Did that headline catch your attention? It’s an interesting consideration which many family drivers can forget about. But no matter what else kids are doing during a journey – from reading a book to playing online games – they are also, both consciously and sub-consciously, paying attention to the driving behaviours of their parents.
So, here are a few questions to consider about yourself as you drive your family around…
Do you avoid using your cell phone when driving? If not, it surely becomes harder to tell your kids not to use theirs at certain times e.g. mealtimes, or when out walking along a roadside and full attention to the traffic is needed.
Do you stick to the speed limit? Deciding that certain laws or rules can be flouted when you’re behind the wheel makes it more difficult to encourage kids to respect any rules you want to set!
Do you avoid any aggressive driving behaviours, such as tailgating or chancing a drive through that about to turn red light? If you drive carefully, defensively and quietly, it also becomes easier for your kids to feel more relaxed – especially any who are not great car travellers.
Do you keep yourself as safe as your kids? Insisting that youngsters buckle up their seat-belts (or use child-friendly seats) and then neglecting to do the same yourself, sends a ‘Do what I say not what I do’ type of message.
Do you keep calm throughout the journey? Some otherwise placid people seem to change into screaming dervishes whenever they get behind a wheel and find other drivers don’t behave as perfectly as they believe they should. This quickly sets children on edge – and not just when inside the car.
Handling a ‘not at fault’ car accident
This happens to even the best of drivers; again calm reactions help any youngsters to avoid that feeling of panic. If everyone is okay, but you know your car is headed for the repair shop, then keep our number at hand: 1800699034. Under Australian law, if you are the innocent party, then you are entitled to a courtesy replacement car, and the guilty party’s insurance company should meet the cost of this.
So, if this should happen to you, make sure you call our experienced Not My Fault team just as soon as you can…
