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Driving with kids in Cuba

 

Driving in Cuba with kids

For many of you this is common sense during your Cuban vacation but we´ll outline several points to watch out for.

 

  • Never leave your kids sat in a car in Cuba. The heat and sun can be extremely powerful and cause dehydration quite rapidly.
  • Keep water in the car. Heat and fatigue require lots of hydration and finding the next gas station in Cuba is not as easy as it is back home. Ideally leave your hotel with ample water for the trip by filling up bottles or buying some at the gifts store in the lobby or convenience store.
  • The sun in Cuba is stronger than where you live due to the islands proximity to the equator. If your rental car is not equipped with blinds take some of the cheap foldable blinds with you on vacation and attach them to the windows.
  • Never ever leave kids in the car and the keys in the ignition, even if you are outside your hotel and running back into the room for just a minute.
  • Never let kids roam around the inside of a car, especially when you are parked on an incline. Tragic and fatal accidents have happened when a child has accidentally released the handbrake.
  • Do not turn around to pick things up or give things to your kids when driving. If you must, pull over, or at the very, least wait till you get to a red light and put on the handbrake before you reach around behind you.
  • Never text while driving at anytime and this of course includes while driving children, again if you need to text pull over and park, If you must talk while driving, then use a hands free kit, but it is still safest to try to avoid using the phone even on hands free, as concentrating on what the person on the other end of the phone is saying, definitely lowers your concentration on the road.
  • Put the child door locks on!!! Kids can easily open the door on a moving car. The same goes for the window locks, (if you have them in your rental car) only an adult should control the amount the windows go up and down and not your children. Never let kids stick limbs or objects out of an open window
  • Make sure all child restraints are working properly and meet the entire safety requirement by law. You should also have child restraints and baby seats fitted by a professional. A correctly fitted child restraint can make all the difference
  • Rent with REX car rental who offer child seats and make sure the child seats you are using are age, weight and height appropriate.
  • Do not allow children to have sharp object, food or toys that could be dangerous if you stop suddenly. Or large toys or balloons that may block your vision when you drive.

 

 

Following these common sense tips will make your trip to Cuba enjoyable and your driving on this beautiful island trouble free for you and the kids!