Driven to Distraction – 10 tips on how to not lose your mind on a family road trip

AD This is a collaborative post

I cannot pretend that I am the best driver in the world. I mean, I’m okay but the fact that I did have to complete a speed awareness course last year and my youngest child does occasionally shout things like “hey idiot, are your indicators not working?!” when playing with his toy cars should probably give you an idea of the level we are at here. 

Kwik Fit have launched a campaign called Driven to Distraction. It really gets on my norks when I see other drivers using their mobile phones when driving. I may be the sort of chump who gets caught doing 35 in a 30 limit but using my mobile while in the drivers seat is a massive nope for me. I hope for you too? Driven to Distraction hopes to illustrate just how much a mobile phone can slow down your reaction time using an interactive quiz. 

 

Generally I tend to keep car journeys where I am driving to a limit. Because of my propensity to ocular migraines thanks to a rare eye disease I now prefer to drive short distances but that doesn’t leave me immune to distractions when driving. 

Children are a driving hazard

There is something about being in a car that makes my children lose their minds. Maybe it’s them being in such close proximity to each other? I dunno but it’s true and it happens almost every time. Get them into a car and there is usually an argument. Over the years I have got better at preempting this so here are some tips that you can use the next time you need to go on a road trip.

  1. Allow plenty of time and plan your route. It’s a lot easier to stay chilled if you aren’t driving cross country by accident having missed your turn off. 
  2. Children love a services. By children I mean me (and probably you) so plan to have rest stops and grab yourself a coffee. You will probably need it and definitely deserve it.
  3. Give them a hand in choosing an in car playlist – not too much of a hand though. We once did a 2 and a half hour trip with only a Bing Bunny CD. Not fun. 
  4. Invest in some in-car entertainment to keep the kids busy. If we could have watched dvd’s in the car growing up I honestly believe my Dad would have less wrinkles.
  5. Let the kids have a role in planning where to go – You can steer this or dress it up to make them feel important even though, lets face it, you were always going to the same place.
  6. Have a snack box at the ready. We all get hangry, children are no exception.
  7. Allow your child to choose one of their toys to bring on the car journey. Not LEGO though or you can expect hours of trying to locate a teeny tiny brick under or in a car seat. You have been warned.
  8. Drive when it fits in with your kids’ routines. Not always possible but, you know, try..
  9. Make sure the kids are comfy with the appropriate, properly adjusted car seat and clothing. Don’t allow them to wear a thick coat in the car. 
  10. Do the relevant car safety checks. Trust me, you do not want to be breaking down at the side of the road with small children. Nobody keeps their sanity in that scenario. Tyre pressures, oil levels, windscreen squirters, check them all before you leave.
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