Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing sights on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.
Joy