Did you know that around 5,000 children are either seriously injured or killed in car accidents in the UK each year?

It’s sobering stuff – and makes safety while travelling with a baby on board even more important.

driving with a baby

When it comes to kids and cars we all want to make car journeys as safe and as stress-free as possible – for us and our children.

Of course, we can’t control the actions of other drivers (if you have been involved in an accident, see this website) but we can follow a few golden rules to help ensure everyone has a safe trip. So, if you’ve got a newborn baby like us in this collaborative post here are six car safety tips for driving with a baby on board.

6 car safety tips for driving with a baby on board

1. Remember babies cry – a lot

Which can be a problem when driving. Babies can’t speak so when they want something, they cry. When planning your journey allow plenty of time for stops to feed/change/wind/soothe your baby, and that way you won’t arrive late or feeling stressed.

driving with a baby

2. Avoid long trips if you can

Many car seat manufacturers recommend that babies don’t spend more than two hours in a baby car seat at a time. Which is easier said than done if you have family who live miles away. The tip here is to avoid long trips if you can, and always pull over if your child doesn’t stop crying within a few seconds, as opposed to leaving them to cry or diverting your attention from the road to lean over and try to fix the issue with one hand.

driving with a baby

3. Try to plan your journey between feeds & meal times

If you can travel between their feeds and meal times then you’re less likely to have to stop to deal with wind and dirty nappies. And if you can travel during their usual nap time, even better.

driving with a baby

4. Take regular breaks

That way they won’t stay in their car seat for too long, and you can have a break from driving to recharge your batteries.

driving with a baby

5. Keep their window up

Ever held a hair dryer in front of your face and noticed it’s difficult to breathe? If you’re a newborn baby, with all the lung power of a 100-year-old heavy smoker carrying heavy shopping, an open window on fast roads has the potential to cause breathing issues so remember to keep their window firmly up.

6 car safety tips for driving with a baby on board 3

6. Drive at night

By driving at night the chances are your baby will spend more time sleeping and less time crying and needing attention, meaning you can get from A to B as quickly and safely as possible.

driving with a baby

Are you currently driving with a baby on board and do you have any top tips? I’d love to know what they are!

This is a collaborative post.

If you liked this you may also enjoy reading:

5 easy ways to cut the cost of car insurance

5 easy ways to unlock your car without your keys

5 simple car safety checks all parents should know