The holiday season is upon us! It is a joyous time of year, but the holidays usually involve traveling to be with family and friends either local or distant. Thanksgiving and Christmas are huge travel dates, and with so many people visiting their families there is an increased risk for automobile accidents. The holidays are a fun and exciting time of year, so it is important that you take the proper precautions when traveling. Of course, there are the obvious safety precautions to take such as avoiding speeding and not driving while intoxicated, but here are a few more safety tips for driving during the holiday season.
Automobile checkup
Before you go on a trip, it is important to get your car checked out. This includes checking the lights, oil, brake pads, brake fluid, battery, windshield wipers, fan belt, and tires.
Contact information
It is also important before leaving for a trip that you gather contact information for roadside assistance and your car insurance in case you do encounter any problems along the way.
Traveling Plan
Preparing a travel plan for your trip is important for long drives. You can plan to stay at hotels along the way or find interesting places to stop along the way.
Be Prepared
You never know what could happen while driving or what kind of weather you might encounter, such as a thunderstorm or snowstorm, so it is important to be prepared for any situation. Pack items in your car such as a first aid kit, a flashlight, clothes, shoes, and blankets.
Click it or Ticket
It is important that everyone wears their seat belts. Seatbelts are a lifesaver! If you have children in the car make sure that they are buckled properly into their car seats and that their car seats are also properly buckled into the car.
Time to spare
When traveling during the holidays you should try to leave early, so that you will not be in a rush. Leaving early will help make up time that you may lose due to extra holiday traffic or pit stops.
Avoid the road rage
More traffic during the holidays can lead to aggravation. Try to relax and avoid road rage, so that you do not put yourself into a dangerous driving situation.
Bad weather
You can run into bad weather at any time while driving. It is imperative that you are extra cautious while driving in dangerous conditions including fog, rain, snow, or ice. If you encounter bad weather while driving, you have to be extra careful! Take your time and drive slowly!
Hours
If you are traveling far and have a long drive ahead of you, try to avoid driving more than ten consecutive hours.
Rest
Take resting breaks when you start to feel tired. You can stop at a rest station or just pull off of the side of the road. If you have more people in the car with you that can drive then you should take turns. It is not worth putting yourself in danger by driving drowsy. Dozing off while driving can happen in an instant, so do not increase your risk of an accident.
Put down the Phone
Do not be on your cell phone while driving a vehicle. There are so many accidents that occur every day because of talking or texting while driving. There is plenty of time to talk on the phone once you reach your destination. If there is a need to make a call, pull off the road until you are finished. You do not need extra distractions.
The writer, Anna Donato, is a freelance writer who specializes in travel and auto topics. For helping get prepped for holiday travel, she makes sure to always get her vehicle inspected through Ray Weatherspoon. You can learn more about Anna on Google+.
