All parents want to know ways to keep their most precious cargo safe while traveling by car. But how do those with children make sense of all the car seat safety suggestions and laws out there?

 Know the law and do your homework to see what other recommendations apply to your family before you take your tots for a spin. Specific car laws designed for child safety vary from state to state. You can visit www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html for your state’s individual requirements; however, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are two laws that apply to most of the country:

1. All 50 states require some kind of child safety seat for infants and children. Check your state for specific laws and criteria.
2. All states except Arizona, Florida and South Dakota require booster seats or other form of safety seat for children who outgrow car seats but are too small to safely use adult seat belts.

 While these two child safety seat laws are by no means comprehensive, it gives parents and caregivers a good start when it comes to car and child safety. The NHTSA also offers suggestions on other ways to keep your children safe while traveling by car. These may not be laws, but are important tips to follow to keep your kids safe in the backseat.

• Choose a car seat that corresponds to your child’s age, height and weight.
• Keep your child in his or her car seat for as long as is recommended.
• Register your car seat so that you receive notifications of recalls or defects.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on proper car seat installation. If you’re not sure you’ve properly installed it, find your nearest car seat inspector location by visiting www.nhtsa.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm.
• Ensure children under 13 years old sit only in the backseat of the vehicle.

 Keeping your kids safe is no doubt your top priority. Understanding the car laws about child safety seats and following these five tips are a great way to help better protect your littlest passengers. Another way to keep your entire family safe on the road is to request an online auto insurance quote; this ensures you have the right insurance coverage for you and all the little ones in your safekeeping.

Fall is busy for my family and this fall has been busier with my speaking engagements and travel schedule.  But, for all the places I’ve been- and am going- I have not set foot on an airplane.  My family no longer blinks at undertaking a 15 hour drive to a destination and, depending on how much time we have, would probably do longer in the blink of an eye.  These days it’s not the question of whether you can find a cheap flight, but how much of a hassle it is to fly when traveling with kids.

Driving vs. Flying

The Hassle Factor

We’ll be heading to Dallas for a wedding soon.  It’s a 12 hour drive if done straight through.  With the girls we add at least 1 1/2 hours to that time for bathroom breaks, quirky roadside attractions and dawdling.  But even the time and long day feels like less hassle than arriving at the airport early, the discussion with TSA about why I don’t want to put my kids through the scanner, dealing with the pat downs, waiting for the flight, waiting on a layover and finally reaching our destination.  It’s just draining.

Nicole of Arrows Sent Forth said it best:

If we can fly direct and I can get a somewhat reasonable rate, then we fly. If we can’t fly direct, then when you factor in the layover, arriving in advance, etc., then it often makes more timing AND economical sense for us to drive.

Of course it helps if you live near a major hub where more flights are direct and cost less.

The Cost Factor

For smaller families of 3 or 4 flying can often be more economical when you factor in time and costs (if you don’t need a rental car).  But for large families like Linda at Minnemom and Jessica at Suitcases and Sippy Cups driving is always the money friendly move.  Says Linda:

If anywhere is drivable in a long day’s time (up to 15 hours), we’d definitely drive. Longer drives we’d strongly consider unless time was really tight for the trip as a whole.

Jessica adds,

…driving gives the flexibility of being able to see more on the way or extend the trip to the surrounding area once you arrive.

Our personal rule of thumb is this:

If flight cost (+ baggage fees)  is > cost of gas + food + lodging + extra travel time at Doug’s pay rate then we drive.

If flight cost (+ baggage fees) is  ≤ cost of gas + food + lodging + extra travel time at Doug’s pay rate then we fly.

One thing to keep in mind if your airport isn’t a major hub- fewer flights going in and out of smaller airports mean full aircraft.  If your connecting flight is canceled or delayed it can add an unexpected day onto your travels.  I always recommend having a “recuperation” day at the end of every vacation- just in case.

Don’t Forget to Factor in the Food

An additional cost of flying is food.  Anyone who has ever eaten in an airport knows that it adds up quickly.  Factor in your family and you could have had a 5 star meal for two with the same money it took to feed your family fast food.  When driving you can take so much along.  Snacks, drinks, sandwiches…  And added bonus- you tend to eat healthier when you tote your snacks along!

Those Quirky Roadside Attractions

While flying is almost always faster there are some incredible things to see on the ground if you take the time to ferret them out before heading off on your road trip.  On our upcoming trip to Texas, for example, we’ll be taking a few breaks in Oklahoma to visit the town of Hugo, a “winter circus town” with an elephant refuge and “Showman’s Rest” a circus performers’ cemetery.   In north-eastern Oklahoma we’ll make a quick detour and hop on Route 66 to the town of Claremore to visit the ‘Big Blue Whale’ and the Nut House.

