The Ultimate Guide to Driving with Babies and Young Children

Roadtrips make for a great holiday. They offer excitement and bonding for the whole family. However, travelling with babies and young children in the car can be a stressful experience, particularly for new parents. But by taking the right steps and using the correct equipment, you can transport yourself and the whole family in comfort and safety.

Whether you’re travelling with a new-born or in need of entertainment ideas for toddlers, we’ve put together this guide to help you transport everyone without any headaches.

Safety Advice for Driving with Babies and Young Children

First of all, let’s talk about safety. We know this is every parent’s first priority, so here are our top safety tips:

Invest in a suitable baby or child seat

Baby and child seats are a legal requirement in the UK, so you probably already have one. But if you don’t make sure you invest in the correct type of child seat for your baby. The seat should be suitable for their weight and must have an ‘E’ label showing it has been approved by the EU.

Don’t Overload

Be careful not to overload your car, as this could compromise the safety and comfort of you and your family. Overloading your car could even land you in trouble with the law.

As well as obstructing your rear windscreen view, exceeding the weight limit of your car can attract a fine of up to £300 and three penalty points. Additionally, if you are involved in an accident while your car is loaded beyond its maximum limit, this can also invalidate your car insurance. Always pack sensibly.

Check your car

If you need a garage to help you ensure your car is roadworthy for your roadtrip, ask MyCarNeedsA.com for a Vehicle Health Check. All you have to do is enter your car’s registration, tell us what your car needs and trusted garages in your area will quote for your work.

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Getting Prepared for Your Roadtrip

As with anything stressful, planning is key. You can remove the hassle from travelling with your baby or toddler in tow with some a bit of organisation.

What to pack when driving with babies and toddlers

There are certain things you’ll need to take when heading out in the car with your little ones, even on short trips! Here’s a list of item we recommend you carry on every journey with babies and toddlers:

• Nappies and nappy bag
• Baby wipes
• Nappy changing pads
• Blankets for extra warmth in the car
• A couple of plastic bags for rubbish
• Antibacterial hand gel
• Snacks, formula and drinks
• Sun cream
• Toys

Planning your drive

No matter how long or short your journey, you need to think about the needs of your baby or toddler. You’ll need to stop more often when travelling with babies and young children.

Make sure your route has plenty of roadside stops for feeding and nappy changes. It’s also a good idea to let your child stretch their legs frequently after being stuck in their car seat for a period of time. One tip to consider is to travelling night so you don’t disturb your baby’s sleep pattern, but this is up to you.

Travelling with a sat nav can be very helpful, so that you can quickly plan an alternate route if you get stuck in traffic. We’re pretty sure you don’t want a four-hour jam with a screaming baby on board.

Other tips

• Invest in a DIY car care kit - From punctures to starting problems, DIY car care kits are designed to solve your problems quickly, helping you to get back on the road safely.
• Buy a large baby car mirror - When your baby is strapped into a rear-facing carrier, it’s nearly impossible to see them from the front seats. For your peace of mind, buy a baby mirror that attaches to the rear seat headrest, allowing you to keep an eye from the driving seat.
• Provide musical distraction - Music is a great distractor when travelling with toddlers, so have a child-friendly Spotify playlist to hand.

• Dress your child in something breathable - Bundling your baby up could make them more uncomfortable and could hamper the safety of the car seat. Instead, it’s better to dress them in light breathable clothing and adjust the car’s temperature from the front.

• Keep toys in the front - As we’re sure you know, babies and toddlers have short attention span so will happily discard their favourite toy after just minutes. To avoid constantly reaching into the back to pick toys up off the floor, it’s best to keep a stack in the front to produce periodically.

Now that you know what to pack and how to plan out your journey, you should have a much calmer experience. If you still need some more ideas on how to keep the kids occupied, have a read of our blog ‘8 ways to entertain kids in the car’.

Make sure your car is roadworthy before setting off with MyCarNeedsA.com. Book a Vehicle Health Check today!

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Happy roadtripping!