Keeping the Kids Safe and Happy on Every Drive: Mum Tips You Can Trust

 

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The time spent travelling with kids in the car can be both a magical and challenging experience. From exciting road trips to visiting theme parks or beloved relatives, drives with the children have their unique charm. However, it can also be a nerve-wracking responsibility, ensuring that your precious little ones are safe, secure, and entertained throughout the journey. 

When it comes to securing their safety and happiness on every drive, here are some mum-tested tips you can trust.

Car Insurance

A fundamental thing to ensure you have is a comprehensive car insurance policy. While you might wonder about the possibility of having twoinsurance policies on one car, it’s important to note that a singular comprehensive coverage is crucial. This goes beyond the legal requirement for insurance; it’s for your peace of mind if any unforeseen mishap ever arises during the journey. 

Essentials for the Journey

An accident is the last thing anyone wants to think about, but being prepared is vital. Always keep a first-aid kit packed and easily accessible in the car to tackle minor bumps and scratches. A supply of bottled water and snacks that your kids enjoy can also prove useful in preventing tantrums when hunger hits. And every parent knows that some easy entertainment is an essential journey partner. From simple eye spy to a whiteboard, to a tablet with downloaded programs or games, there are lots of ways to keep your little one occupied. 

Choose the Right Car Seat 

The law in the UK requires all children travelling in a car to use the correct car seat until they are either 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first. For toddlers, you need to make sure you opt for a forward-facing car seat with a harness. The importance of a correctly fitted and appropriate type of car seat cannot be overstressed for your child’s safety.

Engrossed and Entertained 

Keeping the kids content and entertained during the drive can make the experience much more enjoyable for everyone. Portable devices for watching cartoons or listening to music can be a lifesaver, especially during long journeys. Alternatively, classic car games, like 'I Spy,' and the number plate game are great if you want to limit screen time. 

Create a Calm Environment 

Traffic jams or unfortunate car break-downs can elevate stress levels, which can be sensed by the children too. Try to maintain a calm and composed demeanour to help the children stay relaxed and happy too. 

Give Responsibility 

Allow your kids to feel like a part of the journey by giving them little responsibilities. Let them be in charge of their travel bag or the snack box. This keeps them engaged and makes them feel valued and grown up. For your older children, you could even get them to navigate for you, either with a physical map or a route planner/ sat-nav.

Prep the Car for Comfort 

Ensure that your car is in top shape and that there are necessary comfort measures rolled out for your children. Whether it's maintaining an appropriate car temperature, having comfortable seating, ensuring you have sunshades for blocking harsh sunlight, or neck cushions for a comfortable nap - every little detail matters. 

Keeping your children safe and happy on every drive is indeed a mammoth task. Yet, with a bit of mindful planning, empathetic understanding, and a dash of creativity, every drive with your kids can turn into a beautiful memory. Remember, the journey matters as much as the destination, especially when you’re travelling with your loved ones. As a mum, your efforts and diligence will ensure that your children are safe and that they relish every ride with you.

 

Driving and Car Safety for your Teen Driver

 

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Your teen now drives. Going out with them in the car for the first time with them sitting behind the wheel is a sharp wake-up call. Your baby is no longer a baby, now they are in control of a large machine that can drive at speeds of 70mph (and that's if they are sticking to the speed limit) and can potentially cause serious harm, or even death. It's a bit scary when you put it like that, isn't it? Of course, the last thing you want to do is scare your teen but it is definitely worth having some serious conversations with them so they realise the full extent of the responsibility of driving alone on the roads. 

Here are a few pointers for discussion items that will help to give you peace of mind and to keep your teen safe -

Install a Car Tracker

Having a car tracker installed can be the ultimate peace of mind. You'll always be able to see where your teen is and if you've given them a radius of how far they can travel, you'll be able to spot (or even sent an alert if you set that feature to live) if they have breached that designated area. |As well as this, it is also important to have a tracker in case of theft and it makes the Police's job a lot easier if they know the location of your car. 

