How To Stay Safe While Driving During the Holidays

It’s that time of year, friends. The time when our roads, bi-ways, and highways are at their busiest. Folks going home to see their families, friends gathering, people coming together to celebrate the most delicious day of the year: Thanksgiving.

And because here at eTags it’s sort of our thing to help out, we’ve compiled a handy list of tips on how to stay safe while driving during the holidays. A quick perusal can make all the difference when it comes to having a happy, healthy, and stress-free travel season. Ready? Here goes:

How To Travel Safely During the Holidays.

Pre-Trip:

Know your route: This might sound like a no-brainer, especially since everybody and their mom has GPS, Google Maps, Waze, or something similar with them as they travel. However, it’s a good idea to have an idea before you get in the car and plug in the address of your destination. Even just glancing at the map for a quick visual can help your brain while actually driving. A little planning can go a long way particularly if you open that map app only to encounter detours and reroutes. Knowing this ahead of time can help you avoid stress and lateness.

Get Your Vehicle in Top Shape

For those of you who will be driving through inclement weather – and even those who’ll have nothing but sunshine and fair skies – preparing your car is of utmost importance. You may even want to pop into a mechanic to give your ride a once over. But if you’re checking your car on your own, here are some elements to keep in mind as you go through your maintenance checklist:

• Oil and other fluids
• Brakes
• Tire pressure
• Windshield wipers
• Head and taillights

Create an Emergency Kit

No one wants to get stuck at the side of the road, ever. But if you do for some reason, there are a few things that can help save the day. You may want to consider a kit that has the following:

• Water
• Blankets
• Snacks
• Flashlight + batteries
• A first-aid kit (here’s OSHA’s recommendation)
• Fully charged phone power bank
• Jumper cables

Get Your Zzzz’s

If you’ve ever driven while tired, you know this is one of the worst experiences…not to mention incredibly dangerous. So make sure and get some good rest the night before you’re due to travel. A well-rested driver is an alert, careful, relaxed driver.

Mid-Trip:

Stay Sober

Any alcohol (or other substances) is too much if you plan to get behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. Designate a driver who is committed to staying sober, or consider alternatives like taxis, car shares, or staying over for the night.

Buckle Up

Seatbelts save lives. Make sure that you and all your passengers are buckled in. And if you’ve got little ones riding with you, that their car seats are well-secured and safe.

Go Hands Free

Phones can be incredibly distracting and cause drivers to lose concentration, attention, and care. Save the texts, emails, and social media for when you arrive. And let speakerphone and voice commands do the heavy lifting while you’re on the road.

Give Some Grace

Not everyone on the road will be the same sort of driver. Practice patience, drive defensively, and try not to let the conditions of other drivers, weather, or the like influence your ability to navigate your journey.

And there are our top tips for staying safe on the road this holiday season.

From our team here at eTags: Have a Wonderful, Safe, and Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful for you.