Choosing a family car can be somewhat difficult. There are more options than ever before at your local car dealership. From a van to an SUV and a full-size car, these are just some of the ideas that will work for your new family car. When it comes to buying the right family car though, you’ll want some ideas on how to make the right choice. That’s why I’m featuring some tips to help you choose your next family car purchase and choose right.  This post is brought to you by BarkauAutomotive.net.

How to Choose the Right Family Car

Seating and Storage

Any parent out there knows that when it comes to having a large family, as in a family with more than one child, seating and storage is a must! That’s why it’s important to think about how many seats you’ll need, remember to think about those friends that come over, and how much storage space will be feasible for your family. Make a note of this data so that you can share these details with your local car salesmen before buying your next family car.

Simple Features

Some of the cars on the market today may be too much for the average family. If you have younger children then you’ll want to make sure that your family car has features that help you stay safe on the road, even during those little kid distractions. You’ll also want to make sure the features in your new family car easy to figure out, that last thing you want to do is have some complicated procedure to turn the blinker on during your time driving the family around in the new family car.

Consider Your Budget

Lastly, remember that buying a new family car means that you’re bringing a new expense into the household. That’s why you’ll want to follow some easy tips for setting a new car budget. You’ll need to review what expenses you already have and how much income is flowing into the home before determining the best price range for your new family car.

When it comes to choosing the right family car, there are many different things that each family must take into consideration. You may find these tips helpful and have more ideas to add to my list, but at the end of the day, each of these tips I’ve shared today will inspire you to be financially smart and careful when it comes to choosing the right family car.

I’m hyper-vigilant about parking lot safety….and safety in general as a mom.  Yes, I’m that kind of mom.  Especially when we’re out in public.  There’s just so much that could happen quickly.  There’s too much at stake, in my opinion, to take a relaxed approach.  Because I’m this way my daughter always grabs my arm when we walk across a parking lot, even if my hands are full.  I’ve trained her well and she’s as cautious in parking lots as I am.

This past week she was helping her younger brother remember to look both ways before crossing the parking lot lane.  She said, “this is a lot like a street so you have to be very safe.  I wish someone would create a safer parking lot where you didn’t have to be so careful.”  I told her that she was absolutely correct in her assessment.  We also had fun trying to brainstorm different types of parking systems where people could park and safely walk to the building without fear of oncoming traffic.  The closest we could come up with would be some sort of tunnel system and we agreed that didn’t seem practical.  So, for the moment, until someone creates something better, it’s a good idea to be safe in parking lots and I have some tips to share with you on how to do just that.  This post is brought to you by Thunderchrysler.com.

I have to tell you that I wanted to look up some stats to write this post and include some handy information and what I found was a treasure trove of information.  The Pedestrian and Traffic Safety in Parking Lots at SNL/NM: Audit Background Report is a 57 page pdf that has more information than you ever wanted to know about parking lot safety.  If you want more information after you read my article please check it out!

-Drivers Are Distracted In Parking Lots

The NSC.org website says, “In an NSC public opinion poll, 66% of drivers nationwide said they would make phone calls while driving through parking lots. Respondents also said they would:

• Program GPS systems (63%)
• Text (56%)
• Use social media (52%)
• Send or receive emails (50%)
• Take photos or watch videos (49%)

NSC found teen drivers (59%) were more likely to engage in personal grooming than adults (53%) while driving in parking lots, but less likely to be on the phone (60% vs. 66%).”

-Pedestrian Parking Lot Safety

• -Be hyper-aware of your surroundings when walking across parking lots.  Like my daughter says, look both ways as if it were a busy street.
• -Always make eye contact and wait for the driver to signal you across.  Don’t just walk and assume that they’ll see you and stop for you.  Drivers are distracted in parking lots, remember?  Don’t assume.
• -Walk on sidewalks and crosswalks when possible.  Make it easy for drivers to see you.
• -If the weather is bad wear the appropriate shoes.  You don’t want to slip and fall and not be seen by a driver.  I personally know someone who accidentally ran over a man’s legs who was knelt down in a dark parking lot.  He ended up surviving and making a full recovery but it was a terrible ordeal just the same.
• -Many accidents happen when cars are backing up and don’t see people behind them.  I like to walk quickly behind running cars juuuust in case they back up suddenly without looking first.
• -Get off your cell phone.  I am constantly amazed by the number of people looking at their phones while walking through parking lots.  It’s not smart.

-Driver Parking Lot Safety

• -When possible choose a pull through spot to avoid having to back up.
• -When you have to back up double check that there isn’t anything or anyone behind you before driving in reverse.
• -Avoid driving through a parking lot and stick to the driving lanes.
• -Slow down.  Parking lots have 10-15 MPH speed limits for a good reason.
• -Keep an eye out for kids.  Please keep an eye out for little ones that may dart away from their mother’s grip.
• -This is the same advice that I listed above for pedestrian safety and in my Tips for Teen Drivers, leave your phone alone.  Leave it in your bag.  Don’t drive distracted.  If it’s so urgent that you need to attend to something, pull into a parking spot for a moment before driving on.

What are some things you implement to try and stay safe in parking lots?