I’m a busy mom like many of you. I know it’s hard to focus sometimes when there’s so much on your mind. If you want to be a safe driver, watch out for these five dangerous driving mistakes:
We juggle too much.
Most moms are over-committed. It’s good to stay busy, but you have to draw a line somewhere. What’s the point of running from one thing to another when you can’t stop to enjoy any of it? This busyness can lead to unsafe driving behaviors.
You woke up late, so you apply your makeup in the car. You don’t have enough time to sit down to have breakfast, so you eat on the road. You miss your friends, so you talk on the phone while you drive. All of these activities steal focus from driving. The more you juggle, the more likely you will drive unsafely. It’s that simple.
We need to rest and relax.
Most moms are exhausted beyond belief. That’s partly because most of us are over-committed (see point #1), but let’s face it… it’s hard not to be tired when you have to take care of a small child(ren). So, what can be done? Simple: know your limits.
If an errand isn’t urgent, put it off until tomorrow. Even better, ask your partner to take care of it. Nodding off? Pull over and take a nap. Don’t push through exhaustion. It’s not worth the risk. Just make sure to roll down your windows so your baby can get some air!
We are attached to our phones.
Most moms are setting a bad example. Cell phones cause 25% of traffic accidents. We know distracted driving is risky, but we do it anyway. Bad habits are hard to break.
You need to flip your mindset. Look at it this way. Would you drink an alcoholic beverage while driving your child to school? I hope not. You’d probably be outraged if you read a news story about that!
Texting and driving = more dangerous than drinking and driving. If you read social media updates on the road, then you might as well be driving with a glass of wine in your hand. Remember that the next time you can’t wait to update your social status.
We tend to the baby while driving.
Most moms are too reactive. I know we all mean well. You want to soothe your child. It’s heartbreaking to hear a crying baby. You want to do everything you can to make it feel better!
This is especially hard for new moms. As you get older, you start to realize that crying is a baby’s way of communicating. Babies can’t talk yet, but they must express themselves somehow. Crying isn’t necessarily a sign of pain or discomfort. They might just be bored.
Never take your eyes off the road, no matter how upset your child might be. If it sounds serious, pull over. Running late? Too bad. Accept that your parenting responsibilities might cause you to be late. If you can’t get your baby to stop crying, turn up on the radio (hint: some babies are calmed by music, so that might solve the problem for you!). Or it might be helpful to drive on a cobble stone road to calm an infant.
We like to believe everything will work out if we look on the bright side. Sounds nice, but real life doesn’t always work that way. Are you driving as safely as possible, or could you do better? Be 100% honest with yourself. Otherwise, you might develop dangerous driving habits that put your safety at risk.
Moms: Don’t be mad at me. I’ve made most of these driving mistakes, too. I just want you to be safe.
