Travel Safely This Holiday Season

The holidays can be a hectic time of year that sends many of us frantically buzzing about town, which sometimes causes us to lower our guard against getting into an accident. Here are some important things to remember when you head out this holiday season.

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1. Winterize your car

   The most important thing you can do in advance, if you haven't already, is winterize your car. This entails checking windshield washer and anti-freeze fluid levels, checking tire pressure, and preparing emergency kits and equipment. These simple things keep your car operating optimally and protect you in case of an incident.

2. Only drive when you are alert

   Keep in mind that a lot of accidents are caused by people driving when they are too tired. This can happen from eating an abundant amount of food (not to name names…turkey), drinking, or simply being physically exhausted. Having cold water to drink in your car and cracking a window helps prevent getting too cozy with that heater that's putting you to sleep. Most importantly, take tiredness seriously. If you're too tired, don't drive.

3. Plan ahead if you are going to drink

   Drunk driving is the worst thing you could do. Everyone has been to that holiday party and sipped down one too many. If you've been drinking faster than one drink per hour, plan on taking a cab home or having a designated sober driver. If you are at someone's house, consider staying over if that is an option; they would rather see you spend the night than get into an accident.

4. If you're the host, there are some things you can do to promote responsible drinking:

   • Provide plenty of non-alcoholic beverages.
   • Don't pressure people to drink.
   • Serve plenty of food throughout the night to slow the rate of absorption of alcohol.
   • Attempt to stop serving alcohol at least an hour before the party is over, and offer to serve coffee.
   • If guests appear to be drunk tell them you'll call them a cab or arrange a ride with a sober driver.

5. Drive carefully

   You should always wear a seat belt and slow down at night. Drivers around you may have had something to drink and you don't want to rely on their slowed reaction time. And have your directions planned out in advance. A lot of us travel for the holidays, so an unfamiliar place may require us to spend some time planning out our trip before jumping into the car.

If you follow some of these simple tips, you'll keep yourself from some serious danger during this special time of year, not to mention everyone else on the road. You alone can reduce the number of accidents and save lives by using a little more caution and common sense. In addition, you'’ll have a much more enjoyable holiday by keeping your friends and family out of harms way.

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