transportation

Things To Look For When Buying a Family Car

As a newly wedded couple, you’ve promised to move forward in life together. As part of the pledge you’ve made to one another, you will face major decisions as a pair. One of these decisions may involve choosing a family car. Whether you already have children to transport or will in the near future, you will likely require a vehicle that accommodates the needs of an active family. You’ll need to consider the usual items such as price point, fuel economy, maintenance costs and reliability, to name a few. Here are some considerations for you to chew on.

Prioritizing Space in a Car

It goes without saying that the more people in your household, the more room you’ll need in a family car. That sports-car coupe with the convertible top may have worked when you were single, but now you likely need an automobile that comes with more space. Over the past years, wagons, minivans and sports utility vehicles have been the autos of choice for those looking for a people hauler. Larger vehicles such as minivans and SUVs usually have second and third rows for carrying your smallest and most precious cargo. Look for autos with second and third rows that are not only spacious but also easy to get into for loading and unloading the kiddos.

In addition to carrying passengers, the best family vehicles also include ample cargo space. From hauling groceries to feed an entire family to transporting luggage and essentials for a road trip, the trunk or cargo area is important, so you’ll want to check to make sure it’s adequate. On some SUVs, there will be a trade-off between leg space in a back row and the cargo area.

Putting Safety First

Because you’ll be transporting the ones you love, it’s important to look for vehicles that have high safety ratings. A quick internet search can help you see the specific ratings for a certain vehicle make and model. Not only should you make note of safety performance, but you should also look for features that make a family car safer to operate:

  • Side airbags: Cushions that deploy in the event of a collision
  • Blind spot monitoring system: Warns you of cars that are in the blind spots of your side mirrors
  • Lane keeping or lane departure warning: Notifies you that the car is drifting into another lane or actively steers the car to stay in a lane
  • Forward collision monitoring and alerting: Alerts you of a potential rear-end collision and may apply brakes to prevent a crash
  • Tire pressure monitoring: Notifies you when tire pressure is below the recommended level
  • Adaptive headlights: Headlights that turn in the direction of steering for improved roadway illumination
  • Rearview camera: Shows a wide view of what’s behind you when the car is put into reverse

Other features such as facial recognition, proximity sensors and other types of cameras help boost the safety performance of some vehicles. Automotive technology is always evolving, especially with respect to safety. The latest features may inspire you to go with a new family car over a pre-owned option.

Checking for Kid-Friendly Features

Have you ever struggled to install a car seat in a vehicle? Not all backseats are created equal when it comes to seat belt configurations. If you have more than one young child, you may find that some cars don’t cut it with respect to multiple car seats or booster chairs. Many newer vehicles will check to see if a rear door has been opened and send a warning to check for a child or pet when the engine stops.

The right family automobile is out there. It’s important to find something that works for you and your household. In addition to your budget and gas mileage, pay special attention to the interior space, safety features and kid-friendly details when narrowing your options.

The Right Transportation for Your Big Day

There are a number of different responsibilities when planning your wedding. But how early should you start thinking about your transportation to the venue?

There are a number of different responsibilities when planning your wedding. But how early should you start thinking about your transportation to the venue?

There are a number of different responsibilities you need to stay aware of when you’re planning for a wedding. As the date grows closer, you want to give yourself time to ensure you have covered all of your bases. While bigger decisions like selecting a venue and determining your guest list need to be taken care of early, other tasks can be completed a bit later in the process. When you are roughly six months away from your big day, you need to think about your options regarding transportation.

Getting Started

First and foremost, you need to get this process started by thinking about who will require transportation. It is not your responsibility to make sure everyone you invite can get to the venue, but you can definitely make the process easier for your guests with a few simple decisions. If your wedding reception is being held in a different place than where the majority of your guests are staying at the end of the night, then you might want to think about hiring a shuttle service to cart your friends and family where they need to go. Alternatively, if your wedding ceremony and reception are in two different places, providing a way to get to each and then back to the hotel may be a service you want to offer.

Outside of this, there are a few people you should think about providing transportation for. The main people to focus on are you and your significant other, as well as anyone who is immediately associated with your wedding party. You may also want to think about providing an option for disabled or elderly guests, such as grandparents, to help them safely arrive where they need to be without them having to worry about driving.

Things To Think About

After determining who will need transportation, there are a few other considerations. For one, you want to think about the time of year you plan on tying the knot. Many weddings tend to take place in the spring and summer. Unfortunately, this season is also when a number of other milestone events happen for people. High school proms and graduations usually occur between May and June, meaning you might have a lot of competition when it comes to booking luxury vehicles. To avoid this, be sure to book as early as possible.

How far you have to travel is also an important point to consider. If you and the wedding party will need to cross a good amount of distance to reach your destination, it can impact the type of vehicle you select. A small limo might be fine if you only have to go a few blocks, but it can be excruciatingly cramped for longer drives. When you keep these points in mind, it can help you find a transportation option that makes everyone feel comfortable the whole way through.

Financial Considerations

Remember, the financial burden of any transportation that you and your significant other provide to guests will fall on your shoulders. If you are unable to offer any additional help to guests with regard to transportation, be sure to notify your friends and family of this as early as possible. This will help give everyone enough time to plan their rides and figure out a sensible way of getting to your event.

Transportation might not be the most pressing part of planning for your big day, but it definitely is an area you want to think about. There are a number of important aspects to think over when it comes to selecting appropriate options for your guests. Take time to assess your transportation needs, and it will help you determine the best course of action for your wedding day.