As a busy parent, you will likely rely on your car for more than just getting you from point A to point B. In fact, you probably consider your car as an extension of your home and family! Therefore, you probably want to get more out of your car, to make it more useful to everyone in the home. If you want to make improvements but don’t know where to start, then this article will be for you!
Roof Racks
Firstly, one of the most versatile and practical additions that you can make to your car, comes in the form of a roof rack. Roof racks can increase the amount of storage that you have on your car, allowing you to fit more onto the roof of your car.
The most popular use of a roof rack is with a bike, where a family will transport their bikes on the roof to wherever they are holidaying. It’s not just bikes that will be able to be stored onto a roof rack, you can also use it to store luggage, camping gear, or other equipment that won’t fit inside the car.
When choosing a roof rack, you will need to think about the size of your car, and the capacity that you’re looking for. With some roof racks, you may need additional modifications to fit how you want it. This means doing your research first!
Towbar
Every household would benefit from having a towbar placed on their vehicle. No matter if you own a truck, car, van or anything like that, you will be able to find some use for it. This little addition to your car will be invaluable, and can attach to the back of your car for various uses. For example, you could attach a trailer to the back of your vehicle, allowing you to transport goods around easier.
If you plan camping, you can imagine just how useful this would be to your family. On the same line of thinking, you could use the towbar to attach a caravan to the back of your vehicle. This allows you to get the caravan to the campsite in one piece, so that you can all have the best family holiday possible.
Now the question is, what sort of towbar do you get, and how can you find them? Firstly, it’s important to consider the weight capacity that you require, as well as what can actually fit onto your vehicle. You will be able to get in contact with experts such as Towbar Express, who specialise in towbars. They can fit your towbar for you and will ensure the towbar is right for the model of your car.
Entertainment Systems
Speaking of holidays, there’s nothing worse than going on a long road trip with your family, just to have bored children in the back kicking up a fuss! Therefore, logic says installing an entertainment system into your car will be a good idea. The entertainment systems that you choose to install will vary depending on what you’re looking for.
For example, you could install a TV monitor and DVD player into the backrest, so that the kids can watch their favourite shows. It’s worth pointing out that many modern devices these days, such as phones and tablets, do have the capacity to have TV shows and movies to watch. It’s just that you may have to download them onto the devices, to save your data, if you can even get a connections.
It’s a similar story for video game consoles. You could have a video game installed into the back of your car, but there are many different handheld gaming devices that you could pick up for the kids to use in the back of the car. Ask your kids what sort of devices and games they want to play, as this could help narrow down your choices.
GPS
If you aren’t using a GPS in some form when driving, then you are either an expert navigator, or someone who is not yet with the times! There are many different forms of GPS systems, all of which will be sure to be a fine addition to your car.
While many modern smartphones will have maps and GPS systems installed, you may still prefer an actual dedicated GPS device that can sit on the front of your car, allowing you to have instant directions when you need them.
Alternatively, if you insist on using your smartphone for your GPS needs, which you’re perfectly entitled to do, then getting a device to hold this phone in place and charge it will be in your best interest.
Dashcams
Something that is becoming more important for all cars to have added is a dashcam. Dashcams are ideal for documenting accidents, monitoring your driving habits, and perhaps more importantly, providing evidence for any legal disputes a driver may encounter.
This all sounds good, but if you don’t even know what a dashcam is, then you won’t exactly know how to get one! Simply put, a dashcam is a small camera that attaches to your dashboard, or even the windshield of the car, and record footage as you drive. There are many different variations of dashcams, as some will have night vision, collision detection, and other such perks.
So essentially, the sort of dashcam you want for your car depends on what you need. In general, you will want to pick one that is of high quality, easy to install, and has all the features that you’re looking for.
Child Safety Features
Lastly, something that will be a must-add addition to your family car, comes in the form of child safety features. If you have young children, it will be crucial to have safety tools in place to protect your young children in the case of an accident.
For the most part, this will come in the form of car seats. Before you go out and purchase a car seat, you should read up on car seat laws so you understand what is required. Car seats and booster seats add extra protection and security to your family.
Alongside these car seats, working and efficient child safety locks will be essential to your family car. These child safety locks prevent children from accidentally opening doors or windows while the car is moving. Modern cars will have these built in, but older cars may not, or at least may not be as efficient. That is why you should take your car to a mechanic, who can analyse your car and find out what needs adding in terms of safety.
