Top tips for travelling with tiny tots

Jeff Osborne, Head of Automotive for Gumtree SA, says choosing a car seat should be prioritised above any other purchase:“Research indicates that a correctly fitted, safe car seat reduces the chances of your baby dying in an accident by as much as 70%. For a toddler that number is just over 50%.”

Osborne adds that it’s also important to make sure your baby’s car seat is properly sized and installed. He recommends getting a car with an ISOFIX baby seat mount embedded in the rear seat bench.

Once the car seat is sorted out, Jeff has eight other tips for a safe and enjoyable journey with your small kids.

1. Keep your child busy on the road so they do not distract you from driving. Pack in a few soft toys they could play with while on the road.
2. Drive when your child is most likely to take a nap so they sleep during most of the journey.
3. Install a baby mirror and mount it under the existing rearview mirror or on your sun visor and angle it so you can keep an eye on the backseat.
4. Never leave home without essential medication – permanently keep an emergency pack in the boot of your car.
5. Keep a mobile phone on hand that has essential numbers on speed dial.
6. Don’t feed your baby while the car is in motion, rather pull over at a rest stop with proper facilities.
7. Keep the atmosphere in the car calm and tranquil, with soft voices and music. Agitation and tension from other passengers and loud music can quickly boil over into a stressful situation.
8. Fill up before your go – your car and your belly. A full tank will allow you to keep going for longer and a full belly keeps you from making too many stops along the way.