We all know that staying alert is critical on long car trips but sometimes that’s easier said than done.

The driver needs to take breaks, walk around have a snack, if he or she is the only driver.  If there is a second driver, then they can switch on and off, giving each other a rest break.

Don’t start the car until everyone’s seat belt is fastened. Stop the car if a child undoes his seat belt or if children are distracting the driver by yelling or arguing.

Never leave children alone in a parked car, even one that is locked.

Keep a spare key in your purse or wallet – if your car doesn’t have remote locking, it can be easy to lock the keys in the car.

Remove everything from the dashboard and the back parcel ledge – even small things can fly off and injure your children if you have to stop suddenly.

Traveling at night so your children can sleep isn’t always a good idea, as it isn’t safe to let them lie down on the car seats without seat belts.

Make sure the sun doesn’t shine directly on babies or young children in the car. You can hang a piece of cloth from the closed window to provide shade, or buy sunshades to fit your car’s windows.

Try not to have too many things that children need to share. Sharing is hard at the best of times, and when children are tired it can be testing! Have a pillow and a blanket each, rather than one to share.

Sit in the back with your children for some of the time, if there’s room. This makes the trip much more enjoyable for them.

Be prepared for stops if a child feels sick or needs to go to the toilet. They usually can’t ‘hang on’ until the next town.

Source: Child and Youth Health