Parents and grandparents are the must have party accessory this Christmas

As the Christmas party season begins in earnest, it seems that the must have accessory for a care free Christmas shindig is a willing parent or grandparent in their 50s to perform babysitting and taxi duties. 

Research from Saga Motor Insurance shows that a third of grandparents expect to look after their grandchildren this Christmas, while parents let their hair down at a Christmas party. In fact younger Grandparents are even more likely to be asked with half of those in their 50s acting as the seasonal sitter.

In addition over a quarter of people in their fifties will be taking on the role of taxi driver for their children or their grandchildren during December.

It seems that parents and grandparents in the North East are most likely to help out their family during the Christmas party season, over a quarter will be chauffeuring children and or grandchildren and 44% will be offering a babysitting service.

Sue Green, head of motor insurance for Saga commented: “The Saga generations are more than happy to help their families enjoy the Christmas party season in any way they can.  Babysitting is something that they enjoy doing and they would much rather drive their children to Christmas parties than worry about how they were going to get home. 

“However, the colder weather brings with it more difficult driving conditions and the increased risk of a breakdown or accident, therefore it is important to prepare your car to cope with the winter weather.”

Saga’s six tips for winter motoring

Carry out a few routine checks to ensure your wheels are up to the rigours of winter driving. Spend a bit of time on this now and it could save you the hassle and financial burden of an avoidable breakdown or accident further down the line.  

Regular servicing is a must and check your oil and anti-freeze.

Check the tyres for tread depth and pressure and, if you can afford them, consider upgrading to a set of winter tyres if it becomes a bleak midwinter.

Make sure you’re carrying de-icer and an ice scraper. Don't be a snow devil and try and defrost on the move, or you could end up in a ditch. De-ice your car before you travel, and ensure all windows are fully cleared of snow, frost and condensation, and clean and check your lights.

Do not leave the car running to defrost whilst you pop back inside for a hot cuppa - if you leave it unattended on the drive and it gets pinched you won’t be covered!

Prepare a breakdown kit, include a torch, bottled water, blanket, warm and waterproof clothing, high-visibility jacket and shovel. Don't forget to include a few snacks in case you get stuck.

In bad weather leave more space between you and the car in front and try to avoid braking hard - if safe to do so, try dropping gears to slow your car. It could help you avoid that skid pan slide.