11 Holiday Travel Safety Tips

Tips for safe holiday travel 

Holidays are a wonderful, fun time of the year. But with the holiday season, comes the massive increase in holiday-related travel. Thousands of people move around the country, from city-to-city or state-to-state, to celebrate the holidays with their family and friends. Keep you and your vehicle safe this season with these 11-holiday travel safety tips. 

Keep reading to learn how you can be a safe driver on the road no matter what the holidays have in store! 

Holiday travel safety tip #1: Check road conditions 

It is not easy to predict the weather and the road conditions, especially if you are traveling across the country. Yet check the road conditions before you head out. You can find weather-related information on Traffic.com or Weather.com. There are also many useful apps that will keep you up to date with the road conditions during the time you travel. 

Holiday travel safety tip #2: Pack supplies 

There is an old saying stating you should always have food and water supplies, and warm clothes. A bag of food and clothes and a few bottles of water will not take too much space in the car. You never know what may come your way and be prepared is the best way and always a good example for your children. 

Holiday travel safety tip #3: Prepare your car for the long travel 

No matter the distance you will travel during the holidays, winter traveling always require additional tune-ups. You may need to change your car’s tires and wiper blades, so check them out, don’t wait until you leave your garage to find out you have to do that. 

Holiday travel safety tip #4: Check your emergency kit 

Do you have one? Don’t answer this question. I am sure you do! Double check it and make sure you have a first aid kit, tire repair kit, flares, and fire extinguisher. 

Holiday travel safety tip #5: Cell phone always near – car charger ready! 

It happens to me so often that I could not miss that one. Have your cell phone car charger with you in the car, plugged in at all times! Remove this sentence: You never know when the smartphone you trust with all your personal information will show you how stupid it can act. 

Having your cell phone on hand while you’re traveling ensures that you’ll have a clear line of communication no matter where you go.  

Holiday travel safety tip #6: Child safety seat 

If you are traveling with little children, under 8 years old, you should have installed a child safety seat. Make sure you have done so properly, and the seat is the right size. Always keep an eye on your child during the trip. 

Holiday travel safety tip #7: Buckle up! 

Now that you have taken care of your children, please do take care of yourself! You have most likely heard the national ‘Click it or ticket’ slogan. This campaign is aimed exactly to help save lives because many people do not probably believe the power of the seat belt. 

Holiday travel safety tip #8: Do not drink and drive

There is no better way to say that. Do not drink and drive. Never ever! Think about the consequences. We all know how alcohol affects us – let’s not argue about that now. Many people will say that there is nothing wrong with one beer, but in fact, there is – it falls under the drink and drive when you are on the road violations, which make you a danger on the road automatically. 

Distracted driving …during the Holidays 

Driving while talking on the phone or texting is as dangerous as driving under influence. So, is that simply – don’t drive and text or talk on the phone. It’s winter, and you are going to visit relatives for the Holidays to have fun and share the joy. Don’t ruin it with one text message or phone call. 

Holiday travel safety tip #9: Keep your eyes on the road 

So, basically after talking about distracted driving and driving under influence, we would like to tell you to keep your eyes on the road. I know it can get hectic in the car when the whole family travels together and everybody is excited about the holidays, but the driver should keep his / her eyes on the road. 

Holiday travel safety tip #10: Don’t speed 

One of the last, but not least advises is don’t speed … simply leave early. We all want to get home for the holidays as early as possible, but don’t risk your safety for that. Take it easy and drive safe, not fast. Slow down and take your time when traveling for the Holidays across the country. The roads will be busy so you should be careful and keep in mind that safety is the first priority. 

Holiday travel safety tip #11: Checking the weather on the go – there is an app for that 

Just like checking the road conditions, you need to be checking the weather as it may change drastically from state to state. Use your smartphone for that – there are tons of apps  that will keep you up to date with the weather. If your cell phone does not allow for that, simply check the weather for each state you are passing through before you leave.