The reason many people choose to buy a car is to go on family adventures. However, you must remember that driving with children on board will not always be an easy task. You have to entertain them so they don’t get bored and make sure they don’t get hurt, all while keeping your eyes on the road.
We know that the safety of your family is the most important thing and we want you to enjoy every minute of your trip together with them. Therefore, in the following article, we give you 5 tips for traveling by road with children.
Install a child restraint system
Every responsible parent knows that children should never ride in the front seats of the car. Therefore, one of the best safety tips for traveling with children is to have a special seat for them.
If you don’t have another adult with you who can watch the children while you drive, having a child restraint system will be a great help. These are some conditions that you must take into account when installing these special seats:
- Small children less than 150 cm tall must travel in a specific seat according to their weight and that is fixed to the car seat by means of a seat belt or, preferably, with Isofix anchors.
- It is important to adjust the seat harness correctly. You can ask children if the belt is too tight or too loose.
- Harness height is also a key factor. In general, the harness should be at or slightly below shoulder height.
Make sure you lock the doors and windows
The safety of children is not limited to keeping them in special seats. There are other aspects that you should take into account when traveling with the smallest members of the household to avoid accidents. For example, checking that the harness is not removed, keeping certain objects out of their reach and, of course, locking the car doors and windows.
If you are traveling with more than one child, make sure you leave a few centimeters of the distance between their seats, this way you will avoid fights and you can drive with peace of mind. Talk to them and constantly watch them through the interior rearview mirror.
Set travel rules
In hundreds of movies, we can see how children have fun singing nursery rhymes while the father or mother behind the wheel just wants to get to their destination as soon as possible. This happens very often, but far from being fun, it is dangerous if the driver is distracted or in a bad mood.
A few days before the trip, take a few minutes to talk with your children and together make a list of the rules that they must follow during the trip. By rewarding and encouraging their good behavior, the journey will be more enjoyable. Also, you must do your part and understand that children are not used to being silent for long periods of time.
Keep the kids entertained
In addition to setting limits and rules, you should remember that children are naturally curious and it’s almost impossible to ask them to sit still without getting bored. Boredom often turns into tantrums or other behaviors that can distract the driver, which is dangerous when the road demands 100% of your concentration, such as when you’re driving in the rain.
One of the best ways to travel with children on the road is to keep them entertained with games that the whole family can participate in. You can encourage them to name the objects they see, listen to audiobooks, or make a list of places they want to visit in the future. This is a great opportunity to strengthen ties with your loved ones.
Make a couple of stops if necessary
Another of our tips for traveling by road with children is to stop when you think it is necessary. Whether you are going on a short trip or visiting another city, making a couple of stops to get some fresh air and rest will be beneficial for you and your children.
Park on the side of the road or at a gas station. You can take advantage of this moment to go to the bathroom, drink water, eat some snacks and check the children’s seats. Ask your children if they are comfortable and what you can do to improve the travel experience. Thus, the rest of the tour will be more fun for everyone.
Now you know how to travel on the road with children! As you can see, going on a trip with your family is a unique experience. Prepare the car, get everything you need ready to have fun with your children, and take advantage of this opportunity to live an adventure with the ones you love the most. We hope we have helped you!
