Top 10 Safety Tips for Driving with Kids

Driving the kids around town to lessons and play dates? Check out these tips and always put safety first! If you have driving-with-kids safety tips that work for you, tell us by posting a comment.

1. Never, ever leave an infant, toddler, or child alone in a car—not for any reason (in some states, it’s illegal!).

2. Safety seats. If using your car to drive the kids, make sure the parents provide child safety seats. Do not drive children in a car without child safety seats.

3. Seats stay put. Child safety seats should stay put—don’t switch them out from car to car each day. Some parents will happily purchase a set of safety seats for you to leave in your car.

4. Parents install seats. If you must take the safety seats in and out of your car, make sure the parents are satisfied with how they are being installed each time, or ask the parents to do it.

5. Which seat for which kid? Child safety seats must be age and weight appropriate and be properly secured.

• Infants: rear-facing until 1 year old and 20 pounds.
• Toddler: forward-facing until 40 pounds.
• Kids: booster seat for kids over 40 pounds until approximately 8 years old.

6. NEVER put put a child under the age of 12 in the front seat. They can be seriously injured by the airbag.

7. Insurance. If you are driving your employer’s car, ask if their insurance covers you as a driver. If it doesn’t, ask them to add you as a driver on their policy. If you are driving your own car, check your policy about accident coverage.

8. Too hot too handle? If you’re driving in hot, sunny weather, ask the parents to provide car window shades to prevent major sunburns—especially for infants and toddlers.

9. No phone, no food. Don’t add more distractions such as your cell phone or snacks when driving the kids around—the kids, road signs, traffic lights, and other drivers are more than enough to deal with.

10. Close to home.  It's still true that most accidents happen close to home.  Stay alert when you're in your neighborhood and remember the drive isn't over until you're safely parked.