Hints for Hitting the Road
This Holiday Along with the merriness of the holiday season, also come the woes of the added traffic when traveling to visit loved ones. Days grow shorter, and the weather is less welcoming which makes holiday traveling quite the chore if your not properly prepared! To help avoid the pitfalls of winter holiday driving, take a look at our handy tips!
Plan Ahead
- Allow extra time in your schedule. Bad traffic can often be avoided with a little preparation. The heaviest travel occurs the days immediately before and after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Consider taking an extra day off so that you aren't stuck in the pack. Also, give yourself a break from holiday stress by getting the bulk of your shopping done well before the holiday.
- Make sure that your car is well-equipped for travel. Breaking down in the dark, in bad weather, or in the cold can crush the holiday spirit. It's a good idea to take your car in for a winter "check-up." Your mechanic can inspect your anti-freeze, battery, windshield wipers, and other cold weather components.
- Think before you drive. To understand holiday driving conditions, think of the way people act outside of their cars in this time of year. Many are worried, preoccupied, hurried, distracted, and all those states of mind that make them easily agitated and less careful. On the road, this means that you should be more vigilant than usual, give people more distance, and be forgiving when someone does something rash or absent-minded.
- Carry equipment for on-the-road emergencies. If you're traveling in bad weather, you'll want to prepare for problems by packing an emergency kit which would include an ice scraper and brush, flares, blankets, a first-aid kit, flashlight, booster cables, water, and snacks. It's useful to have a shovel to dig out your wheels in case you get stuck, and a bag of kitty litter to pour under the wheels for traction. Also remember to pack the cell phone for emergencies.
- Drive responsibly. Once you get on the road, drive slowly and carefully. It's the time of year when to-do lists can run long, and we all have places where we would much rather be than on the road, but a defensive approach pays off in the long run. And avoid careless accidents, don't drink and drive! Be aware of your physical and legal limits and the potential dangers of intoxicated driving. To avoid other drivers who may have celebrated too much, stay off the roads at high-risk times, such as after nightfall on New Year's Eve.
Following these tips will not only help you prepare to conquer the stressful situations of holiday traveling, but they can also help you stay safe. From all of us here at Michael J. O'Connor & Associates, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!