Mother’s Day Gift Ideas to Improve Mom’s Life Behind the Wheel

As Mother’s Day approaches — May 12 is almost here — we’re well aware that today’s moms often spend a great deal of time behind the wheel. They’re constantly shuttling family members back and forth to school, activities and their own work. So why not pick a Mother’s Day gift that will improve the quality of all that time she spends driving around?

With that in mind, we’ve selected some great gifts that will elevate her driving experience. Here, are RepairPal’s Mother’s Day gift ideas for the mom on the go:

Gifts to improve Mom’s safety

We all want our moms to be as safe as possible behind the wheel. These items will provide an extra margin of safety:

Rear-view camera: While this valuable safety feature is now mandatory in new cars, many older vehicles do not have one. But you can get your own! Most use a camera that attaches to your rear license plate, transmitting an image to a screen that mounts to your dashboard. Some versions even use your smartphone as the video screen.

A rear-view camera is a great thing for Mom to have, especially if she drives a truck or SUV that has poor rear visibility. Depending on the model, installation may be required.

Polarized sunglasses: Here we have a combination of safety and style. Polarized lenses are ideal for blocking out the glare on a sunny day. Sunglasses with polarized lenses are available at all price points and in a wide variety of different looks. If Mom wears prescription glasses, you can get her some clip-on polarized lenses that will fit right over her regular glasses.

Dash-mounted smartphone holder and charger: We do not advocate any type of distracted driving, but if Mom uses her phone for navigation and streaming music, this is an excellent solution.

Depending on the style, these mounts can attach to the air vents, the top of the dash, or the windshield (where legal). Having the phone mounted up high, directly in her field of vision, means that Mom will not need to take her eyes off the road. Some mounts even offer wireless charging, which is a very convenient feature.

Gifts to improve Mom’s comfort

The issue of comfort inside your car is very often related to temperature. These Mother’s Day gift ideas will keep Mom warmer when it’s cold out, as well as cooler when it’s warm!

Remote starter: If Mom has to deal with either very cold or very hot temperatures when she gets into her car, a remote starter can make a big difference in those first few minutes. Starting the car before getting into it lets it warm up in winter and cool down in summer.

Remote starters usually require installation, and are often sold by car stereo installers, window tinting shops, and other aftermarket auto parts sellers. If Mom can’t see her car from inside the home, consider upgrading to a two-way remote, which will confirm that Mom’s car has actually started, after you send the signal.

Windshield sun shade: A custom-fitted, folding sunshade is a great way to block the damaging rays of the sun, and also keep the interior cooler. Avoid the cheap, flimsy universal versions that don’t fit right, don’t last, and don’t have sufficient heat insulation to keep Mom’s interior cool. A quality sun shade costs a bit more, but it will do its job for many years, keeping Mom cooler and preserving her car’s interior.

Heated travel mug: If your mom likes coffee, this is the perfect gift for her, and is very affordable. This is basically a travel mug with a built-in heating element that plugs right into the car’s power or USB outlet. Hot coffee guaranteed! Some higher-end models have built-in rechargeable batteries, which will keep Mom’s beverage hot, in or out of the car.

Gifts to entertain Mom in her car

Here is one great Mother’s Day gift idea that is sure to satisfy anyone who is a music fan, no matter what type or style of musical entertainment she prefers:

Satellite radio tuner: If Mom’s car is not equipped with satellite radio, this is a great gift that pays dividends year round. Whatever type or types of music Mom likes to listen to, she can find it on satellite radio’s many different channels. She can listen anywhere, uninterrupted by commercials, with no distance-related limitations (as long as she can see the sky).

The tuners are inexpensive, as they are basically a way to sell you the satellite radio subscription. Professional installation is a good idea if you are unable to do it yourself. And the subscription rates are negotiable, so this gift idea may not be as expensive as you imagine.

Gifts to make Mom’s car neater and cleaner

Mom spends a lot of time in her car, so here are some Mother’s Day gift ideas that will make it a cleaner and neater place for her, during her daily driving:

Full detailing job: If you really want to wow your Mom, have her vehicle professionally detailed, inside and out. Her car will look like it did when it rolled out of the showroom! This will not be inexpensive, but it will be appreciated. Another appearance-related option is to have the minor dings, dents, and scratches removed by a body shop, if Mom’s car is looking a bit banged up.

Floor and cargo mats: A set of custom floor mats are a great way to minimize the wear on the carpeting in Mom’s car. If Mom has to routinely deal with heavy rains or bad winter weather on her travels, custom floor liners will trap all sorts of dirt, muck and liquids, keeping these things from ruining the carpeting underneath. The same goes for the trunk or cargo area – a carpeted, rubber, or molded plastic mat or liner back there will keep that area clean as well.

Cargo organizer: This is a rectangular, partitioned, open-topped container for all those items that Mom likes to keep in her car. The cargo organizer sits in the trunk or cargo area, keeping everything in one place until it is needed. These are inexpensive, durable, and extremely functional.

Gap fillers: This is an ingenious new item that answers an important question: how do you keep small items from falling into that inaccessible space between your front seats and the center console? Made of rubber, these gap fillers fit over your seat belt buckles and move forward and back with the seat, filling the gap. If you drop something, it can’t slip down and is easily retrieved.