Road tripping with kids

Posted on 14 April 2016

Driving with kids adds a whole new dimension to your holiday. We ask the experts for safe travelling tips.

While the soundtrack to your road trip is more likely to be ‘Barney’s Greatest Hits’ than Beyonce’s, there’s nothing quite like a family holiday. But if you’re hitting the road with small kids over the school holidays, it’s best to be fully prepared for potential safety hazards. Here’s what you need to know:

Safety first
Dr Martin Bailey, a supporting paediatrician for Mediclinic Constantiaberg, stresses the importance of keeping kids strapped in. ‘Strapping your children in is vital and equally important is using the appropriate chair or seatbelt for your child’s age. For example, infants up to the size of 10kg should be in back facing car seats,’ he says. ‘For babies, make sure the car seat has head support so their heads don’t wobble,’ adds Dr Melissa Mouton, a paediatrician at Mediclinic Cape Gate.

‘Once they get older, kids can be in appropriate front-facing booster seats or car seats,’ continues Dr Bailey. ‘Never put car seats or small children in the front seat of the car. Aside from ensuring your kids’ safety, it’s essential to instill car discipline so you as the driver are not distracted by your children.’

If you’re driving alone with your children, it’s even easier to become distracted so be prepared for this. ‘Turning around in the car is unsafe when you’re driving, so rather pull over to the side of the road and stop,’ suggests Dr Mouton. Never give kids small toys or sweets when you can’t keep an eye on them as these are choking hazards.

Taking breaks on long car journeys every few hours is also essential, both for the driver and for the little ones. Having kids on board may mean more regular breaks so they can stretch their legs and break the monotony. The regularity of stops depends on your children’s tolerance levels as well as the need for nappy changes, bathroom breaks and snacks or drinks. Dr Mouton suggests stopping every two hours or so.

Ensuring your kids’ drink enough during the journey is also essential. ‘In terms of hydration, a child’s fluid requirements in a day is usually around 1 to 1,5 litres per day,’ says Dr Bailey.

Be prepared
Planning entertainment is advisable on long journeys to keep kids calm and occupied, says Dr Mouton. Let your them watch a movie or play games on your tablet. ‘To pass the time, have some games and activities ready to play in the car as a family, even if it’s just spotting car colours,’ suggests Dr Bailey.

Stock up on appropriate medicine too. ‘Some children are more prone to car sickness and some get car sick regardless of what you do to avoid it,’ he says. ‘For car travel it often helps to take something like Stugeron [only indicated for kids over the age of five] or anti-nausea medication.’ Take a selection of basic medication with you wherever you go, adds Dr Mouton. ‘Bring something for fever like Panado, take anti-diarrhea medicine, probiotics for gastro and vomiting, and so on.’