Safe Driving Tips for the Sandwich Generation

Choosing the right car can be difficult, but it’s even more so when it has to suit the whole family.

In Asia, the car is as much a status symbol as it is a means of transport. A car’s design is not the only consideration when a vehicle has to suit the needs of everyone in the family.

This is the case for one particular group of drivers: The sandwich generation, who are stuck between caring for their children and caring for their parents. For them, the ‘family car’ is often shared with everyone from the newly licensed teen to adults with their own kids, or grandparents struggling with physical mobility.

With differing demands of so many people from boomers to Gen Z, your car has to appeal to all — and keep everyone safe in the event of a car accident.

Sitting comfortably

Have you ever sat in your car after someone else borrowed it, only to find the settings are messed up and you are seated too close to the steering wheel, or your feet can’t touch the pedals? It’s a total pain. But if you don’t change the settings to suit you, it can be dangerous.

Those changes are simple with Subaru’s seat memory setting. Two different drivers can set their seat and wing mirror positions so that their pre-selected preferences can be reinstated at the touch of a button.

The seating position for passengers is no less crucial, particularly for little ones. Babies in rear-facing child seats should be strapped in the back if your car has airbags in the front. Being properly strapped into the backseat is the safest place for all children under 13.

Staying sharp

With comfort taken care of, it’s time to focus. But don’t touch that dial.

Music can hinder road safety, especially when every family member has their own perfect playlist. While grandparents may like the calming effect of soft classical tunes to help their focus, teens are likely to prefer a little more drum and bass — and the volume that goes with it. But grandparents may be a lot sharper in their choice of music than you might think. Research by Newfoundland’s Memorial University has found that loud music causes reaction times to be 20% slower, for drivers of all ages. So, if you need to quickly lower the volume on your Subaru, you can do it with the audio controls on the steering wheel while keeping your eyes fixed on the road

Access all areas

While Subaru can’t influence your family’s musical tastes, its safety features can make road journeys with the entire family less of a headache. Wide-angle and upright rear door openings make it easier for elderly relatives to get into and out of the car, and also allow sufficient space to buckle in the smallest members of the family. Anti-slip side sill steps, which the Forester is equipped with, ensures both the young and old alike keep their footing when exiting the car, regardless of the weather. These safety features also offer extra peace of mind when stepping up to install a roof box to lug all items that accompany a family road trip.

Perfect vision

As we get older our vision tends to get worse. Analyzing the road ahead without further distractions may already be a challenge for older drivers. Subaru ensures that driving information you need is optimally positioned for the driver’s line of sight on the dashboard and easily readable, even in glaring sunlight.

Driving at night can also be more challenging for senior drivers, as night vision may fade once you’re over 60. Luckily Subaru shines light on the problem. With High Beam Assist the driver can focus on the road ahead and not worry about switching from high-beam to low-beam to avoid blinding drivers in oncoming vehicles. And with Steering Responsive Headlights, which automatically aim in the direction you’re steering, it’s much easier to see around corners.

The road ahead is often tricky for senior drivers, as night vision may fade once you’re over 60.

Staying on track

Over 20% of serious driver accidents involving teens were caused by driving too fast for the road conditions. But it isn’t just risky driving behavior that causes teens to be the source of serious road accidents. In fact, according to research conducted by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, most speed-related teen crashes are due to inexperience and a lack of driving skills rather than intentionally risky driving behavior.

It can be challenging for newbie drivers to appropriately judge the proper speed at which to take turns, especially on less-than-perfect roads or driving conditions. Helping them along is Subaru’s Active Torque Vectoring, which compensates for any over-eagerness, ensuring you can take the car through corners in a smooth and safe manner.

For seniors with slower reaction, or having difficulty craning their neck to check blind spots, being able to quickly steer away from danger can be critical. Subaru’s Blind Spot Detection system will alert you if there’s a vehicle in the neighboring lane. What’s more, Subaru’s EyeSight Lane Departure Warning alerts the driver if they start to stray inadvertently from their traffic lane and endanger other vehicles in the adjacent lane, while the EyeSight Lane Sway Warning system will alert you should you begin to drift back and forth in your lane.

It can be difficult to find a car that appeals to multiple generations. But there are some things you should never compromise regardless of your age or driving experience. And at the top of that list is safety.