ARE WE PASSING ON DEADLY HABITS TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF DRIVERS?

Many people reading this will have kids. If they’re not yet 17 it probably hasn’t crossed your mind that every time they’re in the car they’re observing what you do. Lets face it, the way you driver now will influence their habits later. After all, kids learn from their parents.

So, can you say ‘hand-on-heart’ that you’re setting a good example to your children or any other young passengers in your vehicle?

You haven’t sent a quick text while they’re in the car with you? Made the occasional phone call without being hands free? Set the SatNav on the move, focusing more on that than the road ahead? Placed a sandwich on your knees when your partner dishes out the snacks while you’re driving on a family day out?

If you’re guilty of these behaviours, the frightening thought is that once their L-plates have been thrown away, your kids will have this behaviour embedded in them. If Mum or Dad does it, then surely it’s OK? If Dad doesn’t care about mobile phone laws, why should I?

If you’re of an age when mobile phones and in-vehicle technology wasn’t around when you were growing up, it may not have occurred to you what influence these things are having on the mindsets of youngsters.

Road safety teams often go into schools and preach to teenagers the dangers of driving. What a conflict of messages if their Dad then picks them up and is on the phone the whole way home.

So, next time you’ve got youngsters in the car, think again. Now is the time to set an example to them.

Lets aim for a new breed of drivers who saw that their Mum always locked her phone away when driving, that Dad always set the SatNav before pulling away – and that you drove safely because you valued your life, their lives and the lives of other road users.

Perhaps food for thought during the Easter break.