As soon as you have little ones, the days of driving a small, compact, high-speed vehicle are over. After all, you have your children’s health and safety to think about. You also have to ensure that getting them into the car and through a journey is as quick and comfortable as possible. So, what should you really look out for when considering a new vehicle for you and your family? Here’s a checklist of things to check out before putting down a deposit or signing up to a finance plan.
Road Safety
Safety first! When it comes to getting your brood from A to B you want to ensure that they are sufficiently protected if the worse were to happen and an accident were to occur. So you want the safest set of wheels possible. While advances in technology and knowledge of the human body consistently come about, more and more manufacturers focus on improving their vehicles to accommodate for potential risks, problems and conditions. But some excel in this area more than others. Do your research and find vehicles that have the best quality safety features on the market. These can include effective airbags (with passenger airbags that can be deactivated if there is a child seat in the front), antilock brake systems (or ABS), traction control, electronic stability control, and specialist safety belt features such as low anchors and tethers for children (otherwise known as LATCH). There are plenty of new features available on the market too, such as brake assist, forward collision warnings (FCW), automatic engine braking (AEB), pedestrian detection and adaptive cruise control. These features not only prevent accidents from happening in the first place, but if accidents do occur, you’ll have a better chance of standing your ground in court when represented by a professional car accident attorney.
Room
Once you have whittled down the list of vehicles that meet your safety expectations, it’s time to check which has the most room. You need sufficient seats for all of your family members and space for child car seats as well as luggage (as we are all aware, kids come with a whole mass of toys, cleaning products and other items whenever they leave the house). If you are planning on expanding your family (whether with the addition of more children or pets), you may want to invest in a vehicle with excess space, as this will save you from having to sell your motor and invest in a new one down the line. Five doors (at least) are preferable, as this allows you to get everyone into the vehicle and securely clipped in much more easily. A large boot also means you have more space for groceries, luggage, and other items.
Added Extras
If you have specific preferences, there’s likely to be a vehicle with the apt modifications to cater to your wants and needs. Perhaps having drink holders makes things a bit easier when visiting fast food drive throughs. Maybe you frequently take longer trips and in car entertainment would be preferable to occupy the children? Some vehicles can have small television screens installed in the back of the driver and front passenger seats. Always ask, as there may be something out there that is perfect!
Now you know what to look for, start doing your research. It’s always best to have a few ideas in mind before entering a dealership or searching second hand vehicles.
