There are so many reckless drivers on the road; it’s terrifying how reckless some people can actually be. In fact, a lot of parents will even skip driving on holidays, weekends, or even Friday nights because this could potentially increase the risk of getting into a wreck. While yes, all of this is far from ideal, in reality, you just need to know that, in the end, you can’t control how other people are going to drive. 

With that said, however, you never want to compromise car safety when out on the road. So, what can you do? You can’t control other drivers, you can’t control the environment, you can only control what you do. Well, when it comes to all of this, it’s important to know that while you have next to no control over anyone, there are some small solutions here and that to take this on. So, here’s what you need to know. 

Be a Role Model

Alright, so you can’t control others and how they drive on the road. But if your child sees too many careless people, or even if you’re being careless, it’s going to eventually be ingrained that reckless driving is fine, anger behind the wheel is fine, and so on. So, you’re going to want to be a good role model about all of this. Children learn by observing their parents and caregivers. Set a positive example by practising safe driving habits. 

Obey speed limits, use your seatbelt, avoid distractions like texting or talking on the phone, and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When kids see you taking road safety seriously, they are more likely to adopt these habits when they start driving. In a way, you’re sort of taking some control of other drivers, well, drivers of the future, that is.  

Display Baby on Board Signs

Even if your child isn’t a baby, this is still going to be beneficial for you to try out. The main reason behind this is that people just tend to want to be cautious if they see that sign. In general, drivers immediately want to be careful the moment that they see that sign because they don’t want to put any children at harm whatsoever. In general, these signs can encourage other motorists to exercise caution and drive more responsibly around your car. While they’re not a guarantee of safety, they can serve as a gentle reminder to fellow drivers.

Put Toys Around the Back Window

This is actually for a fairly similar reason as the “baby on board” sign: it’s just to get people to be more cautious. Those signs are usually on the side of the window, so it’s usually just people driving next to them who are going to see it, not the people behind them.  Usually, just having some toys laid out and placing them on the back window (not 100% safe, so be sure it’s super small stuff) is going to give an indication to divers behind you that they’re going to need to slow down and not drive so close to you, because there’s the chance a child or baby is on board the car. 

Maintain a Distance

You’re going to have little to no control over others and how they drive; that even goes for the distance between your car and their car. When it comes to car insurance, this is one of the common questions that comes up anyway: How close both cars were to each other in the chance that a wreck happens? While toys and signs will sometimes get people to not drive as close to you, it’s still also on you to not drive as close to people. So it’s important to keep that in mind, too. Always leave enough distance between you and the driver ahead of you to avoid any accidents. 

Use Hazard Lights When Necessary

It usually depends on what area you’re in, and whether or not you’re allowed to use these while driving (sometimes only if you’re about to park on the side of the road). So, in situations where you need to pull over or make an unexpected stop (with or without your child being in the car), be sure to have your hazard lights on whenever it’s necessary. This will help them recognise the need for caution and provide you with a safer environment to attend to your child or vehicle issues.

Avoid Aggression

So, this ties into earlier; if you’re showing bad driving habits, your child will pick this up. But that’s not all; as terrifying as it is, surrounding drivers will catch on that you’re mad, especially if you’re driving closer to them, blaring your horn, screaming obscenities, and the same goes for your hands, too. You aren’t creating a safe environment when you do that; in fact, it’s the total opposite. While you can’t control the road rage of other drivers, you can at least control it for yourself. 

Consider Bumper Stickers

Another thing circling back from earlier was using things like toys in the back window and signs for the side of the window. These are two go-tos that most drivers will use when they have kids in the car, but it doesn’t need to be the only two. While it’s not as widely used, you could technically go for bumper stickers, too, such as ones that show a cartoon of your family or even one that states there’s a child on board. These don’t guarantee other drivers are going to be safe, but there’s always that chance it’s going to help. 

At the end of the day, you have literally no control over anyone else and how they drive. It’s not great, but it’s the truth, there’s simply no control. It’s terrifying, but you can only do so much to ensure your child’s safety, such as obeying all passenger laws, using the right car seats, ensuring the seat belts are good, being careful on certain roads, and maybe avoiding driving during certain times of the day. But overall, you don’t have that much control, you can only control your choices and your actions, and for the most part, this is plenty to keep your child safe when you’re on board.