"I am a worrier mum. I worry about my kids all the time."

I am a worrier mum. I worry about my kids all the time.

I used to worry that they weren’t eating enough red meat, now I worry that I’ve been giving them too much red meat. I worry if they’re out in the sun too long, but then what if they’re not out in the sun enough?

It’s like every day I read the news and find something new to worry about. Who would have thought vegetable oil was so dangerous that we’d be better off cooking in butter or lard? Do I have to throw out my kids’ crayons in case they have asbestos in them? Is it true that children grow up with a stronger immune system if you wash dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher? (Please don’t let it be true. I couldn’t go back to washing dishes by hand.)

How about screentime – is it bad for kids’ eyes, their brains, their self-esteem? And if I don’t let my kids have any screentime, when do I get to sit down and have a quiet glass of wine?

I’m sure worrying is a natural part of being a parent. I’m sure that other parents felt the same way I did, when I was holding my newborn baby: “What, you’re trusting me with the responsibility of keeping her alive? Me?” Yep, that massive responsibility is mine, and will be for years to come.

I guess the key is to work out what’s really important when it comes to looking after our kids, and then do something about it. We have to make sure we don’t get so overwhelmed by the deluge of warnings that we overlook the simple things that protect our kids on a day-to-day basis.

The fact is, the leading cause of death for Australian children aged between one and 14 is land transport accidents. That comes ahead of cancer or any kind of diseases or accidental poisoning. It means that what we really need to worry about it keeping our kids safe when they’re on the road.

TAP and scroll through the gallery for eight ways to survive a family road trip these school holidays. Post continues after video... 

One way we can reduce the risk of road accidents is by making sure we have the best possible tyres on our cars. The tyres are one of the most crucial safety features of a car. They’re the only contact between the car and the road. It’s through the tyres that you control the car’s acceleration, braking and cornering. It’s not worth going for the cheapest option when it comes to tyres, because they’re just too important.

For the past 100 years, Goodyear has been helping to keep Australian families safe on the roads. The company is a leader in tyre innovation and safety and an award winner in the field.

This year their Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tyres took out the best Traction Tyres category in Off Road trade magazine while their Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 tyres won the 2012 Motor Magazine Tyre Test.

One innovation introduced by Goodyear in 2005 that impressed me is RunOnFlat tyres. These tyres have reinforced sidewalls, so they can be driven on for up to 80km after a blowout or puncture, helping to keep my safe in those dangerous situations.

My kids today are safer than they’ve ever been. In fact, the child mortality rate in Australia is less than half what it was in the 1980s, mostly due to less kids dying in transport accidents.

I’m going to keep worrying about my kids, but I’m going to try to only worry about the important things.

What other things do you worry about as a parent?

WATCH Goodyear throughout the years...