Driving on and around Britain’s roads can be challenging and stressful at times, especially during rush hour traffic. So imagine how much more compounded this motoring mayhem can be if you are a parent driving around with your kids in the back of your car!
One of the most stressful time in any parent’s motoring career is the inevitable “school run”. But despite all this depressing motoring, there are some practical hints and tips that all parents can take advantage of in order to make their driving experience a much easier affair.
Here are the secrets to family motoring that all parents in the United Kingdom need to know:
The early parent gets the parking space
As I mentioned a moment ago, one thing that many parents get really stressed out about is the daily school run; dropping their kids off to school and then picking them up again later that same day.
This process has to be repeated Monday to Friday, and believe me; it never gets any easier! Normally parents end up arriving at their children’s school at a time when everyone else has also arrived, so it can be an absolute nightmare trying to find somewhere to park!
Sometimes you will even find parents double-parking because they can’t find a space close to the school; this can be an extremely dangerous thing to do and should be avoided at all costs.
Now here’s the thing: by arriving at your child’s school early enough, you will be able to get your pick of the parking spaces! Of course, this can sometimes be difficult to do if your child gets out of bed late in the morning, but it’s still achievable nonetheless.
Don’t smoke in the car
If you or your partner are smokers, then you should avoid smoking in the car regardless of whether your kids are in there or not. Just last night I parked my car outside of a shop and noticed that the occupants of the car next to me had a baby and a small child in the car with them, and the parents were both smoking with the windows closed!
You might think this is such a stupid and selfish thing to do considering second-hand smoke can affect the development of a growing baby or child’s internal organs, yet according to a newspaper article a few months ago, nearly 200,000 kids between 11 and 15 in England are exposed to high levels of these toxic fumes in their parents’ cars every day!
Buy a suitable car
Ferrying babies and children around in a car can sometimes be a bit of a nightmare, but the situation could be made worse simply because you don’t have the best car for the job!
So if you’re driving around in a small hatchback, you should consider trading it in for a more family-oriented car like an estate or people carrier from car dealers such as Junction17cars.co.uk
You will easily find a car to suit your requirements and budget, regardless of whether you are looking for a brand new or used car.