Driving with kids - how not to get distracted by your children

Driving requires a lot of concentration but when driving with kids, concentrating fully on the road can become quite a challenge. Besides having to watch out for the traffic around you and other road users, you have to make sure that your kids are all right which is not always possible when kids are crying or fighting. Still, your major goal is the safety of your children and so you have to prepare yourself before getting in the car with your children and realise that, as chauffeur, you have to get them to destination all safe and sound.

Safety – when driving with kids the crucial thing is their safety. The backseat is the place for them and seat belted. The number of seat belts is the number of children that the car can accommodate. Kids do not ride on their parents’ laps or on other kids’ laps. If they are in car seats, get them the right ones and make sure that they are properly strapped in.
Be prepared – before you start your car make sure that you have everything that you might need along the journey. Kids tend to get hungry very easily and it is essential to pack their cookies, biscuits, snacks, juices, water etc and keep them within reach when you are driving.
Entertainment – bored children can be quite annoying; make sure that they always have something to do during the drive if they do not fall asleep beforehand. Bring their video games, PSP, mp3 players, books, games etc that will help you concentrate on driving and get them off your back for a while.
Breaks – kids quickly get bored of drives and feel uncomfortable too, so go for some breaks along the way if the journey is quite long. Stop when it is possible for walking and stretching a bit so that your kids will feel like getting in the car and continue for the journey all over again. Very important is to have them use the bathroom before the journey starts and if they have to along the way, stop at public toilets otherwise they might cause a huge problem in the car.
Pulling over – if the situation gets to a point where you can no longer handle it or ignore them anymore, pull over safely and sort things out. Once things are back on the right track, you can get back to driving.

If you are heading off for vacations, it may be better to start at night where the children can enjoy their sleep in the car and you can drive at ease. Let them know about the destination, when excited they can become more tolerant of travelling. But always make sure that your kids understand the importance of driving safely and be firm on not to distract you while you are driving.