Safety Tips From a Mom

How 1 Mom Puts Safety First at Pick Up, Drop Off, and Everywhere in Between

August 14, 2019 by Lisa Horten

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We've partnered with Michelin to make sure parents have all the information they need to keep their families safe, whether they're driving to school in the morning or home from ballet class in the evening.

As a mom of preschool- and elementary-school-aged children living in the burbs, my car is (for better or worse) the epicenter of my weekdays. It gets us from point A to point B, but it’s also my mobile office, a place to dole out snacks, hear about the kids’ days, and so much more. You too? OK, glad we’re on the same page. It looks a little something like this:

The day starts with drop off. We manage to get everyone in the car — with their various backpacks, lunch bags, snack bags, folders, art projects, etc. — in time for our first grader’s 8:20 a.m. bell to ring at the elementary school. The first grader is in a highback booster, and his 3-year-old sister is in a five-point harness. After I’ve buckled everyone in, my son (adorably, if I do say so myself) always checks to make sure his little sister is strapped in nice and tight before I turn on the car. I give both kids a once-over and make any necessary adjustments before pulling out of the driveway.

After I drop my preschooler off at 8:45 a.m., it’s a mad dash to make the most of the 2.5 hours that comprise her speedy school day. I work from home, so once I kiss her goodbye and have a sip of my coffee, I do a brief scan of my morning emails. Then, there’s some combination of a trip to the dog park, an hour in my office, a quick workout, a grocery run, and . . . back to school again. Phew. All before noon!

Back with my little one in the car, I refocus. Driving a reliable SUV with strong safety ratings gives me peace of mind, and so do our MICHELIN® Premier® Tires. We’d do absolutely anything to protect our precious cargo.

Particularly this time of year, our suburban neighborhood is full of kids riding their bikes and scooters and playing basketball in the street. Aside from keeping my own little ones safe in the back seat, I’m hyper-vigilant of my surroundings and what’s going on around us. We bring the car in for regular inspections, and, having done our research, only use MICHELIN® Premier® LTX® tires. While brakes stop your wheels, it’s the tires that stop the car. These are built to withstand cold and rainy conditions, and I rest easy knowing that we’ve invested in the very best tires for our car, and our family.

Rain happens. And it rarely pays attention to our schedules. There are plenty of days when I have to hop on the highway to get to a birthday party or soccer practice two towns over. But our MICHELIN® Premier® Tires help keep us safe* and stable — even when the roads are slick. EverGrip wet-braking technology makes our tires best in class when it comes to stopping short on wet roads, even when they’re worn.

Life moves quickly, and it’s easy to run through the motions of a jam-packed family schedule. But I always have the “what-ifs” in the back of my head, and do my best to take the preventative measures necessary to keep my family as safe and secure as possible. Being the primary driver when small children are involved is a pretty major responsibility, but I remind myself to take it seriously both in my automotive maintenance and state of mind on the road. After all, protecting my people is what matters most.

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Credit: Illustrations: Saskia Keultjes; Design: Rebecca Joy

*Safe refers to wet braking, wet handling and hydroplaning resistance when tires are new and worn to 5/32". All tires eventually wear out and should be replaced. Half-worn Premier® tires are safe because of EverGrip™ Technology which combines an evolving tread with a high traction compound for enhanced wet-braking capabilities. Based on internal wet braking tests from 50 MPH versus Goodyear® Assurance® CS TripleTred™ All-Season tire and Continental CrossContact™ LX20 tire in size 255/55R18 109H; using the MICHELIN® Premier® LTX® tire in size 255/55R18 109H buffed to 5/32" of tread. Actual on-road results may vary.