely.

Tags: Kids, Parenting
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