Top Tips For Keeping Your Family Safe When Driving

When you’re out on a short drive to drop your kids off at school or on a long journey to visit an attraction, friends or family, as a responsible parent, you want to do everything you can to ensure your safety and your family.

The Department of Transport reported that in 2019 there were 39 fatalities on UK roads in children aged 15 or under – so it’s critical to do whatever you can to keep your family safe when on the road.

We have listed some top tips to help keep you and your family safe when travelling in your vehicle.

Don't leave a child unattended in a vehicle

Whether to leave a child alone in a vehicle, even if it’s just for a few minutes to go and pay for some petrol or shopping, or to drop something off is a contentious issue that splits the opinion of lots of parents.

While there is no specific law against leaving your child unattended in a car and there is no legal age for leaving your child alone, if it places them at risk, you face prosecution – although the phrase “at risk” is open to interpretation. Some parents have been prosecuted when they and the police have had differing views of what it means.

The Government advises parents to judge the risk based on the situation and their own child’s maturity. The NSPCC advises that babies, toddlers and young children should never be left alone, while children under 12 are also deemed not mature enough to be left alone for a long time. 

The NSPCC says that when left alone in a vehicle, a child can quickly become distressed and anxious.

However, each child is different, and every parent needs to make their own decision based on the situation and the level of their child’s maturity.

We have listed some of the things you should consider before making any such decision:

• How long you’ll be away from the vehicle – popping in to pay for petrol is vastly different to leaving your child to go and do the family shop
• The age of your child – older children might sit happily alone in a car while younger ones might become more distressed and possibly try to leave the vehicle to come looking for you
• Can you see your vehicle or not? If you can keep an eye on your car, you might be able to see if your child is upset or not
• Where is the car parked? Is it parked safely and not exposed to potential impacts from other vehicles?
• What’s the temperature? Is it particularly cold or hot? During hot periods the temperature inside a stationary vehicle can soar by 10 degrees in only 10 minutes, which can reach dangerous levels
• Would your child be likely to get out of their seat and inadvertently press any controls which could cause the car to move?

Car Seats

Follow the Law

Correctly fitting the child restraints and a car seat is vital for keeping your baby safe on car journeys. 

UK law stipulates that all children under the age of 12 years old or 135cm (4ft 5 inches tall) – whichever comes first – has to use the correct child restraints. 

Please refer to our detailed guide on Child Car Seats for more information.

Remove coats and blankets

When placing your child in a car seat with a jacket or blanket on, the coat or blanket’s thickness can prevent you from tightening the car seat’s harness close to your child’s upper body.

In the unfortunate event of a road collision where your child is pushed out of the seat and into the harness, the forces can be so strong that the air in the coat is released. This can result in your child having too much space for movement and not being secured tightly enough.

If you need to use a blanket to help keep your child warm, lay it across them once they have been safely strapped in and ensure it’s not between the child and the harness straps.

Don’t remove your child from the car seat while the vehicle is moving

It might seem like an obvious statement, but it can be tempting for a parent sitting in the back to remove their baby from their car seat and comfort them for a few minutes if they are crying and distressed.

Needless to say, it’s just too dangerous, and the driver should pull over first and come to a stop in a safe place before you remove your child from the car seat.

Seat Belts

Seat belts are designed to only fit around one person and must never be used to strap around an adult and a child – bucking two people with one seat belt could injure both occupants in the event of a collision.

Unlike a few decades ago when it might have been deemed ok to carry a child on a lap, it’s against the law now.

Please refer to our detailed guide on Seat Belt laws for more information.

Further tips for keeping your family safe in a car:

• Praise your child for keeping their seat belt on and leaving the car’s locks and windows alone
• Teach your child not to disturb the driver by kicking the driver’s seat or by shouting as the distraction could lead to an accident
• If your child is sick or upset and it’s causing a distraction, the driver should pull over into a safe place
• Ensure your child keeps their limbs and head inside the car while its moving or parked up on a road
• Keep snacks and drinks in your car in the event of an emergency or to keep hydrated during hot weather

Please visit our ‘Top 10 Winter Kit Items For Your Car’ for more ideas on what items are good to keep in your car if you breakdown during the winter months