Car insurance news
Child safety doesn't come cheap for today's parents
A new survey commissioned by cheap car insurance firm Zurich shows that parents are forking out an average of £500 to keep their children safe and entertained whilst on the road.
82 percent buy baby seats and two-thirds get sunscreens. Four in ten families buy in-car toys to keep their young passengers amused.
Indeed, in the case of children aged 6-11, two-thirds of parents admitted to spending as much as £300 on items like Game Boys and headrest DVD players. Many are concerned that children forced to go without these gadgets will be a dangerous source of distraction to the driver.
A third of parents with a child aged under three go the whole hog and upgrade their car to a more child-friendly model - at an average cost of £7,786.
Roy Seeds is head of underwriting at the motor insurance firm. He said: "Although it may seem to be a staggering amount for parents to be spending on kitting out the family car, it's essential that the vehicle is child safe."
Corrine Aldous, spokesperson for the cheap car insurance experts at duck2water, said: "I know being distracted by young passengers can be a danger on the roads, but the money people are prepared to spend just to keep their children quiet really surprises me.
"But if paying out for in-car entertainment helps to keep the kids from distracting the driver, reduces the chances of a car accident occurring and keeps parent's car insurance rates down, then it is money well spent," she added.