22nd July 2008

Car insurer highlights perils of driving with kids

Misbehaving children are putting drivers at a higher risk of suffering a crash, a new survey suggests.

In a poll conducted by car insurance provider Admiral, 35 per cent of adult drivers surveyed said they had been distracted by children in the car.

Of these two per cent admitted that they had come close to having an accident as a result.

Boredom on the part of the children appears to be the principal cause of them becoming agitated and causing a distraction, with the poll finding that the average time it takes for kids to become fractious is between 21 and 40 minutes.

Dr Claire Halsey, clinical psychologist and parenting expert, commented: "Whether you're taking the family out for a day trip or travelling to your holiday destination every parent wants the drive to be a pleasant start to the summer break.

"Increase the chance of a peaceful ride by organising plenty to entertain, schedule lots of breaks in the journey and agree a clear set of rules and rewards for good behaviour."

 

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