Protect Your Kids and WIN a Travall Guard for Your Car* Worth Over £100. Ends 13th April 2017.
Safe travel is one of the most important things to bear in mind when you have children. With the legislation on car seats and child safety recently being reviewed, it has become more important than ever to ensure that your kids are safely installed in your vehicle. As a driving instructor for over 15 years, I am well aware of the dangers of the road. That is why I was so interested in what Travall had to offer.
Travall is the world’s leading brand for vehicle-specific dog guards which, despite their name, can play an essential role in protecting young children, particularly those travelling in rear-facing car seats. That’s because installing one could potentially prevent serious injury by halting the progress of any loose cargo travelling at speed through the passenger cabin following a frontal collision, or even sharp braking.
While most parents put a lot of thought into their choice of child seat, few give as much thought to the dangers posed by the everyday items we all carry in our cars at some time or another. Each year, thousands of people are injured, or even killed, by things which, in most other circumstances, would prove totally harmless. And, as most of these things are carried in the back of a vehicle, children in rear-facing seats are particularly at risk.
Travall pride themselves on engineering excellence, design innovation and use of the best available materials. The Travall Guard is made from laser-cut and precision-welded mild steel, with a unique nylon-powder coating which, as it’s three times thicker than that of other guards, makes it extremely scratch resistant. Their use of centre-line welding also ensures there are no burrs or sharp edges and, by using an oval profile for their guards, as opposed to ones with hard edges, Travall have increased both strength and rear visibility too – again, features not found on competitor guards.
There are many makes of guards on the market, but as far as I am concerned, the safest are those which are vehicle-specific. Although there are lots of universal ‘one-size-fits-all’ guards out there, they cannot compete with the strength of custom-made barriers, which are also a lot easier to install. Buying a product designed to fit many vehicles may be cheaper, but it really could turn out to be a false economy, especially when compared with the added peace of mind that comes from fitting a well-made, vehicle-specific guard.
I am pleased to say that Travall has offered the chance for one of my lucky readers to win one of their well-made guards worth around £100, which are certainly not just for pet owners and, after the child seat itself, could be one of the most important accessories fitted to a car in which babies and young children travel as passengers.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE GUARDS ONLY FIT CERTAIN VEHICLES SO, TO CHECK IF YOURS IS COMPATIBLE PLEASE CHECK THAT THEY HAVE A SUITABLE PRODUCT BEFORE ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY. THIS CAN BE DONE BY SIMPLY USING THE VEHICLE SELECTOR ON THEIR WEBSITE – CLICK HERE.
Simply enter by using the Gleam widget below. You can also find the terms and conditions for this giveaway on there.
Protect Your Kids and WIN a Travall Guard for Your Car* Worth Over £100
Phone on silent in a bag away from you
CHECK THE TYRES-OIL-WATER
beware of your surroundings
Make sure you check your tyres regularly.
Check the tyre pressure
Turn off your mobile if driving. It avoids that temptation to check any calls or messages you may get on route.
Be aware at all times
double check everything and dont rely completely on technology – have a back up plan
Follow speed limits
think ahead and be very aware of other drivers.
Care about rules and be attentive
Always check your mirrors before setting off
make sure your headrest is in the correct position – most people dont have it in th right position and therefore if they were in an accident it wouldnt provide the protection it should have
before setting off on a long journey, make sure your tyres have enough depth of tread and are at the correct pressure, including the spare
Watch out for other drivers
Make sure your window washer has antifreeze in it in winter,anc kedp your fuel tank full in case u get held up due to weather so u kedp everyone warm
always stop when tired
Make sure your windscreen, front drivers side and passenger side windows are constantly free from dirt as even the slightest amount can distort vision.
Do not drive too close to the vehicle in front – you never know what they are going to do!
Always make sure you have breakdown cover! Carry oil and water in the boot
Checking water, oil and tyres before you go.
Check your tyres and oil before every long journey
Keep coats in the car incase you do happen to break down when it’s cold
Keep water and a jumper in the car, you never know when something bad could happen.
make sure your lights are working
Be safe be seen
Never drive when you are tired or distracted and keep the car cool and well ventilated.
Have a zero tolerance to alcohol when driving and never drink and drive
Never use your mobile phone while driving
Don’t ever buy second hand car seats.