I’ve yet to pass through a state that doesn’t boast some unique roadside stop.  The best way to find them?  Ask.  Contact the state tourism board, tell them you’ll be passing through and mention that you would love recommendations on things to see.  They will be thrilled to share their state with you!

The Safety Factor

Though many people don’t think twice about climbing into their car, nearly 40% of people have a fear of flying.  As David Robert Hogg of My Little Nomads pointed out:

A study of post 9/11 traffic and highway fatalities found that there were an additional 2100 deaths due to the fact that many people chose (or were forced) to drive long distances instead of fly. Flying is so much safer than driving that your biggest risk associated with flying is the drive to and from the airport.

It’s difficult to argue with hard numbers.  So why do people feel more secure on a drive?  It’s all about control.  You know and trust the person behind the wheel.  You know they would do anything to keep you safe.  In our case I know my husband has also been trained by the Army not to flinch in the face of an oncoming accident (or even a roadside bomb).  If the Army trusted him to drive their most important Generals I trust him to drive my precious cargo.  You just don’t have that connection with your flight crew- even though they have likely been through training that would terrify most of us.

Must Haves for Long Drives

Funnily enough, my girls do better on long drives than short.  I think we prepare them more for their time in the van if we’re driving for more than a couple hours.  We never leave home without a few key things:

• snacks (string cheese, grapes, peanut butter pretzels, crackers, water, individual mixers for water, chocolate, fruit leather, nuts)
• simple meals (bagels, sandwiches, shelf stable milk, chips, fruit)
• road trip bingo (the kids love it!)
• activity bags (filled with notepads, activity books, dry erase board, pens, markers, crayons)
• tablets (we found very cheap Android tablets on ebay and bought my girls each one.  These have Kindle apps for reading, music and movies on the- as well as a few games.  I have an Acer that I adore.
• my DroidX uploaded with new podcasts, power cords and adapters

Is the Family Road Trip Making a Comeback?

I would love to hear your thoughts?  In the case of my family I have to say yes.  What about your family?  How do you decide whether to fly or drive?  And what are your must have’s for long drives?

 

Disclosure:  The information in this post is my own, though the article does contain sponsored content.

My family spends a lot of time in our van.  It’s a 2005 Grand Caravan with over 125,000 miles.  Odds are good that something will go wrong whenever we pull out of the garage.

Be Prepared for Breakdowns and Accidents During Road Trips

Because we travel year round and many of our destinations are quite rural we make sure these items travel with us in case of break down:

• Blankets.We may pack lighter blankets for summer, and heavier blankets for winter, but we always travel with at least 2 blankets.  Whether we use them to keep warm or just to sit on at the side of the road, they are very handy to keep in the car.
• Flashlights. So many accidents happen at dusk or in the dark (especially animal accidents here in the Midwest).  We usually have 2 flashlights; one a waterproof shake-powered model, the other has a long cord and plugs into the car charger.
• Water. This is really a no brainer, but very few people actually think to bring along bottles of water when they travel.
• Good snacks.The definition of good here is filling snacks that won’t go bad.  Dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter and crackers.  You never know how long you may wait for help.
• Charging cords.  You cell phone won’t do you any good if it’s dead; be sure to have a charging cord in your vehicle.
• Flares. Many stretches of highway are dark, a few flares will help you be seen.  Flares also tell motorists you are having trouble; they may stop to offer help or radio for help (if there is no cell service).
• First Aid Kit. Even if it’s only a few bandages and cleansing wipes you should always have a first aid kit in your car.
• Fun activities for the kids. Nothing takes longer to arrive than a tow truck.  Make sure you have amusing activities for the kids.  Sure, you’ll hear “I’m bored.  When will the tow truck get here?”, but maybe a bit less if you have something for the kids to do.

Roadside Assistance Brings Peace of Mind

We also have roadside assistance coverage.  Even if you don’t use it the peace of mind it provides just in case is priceless.  Because you never know when a semi will break the window of your van.

I’ve heard so many stories from people who wish they had been covered before an accident happened.  They had put if off because it was ” just too expensive” or they “never really go far” or they “just never use” the coverage they had, so they cancel it.  And when an accident happens they aren’t prepared.

Allstate just launched their Good Hands Roadside Service which allows peace of mind- even if you don’t register for it before your trip.  This service is open to anyone, you don’t have to be an Allstate customer to use it.  With the Good Hands Roadside Service you pay only when you use the service and there are no annual fees.

While you don’t have to pre-register to use the service, there are a couple of advantages of doing so.

• You can have up to 5 users on each account, making this great for multi-car families and giving parents of young drives added peace of mind.
• Add payment information via credit or debit card and the charges will automatically go to that card.

Sign up for Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance on Family Rambling

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Allstate Good Hands Roadside Service, who wishes you safe travels.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.