Baby on Board: Driving Safety Tips For New Parents
Your baby is the absolute love of your life. You and your partner are excited to be parents for the first time. Driving is a scary notion, however, as you want to be as careful as possible while your baby is in the vehicle. You do not have to be fearful of getting from Point A to Point B in a car. Here are a few tips for new parents who navigate the roads while having their baby on board.
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Always Drive Sober
Statistics provided by the CDC show 1.8% of Californians admit to driving while intoxicated at some point in their lives. This percentage may seem insignificant when you consider the population of California. It only takes one drunk driver, however, to cut the life of an adult or child short.
You should always choose to drive sober. The average parent will not intentionally place their baby in danger by operating a vehicle after having too many drinks at the bar. Pharmaceutical medications, however, can have the same effect as alcoholic beverages in some instances.
As a rule of thumb, it is a good idea to stay away from anything that inhibits your ability to think clearly if you are planning to operate a vehicle. Such is especially true if you travel with your newborn baby.
Plan Your Trips
You would be surprised to learn about the number of fatal accidents that evolve from people who were driving on the road simply for the sake of doing so. Many of these individuals had second thoughts about taking a trip to the grocery store but, nevertheless, followed their sporadic impulse to go out at night and suffered the ultimate consequence.
It is important to plan your trips before setting out to explore the road. Such is true even if you want to take a road trip. Planning your rest stops as well as goal points can reduce the likelihood of driving while fatigued.
Properly Maintain Your Car
A recent survey found that about 77% of vehicles on the road were in need of repairs. Driving a well-maintained car may not appear to be a big deal at first glance. A blowout because of bad tires, however, places your family at greater risk of an accident. What if a commuter does not realize that your vehicle is stalled until it is too late.
Bad brakes also come with a high potential for danger. It only takes one instance of you being unable to fully stop to cause an accident that causes significant injury.
The best way to maintain your vehicle is to keep up with repair schedules. The dealership can provide an update on what may need to be replaced soon when you take your vehicle in for a routine oil change.
Eliminate Distractions
Your smartphone does not belong in your lap when you are driving. Moms and dads on the go often make the mistake of multi-tasking while driving. Consider waiting until it is safe to answer that text message. In some cases, pulling to the side of the road is the better option than attempting to text or call someone while you are driving.
Those with newer vehicles can take full advantage of Bluetooth capabilities. Most of these features will prevent you from making calls while driving, which further lowers your risk of creating unnecessary distractions on the road.
Make Sure You Know Your Options If You’re In An Accident
Accidents involving motor vehicles are the most likely to be successful for the plaintiff with a 61% success rate. You need to know your legal rights in the instance that you are in an accident that injures you or your baby. Contact a lawyer immediately if you have to take time off from work or have mounting medical bills because of a car accident that you did not cause.
Driving with your baby can seem intimidating at first, but with time and practice, you won’t give a second thought to driving with your child in the car. These tips are a few ways you can be a bit safer and feel more secure while driving with your baby.
