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We all remember jumping into the station wagon for a road trip with our family to a vacation house, a hotel, or a national park. But after a long day taking care of children, exhausted parents get distracted while driving. Children create a lot of distraction when making a lot of noise and the parent who is driving tries to calm down the children. With distracting children, so full of energy and stuffed into a car, keep your eyes on the road to prevent the unexpected and reduce the potential of a car accident. Keep children from being a distraction and try to keep them as happy as possible in the car.

Before you leave for your road trip

Drivers most likely do not have to worry about icy roads or snow drifts anymore, but drivers can take certain steps to make sure their trips are full of fun.

Check these important car components before hitting the road:

• Brakes
• Fluid levels
• Tires
• Wiper blades
• Lights

If all of these things are in order, your car may be ready for a road trip. It cannot hurt to go into a mechanic to make sure that everything is in working order. If the mechanic gives you the “OK”, then prepare the family for the trip.

Preparing your children for the road trip

suggests that children are a greater cause of distracted driving than cell phones. Try to avoid these common distracting acts that parents engage in:

• Turning around to look at a child in the back seat which accounts for 76 percent of the distracted driving that involves children
• Conversing with a child which accounts for 16 percent of the distracted driving that involves chidlren
• Grabbing food or drink for a child which accounts for 7 percent.

The study found that during a 16 minute car ride with a child, parents looked away from the road for a total of three minutes and 22 seconds. A lot can happen in that time, but there are steps parents can take to avoid being distracted by children.

Keep your eyes on the road

It might be tempting to look into the rearview window to see why a child is misbehaving, but this should be avoided no matter what is going on in the backseat. If you absolutely need to talk to a child who is misbehaving while you are driving, use the calmest voice you can possibly muster. This will ensure that your children and others on the road will be safe. If you are traveling with a spouse, you can rely on the spouse to put things in order. If that does not work, then it is best to pull over the car at a rest stop and sort things out. It is better to arrive late than to cause an accident.

How do I keep my kids happy so they do not distract me while driving?

Children are so full of energy that they can easily get bored and restless during car rides. Remember a few things to keep children entertained and to limit the amount of distractions that children can cause.

• Bring snacks. Whether it is just a short trip or a long one, plenty of snacks will keep children happy and entertained. Just make sure the snacks are not too messy.
• Plan your bathroom and eating breaks. It is best not to drive more than two or three hours at a time while traveling with younger children.
• Ensure that your children are comfortable. Dress your children in loose clothing, bring pillows, and socks if their feet get cold.
• Play their favorite music. Even if you hate it.
• Keep everything you need in a convenient place. Parents get distracted a lot because they have to reach for stuff and try to find things. If children know where things are, then that eliminates the need for a driving parent to go digging through bags.
• Pack electronics. DVD players and phones can keep children entertained for hours.
• Listen to audio books.

Have fun and stay safe

Road trips can be very fun, and a child will remember family road trips for the rest of their lives. Make sure that there are no road bumps in your road trip this summer by ensuring that your car is functioning properly and that you remain focused on the road. Keep your children happy during those long trips, and do not be afraid to stop frequently if need be. Remember, it is better to arrive somewhere late if that means you have to make a few extra stops.