Get Black Box Insurance

Insurance can be a major cost when your teen first starts to drive, and one way to keep this cost down is to take (telematics) black box insurance. This device records how your teen is driving in regard to speed, braking distance, cornering, accelerating etc, and creates a score for their overall driving performance. If your teen knows they are being monitored and potentially their insurance premium could be impacted this will have a positive impact on their responsible driving. 

Set an Example

Once your teen is old enough to be interested in driving you should be setting a good example to them in your driving. Talk through the different maneuvers that you do, and why you make the driving decisions that you do, and also give them an awareness of how another's driving style might impact your safety. Demonstrating braking distances, using your mirrors and being aware of what is around you will make a marked difference. 

Pay for an Advanced Driver Course

Defensive driving could be the difference between an accident or not, so it is definitely worth investing in an advanced driver course for your teen. They will normally do around four sessions which will not only increase their driving confidence but also teach them a healthy respect and awareness of what is going on on the roads. Being aware of other drivers and driving to anticipate their errors is an essential life skill as far as I'm concerned. 

Discuss the Rules

This may seem very obvious but you need to have a conversation with your teen about what your expectations are for them driving, especially if you are footing the bill for their car, and associated costs.  Some people may assume their teen knows what is expected of them, but they are not mind readers. So spell out your expectations and make it really clear so there is no room for ambiguity.

• How far can they travel?
• Are there particular times they can use the car?
• Who is responsible for fuel costs and maintenance?
• Can they drive with friends in the car who are under the influence or smoking/ vaping?
• What is the maximum number of passengers they can take?
• Who will clean the interior and the exterior of the car?

Yes, it can seem a bit scary at first to have your teen driving but think of the time it will free up for you. They can become the taxi and take younger siblings places they need to go and you can make good use of this extra free time that you have gained back. Sit back, relax and enjoy the fact your teen is developing into a responsible adult. 

Five Important Things Everyone Should Know about an MOT

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So come on, hands up, who knew that MOT stood for Ministry of Transport? I certainly didn't, it is one of those acronyms that is so embedded in everyday life that you never even stop to question what it means. The Ministry of Transport test was introduced in 1960, and those first tests were voluntary, conducted on cars older than ten years and only checked brakes, steering and the lights. Despite this, more than half of the first vehicles tested failed their tests! You can see why they felt it eas necessary to introduce this new measure. 

Here are five things you should know about your MOT -

 

Three Year Rule

Instead of ten years, vehicles in much of the UK must be subject to an MOT test when they turn three years old. In fact, my car has just had its first test a couple of weeks ago and I'm pleased to report, it passed with flying colours. Some vintage cars are exempt because they do not have modern technology inside them and because they tend to be used sparingly for specialist vintage events, which means they are very carefully looked after the rest of the time. In Ireland, it's slightly different and cars must have an MOT after they turn four years old.

 

Twenty Checklist

Rather than just brakes, steering and lights, an MOT now thoroughly examines a car, checking everything from the wheels and tyres to the suspension, to the electronics and emissions. Every aspect of the car that could potentially render the driver or other road users unsafe is checked, and just one item failing will result in a fail for the overall MOT. Many people like to book a service concurrent with the MOT test so that the mechanic can fix any issues as he does the service, leaving the car even more MOT ready than before.

Keep an Eye on your Tyres & Stay Safe in the Family Car

Get them checking the tyres young!

Safety and our families well-being are always our primary concern. For this very reason, we all like to choose a reputable family car that gives a better chance of safety on the road. We service them regularly, monitor the oil and cooling liquid levels, check the condition of our brakes and so on. However, there is one major thing that many people seem to forget and that is to keep an eye to ensure we have functional tyres.

