When you’re parenting and you have a family to manage, not only do you have to worry about education and your overall expenses, but safety is a top priority as well. Regardless of how old your children are, or how many are in the household, accidents can happen anytime, especially on the road. If you like travelling together, or if you like going out of the house to go to places, then keeping your family safe from auto accidents should become your top priority.
While you may already have “things to do” with your family when it comes to keeping your eyes peeled for dangerous things on the road, it’s important to make sure you’re well aware of what you should take note of when it comes to traffic safety. Auto accidents can happen anytime, and it’s best you’re aware of what to do to make your family feel safer and have a more enjoyable time travelling.
According to EHS Today, while travelling via an automobile can be a great source of convenience, it can be a great cause of inconvenience if not properly managed. If you’re the designated driver of the family, it may help to remember that you now carry the responsibility of making sure not just you and your family are safe, but other drivers, other passengers, and other pedestrians are safe on the road as well. This can be overwhelming for some, but not something that is impossible to do.
Research And Study Your Car and Surrounding Traffic
It helps to study the nature of cars and the environment you’re in the same way it can help you ace a quiz if you study. This doesn’t mean you have to transform into a vehicle enthusiast, but rather become someone knowledgeable enough about the car your family owns and the type of traffic in your usual environment. These can at least give you a proper heads up on what to anticipate and which areas to avoid.
Try to make sure you get to know your car well, to the point of knowing how it functions to the letter. If you have its manual with you, try to study it as best you could so you know what to do in times of duress. Just what do specific buttons do, and what do specific lights entail? Having a basic background on these things can help you use your car to its full potential. This especially helps if you identify if there are blind spots in your vehicle with your current setup, so make proper adjustments.
Try to stay up to date with the news, especially if you use your car often with your family to go to places. Even if you use the car just to fetch your kids and take them to school, or if you use your car to go to usual family holidays, make sure you’re up to date with the current traffic situation in the areas where you’re going. If possible, try to check if you have alternate routes available to get to your location without having to go to crowded places or places with heavy traffic.
Observe and Stay Sharp and Alert
As the designated driver, your primary responsibility is to navigate the roads properly. However, this doesn’t mean you have to be aware of everything at once. Perhaps it’s a good idea to make sure everyone has designated roles as passengers, so they stay alert and sharp throughout the trip. Always having an extra pair of eyes can help avoid disaster when there are signs of trouble.
Accidents on the road happen often, and one of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents come from drivers driving tired. Tired drivers are dangerous drivers.
Don’t fall victim to this and save others around you but managing your fatigue. If you do a lot of driving, do shift work and often finish work late or are planning on going on a long driving holiday, you should read up on these tips to manage your fatigue and tiredness while driving.
Managing fatigue
Learn to identify your warning signs for tiredness and make sure you take breaks when driving.
When going to places you usually go to, try to ask your children to take note of particular landmarks and places they’re familiar with. This allows all of you to know your way back home by making sure they remember these places, especially if they’re lost. This behavior can develop into a habit, so children can slowly study new places and mark new landmarks so they know what to look for when you go to this destination a second time.
Keep your eyes peeled for anything that is out of the ordinary. Is there a crash? Is there a protest nearby? Is there a construction zone? Make sure everyone is extra alert during these situations, and lock your car doors for safe measure.
Follow and Remember Your Protocol
Before you go anywhere, always try to make sure everyone in the car knows exactly what to do in times of emergency. No one knows what will happen if accidents occur, and as such everyone should be aware of what their roles are should they find themselves in an accident.
- If children wake up after an accident, what emergency hotlines should they call and how should they introduce themselves?
- If either you and your partner have become unconscious, what is the plan for the children? Who should they call, approach, and go to?
- If ou all found yourself safe and sound, what should be the next course of action?
There’s Always More You Can Do to Prepare
The top things to do above to help keep your family safe from auto accidents aren’t the only things to do to alleviate your concerns about family safety. However, these are things you can do in conjunction with your own safety habits to ensure you have all your bases covered when it comes to vehicular safety. Being extra prepared can go a long way, especially if the extra time you’d allot at the moment means less time and expenses for bills due to the avoidance of accidents.
