Driving with Family and Friends

7 Strategies for Driving with Family and Friends

Everyone wants to enjoy a drive with family and friends. How you enjoy it depends on several factors such as:

  • Who is in the car?
  • How long is the trip?
  • Where is the trip taking you?

Safety professionals and parent bloggers have offered advice to parents who drive with their kids. They know that distracted driving claims thousands of lives annually.

In 2019, 3,142 individuals lost their lives in distracted driving accidents. Common causes include talking with passengers, texting, and adjusting the navigation system.

Plenty of advice exists for keeping kids entertained. However, how do you handle the adults in the car?

Sometimes you can apply the strategies you use to keep kids entertained during a drive to adults too. For example, consider assigning everyone in the car roles.

The following are seven strategies for driving with family and friends.

1. Set Ground Rules

Professionals encourage parents to set expectations with their children before walking into a situation.

No parent wants their child to throw a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store or your favorite retailer. Often they do this when parents say “no” to something.

Children deserve more credit. They start apprehending things before the toddler stage. If a trip to the store will not net them a toy, parents must set expectations. Thus, the child is far less likely to throw a tantrum or not ask for a toy at all during that trip.

When driving with family and friends, set the ground rules after everyone settles into their seat and before starting the car.

Some ground rules to consider are:

  • No drug consumption
  • No smoking
  • Keep the music at a reasonable level
  • No alcohol consumption
  • No hanging out the windows

Your goal is to ensure that everyone arrives at the destination safely. If you become involved in a vehicle collision, a car accident attorney from JT Legal Group is at your disposal.

2. Keep Them Busy

Sometimes adults don’t differ too much from children. To keep things peaceful, figure out how to keep everyone busy.

Handing a child an electronic device so that they can watch their favorite movie or TV show tends to work well. You might consider the same for the adults in the car.

Most adults own a smartphone or tablet. Therefore, they can stay busy reading a digital book, watching a movie, or listening to a podcast.

It’s OK to let them nap in the car too.

3. Assign Roles

If your passengers have trouble finding something to keep them busy during the ride, assign them roles.

On a long trip, someone can act as the navigator. Another passenger can become the vehicle’s DJ.

You also need someone to keep track of time. After all, everyone needs to eat. Thus, they can let the driver know when it’s time for a rest stop.

4. Know the Route Beforehand

In 2022, it’s easier to get around. If you plan to attend a concert, go for a hike, or visit a museum for the first time, you can find it easily. Simply look it up on a map app.

Nonetheless, before pulling out of the driveway, know the route. Having an idea of where you are heading is preferable to guessing along the way.

Exploring is fun. However, keep the safety of your passengers and yours in mind too.

5. Pick Your Passengers

When you drive the car, you can pick your passengers. Whether or not people can change is still up for debate.

If someone tends to get out of hand, it puts all passengers at risk.

Try having a conversation with questionable passengers before the trip. Otherwise, suggest adding a second car to the trip.

6. Maintain a Positive Attitude

Researchers have found that driving has therapeutic effects. When you add friends and family, it changes things a bit.

While driving, keep a positive attitude. In most cases, family and friends respect the driver. They know what it takes to drive a vehicle.

7. Take Breaks

For long trips, professionals recommend stopping once every 100 miles. Taking breaks allows everyone to stretch their legs and let go of any cabin fever they might experience.

You can fill up the gas tank and grab something to eat.

It’s also an opportunity to change drivers.

Conclusion

Most people enjoy going on long drives with family and friends. If you prepare the route beforehand and set expectations, everyone can arrive safely and in a reasonable amount of time.

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