Tyres are our cars only points of contact with the road surface. Damaged or worn tyres can’t fulfil their role properly and can pose a threat to our and our family’s safety. So how do you know when it is time for new tyres? Here are some warning signs from mytyres.co.uk:

The importance of a good car seat

My girls have got to that size where they are asking me if they have to keep using their booster car seats. They are only a month off of 8 years old but both are above the 135cm threshold and of course my preference is to keep them using seats, that is the safest thing for them and safety has to come before convenience or their street cred, surely?

Halfords certainly think so and as part of national Child Safety Week (1-7th June 2015) they are happy to check the fit of any car seat (bought from anywhere) and I love this sort of thing; when a big brand realises that safety is more important than sales and profit and they go out of their way to do the right thing.

I've been buying car seats for in excess of 12 years now and we have had quite a few different ones and I'll confess that my first one was bought on design and style rather than fit. It really was a revelation to me to know that not all car seats fit all cars and some offer much better safer than others, so please do make sure that you get yours checked out. I just happened to be lucky and the seat was a good fit for my then Ford Fiesta but of course it got lugged between my car, my husbands and my parents and it is all too easy for the fit to then be wrong.

Top tips for safe driving in the winter months

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I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to driving in the snow I'm afraid. It is not something I'm proud of and I'm trying to become more confident. My fears stemmed from a couple of bad snowfalls back in early 2003 and 2004. In the first one, I was pregnant and my usual 45-minute commute took me 11 hours to trawl. Then in January the following year, I had a four-month-old baby in the car with me and again Hertfordshire was hit with snow and the roads gridlocked. It took us 1.5 hours to travel under a mile and we pulled into a local hotel and they took pity on us with our small baby and gave us a room for the night, I still believe it was the most sensible option, thank goodness I always packed a very good change bag for my baby JJ.

I find that if I take some practical steps before the really bad weather comes then I feel happier and calmer about driving and that makes a big difference.  I'll share with you my tips for safer winter driving -

• Make sure that your car was topped up with anti-freeze at your last service and if realistically you know that you don't get your car serviced as often as you should then check this and top up as necessary.
• Having moved to the countryside I can't believe just how dirty my car gets in winter, so I'm having to wash my windscreen far more frequently. It is thus important to make sure your screenwash is topped up and also that the product you are using can cope with freezing weather.
• I'd also say treat your wipers kindly, don't expect them to try to clear ice, you may damage the blade and also blow the mechanism as you try to make it work too hard.
• Previously I wondered if winter tyres were just a ploy for garages to make money but having spent a week in Belarus last year in the deep snow I now realise they really do make a difference. So if you can afford to change your tyres and have the room to store your spare set this is great for peace of mind.
• If you choose not to change your tyres then just keep an eye on the depth of your tread and also make sure they are properly inflated as this will give you the best chance of gripping a snowy or icy road.
• Before travel, especially in the morning allow yourself time to get your car ready, it does take a while to de-ice the car.  Remember to do all glass, mirrors and lights so so you can see and are visible to other drivers. Never ever use boiling water to de-ice windows like my old neighbour used to, the risk of the glass cracking is high.
• You can buy winter car kits to keep in your boot or easily make your own up. It is a good idea to have a spade/ snow shovel, wellies, blanket, drinking water and high energy/ long life snacks, first-aid kit, torch and de-icer with scraper.
• If you don't have the knowledge to be able to fix your car yourself then make sure you have adequate breakdown cover. Currently, I'm fully covered with the AA and I've used the call out service quite a number of times in the years I have been a member. I'll happily recommend the AA as they have arrived quickly, been able to fix my car, give great advice and even entertained my kids!
• Then most importantly remember that if you are driving on a road covered in ice or snow it will take far longer to brake safely; the stopping distance can be up to ten times the normal. You will to slow right down and steer and break gently, especially at bends in the road. Make sure you apply your breaks lightly and use your gears to slow down and avoid skidding. Then for me it always seems counter-intuitive but you should use the highest gear possible at a low speed when driving in icy conditions as this will help avoid quick acceleration and wheel spin.

Don't forget if the weather looks really bad outside check the news or the met office website before you travel and if you can stay off the roads and don't put yourself at risk.