A safer and more enjoyable journey

For parents, the stress of making all the arrangements, packing the car, getting the kids out the door and, hopefully, getting ahead of the traffic, means that many are exhausted even before they start the car.

To ensure that South Africans make the most of their journey from start to finish, the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) compiled a list of tips that will not only ensure you leave the house feeling more prepared and relaxed, but will also make the journey safer and more enjoyable for you and your children.

Before the trip:

• Plan the length of your trip. Be honest about what you and your children can handle in the way of a road trip.
  While older children might be able to deal with 10 or more hours in the car, babies and toddlers can’t.

• Children are prone to car or motion sickness so be prepared for this.
  Consult your doctor or pharmacist ahead of time and get the right medication according to their age and weight.

• To avoid frustration, confusion and last minute run-around on departure day, start packing a few days before you leave.
  Discuss with your children what they want to take with and if they are old enough, let them pack their own bags, with some guidance of course.

• Get your car packed and ready the night before if you are planning to leave early in the morning.
  This includes getting snacks, drinks, a spare set of clothing, a first aid kit as well as other essentials prepared.
  Toys, books and tablets to keep your child occupied should be easily accessible.

•  Make sure your home is secured and you have made the necessary security arrangements, including having someone collect your mail and suspending your newspaper delivery while you are away.

Keeping your precious cargo safe:

•  Ensure everyone in the car is safely secured. South African law requires that all vehicle passengers should wear a seatbelt at all times, and the onus is on the driver to ensure it happens.
  A baby should be in an approved and preferably rear-facing child seat.
  Older children (15-25kgs) should be secured in a booster seat with a seatbelt on, preferably in the rear of the vehicle.

• Make sure your baby is not exposed to direct sunlight for long periods while in the vehicle – block the sun with a shade screen.

• Never leave your baby or pets, unattended in a vehicle — temperatures can easily reach more than 40C within a very short period of time (especially in a closed vehicle), and this can cause heat exhaustion and even prove fatal.

• The trip home after the holiday is always the least enjoyable part.
  Ensure you do not rush home, as this will put you and your family at risk.
  To keep safe all the way home, rather treat the trip home as part of your holiday, keep your speed down and enjoy the scenery.

• For peace of mind, keep your AA Membership card and AA Emergency Call Centre number (0861 000 234) close at hand.

Keeping boredom at bay:

• Take regular breaks. Stop every one and a half to two hours, or every 200km, to give yourself a break and also give children an opportunity to run around and burn off energy.
• A great way to avoid the inevitable question “Are we there yet?” – is to give children a map, or let them create their own before you leave.
  You can trace the route together and point out interesting landmarks so that they will have a sense of where they are going.
• Games, tablets and portable gaming consoles are a great way to keep children occupied and entertained on long trips.
  Use these along with sing-along-songs and CD stories to keep children entertained and create family traditions along the way.

Of all the above, the most important tip is to keep your sense of humour and wits about you.

A long trip need not be stressful and can be a great opportunity for the whole family to reconnect and talk about plans for the upcoming holiday.

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