Car journeys and kids aren’t always a great combination, arguments in the back seat and the inevitable cries of ‘are we there yet?’ are enough to send even the most even-tempered parents over the edge. With that in mind, when it comes to choosing your family’s new set of wheels anything that makes life on the road less stressful is gratefully received.
Driving a car that perfectly suits the needs of your family can help make journeys a lot easier. Family-friendly extras can help make every trip you make in the car simpler, whether it’s the craziness of the morning school run or a dreaded long distance drive with the kids.
By considering the below points, you’ll have a family-friendly versatile family automobile. These not only will help you now whilst the kids are smaller but will be able to support and still offer a practice way of travel as they grow. It will also, offer a safe and reliable car if in the future they ever need to apply for a Hardship License Eligibility Check.
So, you’ve decided that you need a new car in your life, you’re ready to get cash and make your purchase, but what family-friendly features do you need?
Rear Mirror
Keep an eye on the kids without taking your eyes off the road by choosing a car which features a rear mirror. In addition to the usual rear-view mirror, some family-friendly vehicles have an extra rear mirror, which is in the perfect position for keeping a watchful eye over back seat passengers. Rear mirrors offer a great way to check on the kids without the need for turning around to look into the back.
Elevated Height
There’s a good reason that you see so many SUVs on the road nowadays, and that’s because they’re ideal for busy modern families. One of the main features of SUVs is their elevated position. The higher seating makes it easier to strap even the most uncooperative of toddlers into their child seat. The elevated height of SUVs is also handy for loading shopping and buggies to and from the car with ease.
Boot Space
If there’s one thing, you can never have enough of in a family car its boot space. Kids come with a LOT of stuff, and choosing a vehicle that can accommodate numerous buggies, school bags and scooters is always a good idea, especially if your family is growing.
Retractable Sun Shades
Retractable sun shades are a handy addition to your family vehicle and make keeping the sun out of your little one’s eyes much simpler. A built-in retractable sun shade also means that on hot summer days you can help to keep the car cooler inside when parked up by simply pulling the shades down.
Tablet Holders and Lap Trays
Tablet holders and lap trays are useful additions to the rear of your vehicle. These handy accessories are located on the back of the front seats and are perfect for keeping kids entertained, particularly on long car journeys when I-Spy simply isn’t cutting it. The tablet holder’s position makes it ideal for kids to watch their favorite shows on the go. Meanwhile, rear seat lap table trays fold down from the rear of the front seats and are great for kids to use to pass the time coloring and games en route to your destination.