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keep your car safe inside just in case you have an accident. Tidy your car and keep things in compartments.
We always leave early when coming back from a holiday so the roads are quiet
My best tip would be to help children understand the need for good behaviour in the car.
With my children I explained (the best I could without frightening them) the need for seatbelts, why we don’t mess with car doors/windows and why silly/naughty behaviour can be distracting for the person driving.
Its always a great idea to have lots of things for little ones to do in the car if you are going on long journeys.
Don’t drive if you’re tired
Don’t use your mobile phone driving
keep your belt on at all times, make sure young children having something to keep themoccupied so you can focus on driving safely x
Always wear your seltbelt and always be aware that everyone around you is human and makes mistakes, be prepared!
Make a game out of getting kids to put their own belts on and being safe!
Get your children to understand that there are times when they need to be silent so you can concentrate, maybe a phrase or word you agree on and use it.
stay calm and keep your eyes on the road
Turn off all phones,keep music off and use your mirrors constantly and be aware of others around you,If you have kids get them a goody bag with sweets/drinks a book some colouring in sets ect,Most of dont STRESS you will do ok 🙂
don’t take your eyes of the road for a second. any second something could happen that you need to react to
Check your tyres before you leave
I have a code word with the boys and if I say they know to be quiet instantly as I need to concentrate!
Don’t just follow the green man, it will tell you to go but also make sure to watch the cars as well. Stop, look all around before you move.
Always remember you were once a learner too, and give them some space!
dont use your phone
making sure you stay calm even when your baby is crying
Always treat other road users wirh respect and make sure your children are in proper car seats. #safetyfirst
always wear your seat bely and remember not every driver is as sensible as yourself
Treat other road users with respect – that includes us cyclists and runners!
Observe speed limits – its safer and often cheaper
I never keep sharp or potentially dangerous items in the boot of the car that potentially could cause injuries to the back seat passengers in the event of a shunt and always make sure the childrens seat-belts are properly fastened and they have nothing infront of them which they may knock themselves against in the case of an accident.
always keep an eye out for the drivers who aren’t paying attention
keep within the limits
a quick glance over your shoulder when joining motorways as a last precaution
never use your phone when driving or crossing the road
Check the car before journeys and do some extra planning if its an extra long journey
Check your tyres are ok and that the pressures are correct…
Wear your seatbelt and don’t use your mobile when driving
Don’t let dogs roam free in the car, so unsafe, when I was a child our small dog got underneath the pedals when my mum was driving, I never forgot it
Wear your seat belt!
Have a good car seat AND make sure it is properly fitted.
always, ALWAYS look in you’re blind spot before overtaking on a motorway
Never use mobile phones while driving.
put phone in bag, do not turn around while talking to kids and make sure they are safely buckled up
no distractions, no phones!! keep you eye on the road!!
dont text whilst driving, and use a hands free set x
Stick your phone in the glove box so that there is no temptation to touch it whilst driving
Never drive when you are too tired
It’s better to arrive late and apologise than never arrive at all – my Dad’s words to me when I started driving!
Always leave plenty of room between you and the car in front, especially on the motorway.
Don’t drive tired, it’s just not worth it.
Don’t drive too fast and keep your eye out for idiots!!
Make sure your back window is always clear of items for you to see out of
look both ways before crossing
Don’t drive aggressively, you won’t get there any quicker!
Plan ahead and give the kids a travel bag so they can independently entertain themselves and get snacks and drinks. Even small distractions to the driver can be very dangerous!
Attend a drive safety course or advanced driver training, really helps you be more aware.
prepare snack boxes that the children can unpack & eat themselves so you are not distracted from driving
Tiredness is thought to be a major factor in more than 10% of road accidents. Plan to stop for at least a 15 minute break every 2 hours on a long journey.
Beware cyclists when you open your car door into the road.
If you start to feel tired, find a safe place to stop and take a break.
Never have music up too loud, you need to be able to hear as well as see.
You have to lead by example.
If your tired stop and take a break
Play eye spy with kids!
Be aware of your surroundings
We like to travel over night as most motorways are empty and i just can take the summer sun glare that masks motorbikes at junctions.
Always plan your journey and incorporate breaks to refresh.
Don’t use a mobile phone too many people still do
always have your wits about you
Always think ahead and be aware of what other drivers may do such as come out of a junction in front of you.