Yesterday I drove my 3 kids, my nanny and her son to the beach. We live about an hour away with traffic.
My nanny and I share similar fears and beliefs about driving.
Our goal was just to get there safely. And we did. When we left there was some traffic that slowed us down through downtown LA, which ironically I prefer. I'm not a huge fan of barreling down freeways with my kids.
On the way back we got home in 40 due to no traffic.
Almost every event I take my kids to or my husband does I worry about the car ride.
If you think I'm paranoid you should know I'm just informed. Car crashes are the #1 cause of death to kids. #1.
You worry when your kids are playing in the backyard if you have a pool don't you?
A few weeks ago my family road tripped it to Utah.
I had to drink some chamomile tea for that sucker. As Fix The Toaster David Little can tell you it's difficult to know the stats and drive. But we did.
I couldn't believe the one women driving on the freeway with one hand on her cell and the other hand plugging it in somewhere.
Then I couldn't believe the speed limits of 80 MPH in Utah. Seemed very backwards. At least I didn't have to get a drink ticket or join some kind of drinking club like I did 10 years ago in Utah but 80 MPH!
At one point a semi passed us going 90 MPH!
It felt insane.
I Googled it and it turns out this was just passed last Fall. Despite some officials fearing this would lead to more fatalities they passed it. Of fuck it, so a few people die, at least a lot of people will get to where they are going faster.
Our family rules are that whoever is driving does not use their phone.
We don't speed and we don't tailgate.
There are a lot of families taking to the roads this summer and I can only plead and beg with you to drive safe.
If you are tired, pull over and get a freaking hotel room. We stayed at some hole in the wall in Nevada at a Best Western. We got two rooms and after camping with the kids and contracting the stomach virus while doing that the Best Western felt like the Four Seasons.
At our campgrounds a man pulled in driving a truck and his bumper sticker said:
"Guns don't kill people, people driving while using their cellphones do."
I appreciated it.
Because while of course guns do kill people we humans are killing so many more due to the shitty way we are driving.
I still can not believe I see moms taking photos on Instagram of themselves driving!!!
Let me tell you something I understand the car gives good lighting but please stop doing that.
If you are going on a family road trip this summer please tweet or Instagram and use the hashtag #fixthetoaster and #drivesafe.
Myself and my producing partner for Expressing Motherhood, Jessica Cribbs, will be driving from LA to Michigan soon for her annual Rose Run. She packs up her 3 kids and drives cross country Curious to see what she sees.
Let's raise awareness.
Our roads are a war zone make no doubt about it.