Most families own a car. And most families, when purchasing a car, are investing a lot both financially and emotionally. On top of dealing with mandatory issues like insurance and MOT, there is also the generally dreaded moment that comes with the words ‘long’ and ‘car journey’.
The mere thought of spending hours in a car, with the children crammed in the back, and your belongings stuffed haphazardly into the remaining space, can bring an impending sense of gloom to even the most laidback of parents.
Whatever the reason, and there are many to choose from, children generally seem aware of the fact there is no escape, and far less parental control. Consequently, echoes of ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ or ‘Muuuummmmmm … he stole my mobile AGAIN’, followed by a large thump, can commonly be heard, whilst an increasingly irrational parent tries to calmly neutralise the situation.
Recent studies have confirmed that a third of parents claim they are a lot more distracted when their children are in the car. The research also pointed out that children have a boredom threshold of just 10 minutes on car journeys, and that playing car games as a family was a useful solution to combating stressful, and potentially dangerous situations.
Playing car games to pass the time, and thus occupy boredom, is hardly a new concept. And, because of the limited resources available for entertainment in a car, they are usually quite simple in format. However, when the children are screaming, it can be challenging for a fraught parent trying to think of a fun and engaging game. Consequently, the rise in manufacturers inventing new products, and books being published with titles like ‘Top 100 Most Amazing Car Games – Guaranteed to Stave Off Boredom’, has meant parents can now stock up on the latest in-car entertainment with the hope of avoiding a stressful car journey. Advances in technology have also meant entertainment, such as DVD players and portable computers, can be taken on long trips.
Although car games can be viewed as the parents’ dream since they occupy the children and thus reduce stress levels, they also hopefully serve as less of a distraction than arguing and fighting do. When driving, this is vitally important, since an accident can happen in a flash, and before you know it, the car is in a ditch, having lurched sideways because your youngest jumped to catch a ball his sibling threw. Coupled with games then, insurance could be considered a parents’ best friend when it comes to long car journeys.
Designed to protect against any loss or damage to your vehicle, car insurance acts as protection for both you and other parties. And, due to the increased numbers of insurance packages in the marketplace, there are a range of deals and offers, which can be specifically tailored to your individual, family needs.
Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.
