IT'S an unpalatable fact, but most road accidents are caused by distractions of one kind or another. While fiddling with car stereos, driving while eating and using hand held mobile phones at the wheel account for a large number of incidents, failing to cope with the children in your car contributes significantly to the tally.

Cutting down on these statistics requires a two-pronged approach. Not only must children be properly restrained by suitable seats and belts, it also helps if they are sufficiently occupied so as not to sidetrack the driver's attention. Children under the age of three must always use an appropriate child seat no matter how short the journey. Although the law states that children over the age of three can get by using adult seat belts, in reality these rarely provide adequate protection.

Market leaders in child seats Britax have recognised the need for additional protection and have introduced a range of seats for children up to the age of 11 that give supplementary lateral protection that not only protects kids from the most frequent sort of injuries but also features side head rests that will enable them to sleep easily.

In 2002 Britax launched a unique web-based information service, Fit-finder, which revolutionised the way parents choose their child car seat, offering access to fitting information on more than 16,000 child seat installations.

It was initiatives such as this that helped Britax land a prestigious Automobile Association award for its contribution to child safety. Recent data from Which? and the AA Motoring Trust shows the variability in effectiveness between manufacturers, so shop carefully and go for the best you can afford.

Many cars these days have the desirable Isofix child seat fitments as standard. Of course, no matter how good the seating system a child can still distract the driver by making an unholy racket. Bottles of juice or packets of sweets passed back as a pacifier metamorphose into ammunition with smart targeting onto the driver's head. The best solution is to resort to technology.

Many manufacturers now offer the option of in-car DVD players and it's even possible to get games systems that keep children occupied for hours on end. Technology has improved so much that it's now possible to offer some very advanced in-car systems.

Designer Vision, a London-based company, has forged a reputation as some of the most innovative thinkers in fitting cars with electronic information and entertainment systems.

With a client list that ranges from the Beckhams to the Blairs via the British Army and a host of car manufacturers who call upon the company to install its more sophisticated options, Designer Vision knows a thing or two about entertainment systems.

All of this costs but it's an expense a growing number are willing to bear. Every part of your car is replaceable apart from the people inside so keeping the kids occupied and secure is invariably a price worth paying.