You might enjoy taking road trips with your kids. Maybe you can show them sights they’ve never seen before. You also might like spending time with them so you can talk to them about what’s happening in their lives. You should remember a few things when you have your kids in the car. We’ll go over a few of those right now.
5 Things to Remember About Having Your Kids in the Car
You Need to Make Sure They Wear Their Seatbelts
Via Erik Mclean
2018 saw 97,000 children injured in US car accidents. That’s a stark reminder that you need to make sure your kids wear their seatbelts when you’re going on a trip somewhere. It’s possible a car wreck can still harm them, but they’re much more likely to survive and sustain fewer injuries if the seatbelt straps them into place during a collision.
If your kids can’t use a seatbelt yet because they’re too young or not large enough, you can get an appropriate child safety seat instead. You can research safety seats and get one that has some positive online feedback. You’ll also want to try and find one in your price range. You’ll feel a lot better about driving around with your kids in the car if you know they’re safe.
Kids Can Distract You at Inopportune Moments
If you’re on a car trip with your kids, you should make sure to keep your eyes squarely on the road ahead at all times. It’s easy for your children to distract you if they’re yelling, talking loudly, or fighting with one another.
If you have another adult with you in the car, they can try to keep the kids under control. You can also talk to your children before you leave to go on your trip. You can emphasize that they need to behave so you can drive safely.
You might offer them a toy or something else that you’ll give them when you arrive at your destination. You can tell them you’ll only give it to them if they behave, though. That might get them to stay quiet and calm during the trip.
The Drive Can Provide Teachable Moments
Via Wendy Wei
You might also use the drive to provide some teachable moments for your kids if you have a teen getting close to driving age. Maybe you can show them some proper highway safety techniques, like how to signal before a lane change, get onto the freeway safely, etc.
You might even let your teen drive for a while if they have their license or their learner’s permit. If you don’t feel like they’re ready for highway travel, you can give them a chance to practice at a rest-stop parking lot.
You Can Take This Opportunity to See How They’re Doing
You might also use the time you’re all in the car to reconnect with all your family members, including your kids. Maybe you all live together, but you don’t see each other very much. Perhaps your kids stay busy with school, and you keep busy with work.
When you get home from work, and they’re home from school, you might all stay in your rooms watching TV or using social media. It’s hard to know what’s happening with your kids in these situations.
While you’re on the drive, you can talk to them about how school’s going or whether they’re dating anyone. You can ask your teens whether they’ve thought about colleges or their future career choices.
Have a Car Accident Lawyer on Retainer
Having kids changes everything. All of a sudden, you have tiny lives depending on you for everything. You are responsible for keeping them safe, happy, and healthy. So when something happens that threatens their wellbeing, it’s natural to feel panicked and overwhelmed. If you’re involved in a car accident, that feeling can be magnified tenfold. Not only do you have to worry about your own injuries and damages, but also the well-being of your children. This is why it’s so important to have a car accident lawyer on your side. A good lawyer will fight for you and your family, making sure that you are compensated for your losses and that your children are taken care of.