12 Tips to Travel Safely This Holiday Season

The holiday season is finally here, and many individuals are expected to take to the road to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. However, this is one of the seasons where everything is more-- the costs, the hassles, the crowds, the weather, and the traffic. That means there is an increase in safety risks for every driver on the road.

Therefore, while you are most likely obsessed over the Christmas dinner menu, it's important to take time to plan your travel to ensure you have the safest and most hassle-free holiday possible. Here are a few tips to help you plan and keep safe during this holiday season.

Optimize your home safety before you travel

Peace of mind is essential as you take up holiday travel. One way you can ensure your peace of mind is by preparing your home for safety while you are away. Ensure that your security systems, such as motion detectors, alarms, and cameras, are working correctly.

You should also set a programmable thermostat to a reasonable temperature to reduce your heating and air condition usage and ensure you don't return to a stuffy house. Furthermore, ensure that you cancel any regular deliveries and arrange for regular snow removal while you are away from home.

Have your vehicle serviced

Vehicle issues are one of the most common problems people face during the holiday season. Therefore, it's essential to ensure your vehicle is in good working condition before you embark on your holiday trip.

You can enjoy a safer and more reliable driving experience by taking your car in for an inspection. Ensure that your mechanic does the following:

• Check the tire pressure
• Check the engine oil levels
• Ensures the emergency lights, blinkers, brake lights, and headlights are working properly
• Refills the engine coolant and windshield wiper fluid if necessary
• Ensures that the tires are winter-ready

In addition to the vehicle maintenance, ensure that you have an emergency kit in your vehicle. Your car emergency kit should comprise things such as jumper cables, a tire repair kit, a flashlight, a carjack, a safety cone, and a first-aid kit.

Avoid high-traffic days

Driving in traffic is never fun, and it increases the chances of frustration during the travel seasons. Therefore, ensure that you avoid driving during peak travel days, such as Friday, Dec 2023.

Research shows that 55.4 million people will travel more than 50 miles away from their residence. 49.1% of the 55.4 million people will travel by car. These statistics indicate that there will be high traffic during this holiday season.

Another thing to note is that high traffic congestion increases the chances of car accidents. Therefore, if you must travel during busy travel days, consider driving before 11 a.m. to avoid high traffic.

Stay healthy

The holiday season takes place during winter, which may increase the risk of catching a viral cold or giving your travel companions a cold. Washing your hands, staying hydrated, and eating a diet with plenty of veggies and fruits can help you stay healthy during this cold season.

Another thing to note is that traveling, especially flying, can negatively impact your immune system. It can make you more susceptible to getting sick by bringing you in contact with unfamiliar germs. It can disrupt your circadian rhythm, so you should consider taking immunity-boosting vitamins and doing regular exercises to stay healthy.

Plan ahead of time

Anything can happen during the holiday season, including severe traffic, road closures, or construction. Therefore, proper planning will ensure that you are well-prepared for your holiday travel.

If you are planning to drive, ensure that you plan alternate routes ahead of time. You can use tools like the vehicle navigation system to ensure you stay on track.

Another thing that most travelers forget as they plan for their journey is getting car insurance coverage. Having the right auto insurance while traveling doesn't just give you peace of mind but it's required by law in almost every state.

Be well rested

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration establishes that fatigue is one of the main reasons for car accidents. Therefore, if you are planning to take a road trip for the holiday season, ensure that you are well-rested.

Get plenty of rest and sleep the day before your travel begins. You need to ensure that you do not drive tired. Enough rest will enable you to be more aware of potential dangers on the road.

Drive safely on icy roads

As stated above, the holiday season comes in during winter, when the roads will be snowy and icy. Thus, you must know how to navigate the slushy, wet, and icy roads safely. Here are a few of the tips to ensure safe driving on icy roads:

• Decrease your driving speed if necessary.
• Avoid driving till the roads have been sanded and ploughed.
• Do not drive too close to other cars on icy roads. Ensure you leave plenty of room to stop safely on slick roads.
• Do not rush when the streets are in suboptimal conditions.

Use children's safety seats properly

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, road accidents are the leading cause of death for kids between the ages of 1 and 13. Proper use of child seats can reduce the risk of injury or death than with seat belts or no restraints. Here are a few ways to ensure proper car seat use:

• Use the ideal car seat for your kids: Different car seats are perfect for children of varying ages and sizes, so ensure the type of car seat you use is ideal for your child.
• Install the car seat correctly: Ensure that you follow the manufacturer's guidelines on car seat installation.
• Keep your children safe in the car seats: Children should ride rear-facing from infancy until age 2. Once they are 2, you can change the car seat to a forward-facing aircraft seat.

Sanitize your hands regularly

As you travel during the holiday season, you are highly likely to go through densely populated areas, like airports, movie theatres, or malls. In these areas, you are likely to come into contact with germs from different surfaces and other individuals.

Furthermore, you may be exposed to unfamiliar germs, which your body may find hard to fight. Therefore, ensure that you avoid high-touch surfaces as you travel and use a hand sanitizer regularly to kill germs. You can also consider wearing a face mask to protect yourself from respiratory diseases.

Obtain travel insurance

Travel insurance can give you peace of mind and protection if anything unexpected occurs during your trip. For instance, if your road trip gets interrupted for a covered reason or you or your passenger get injured while on your journey, the policy is designed to help you cover those expenses. Unexpected things happen, but if you have travel insurance, you can relax and enjoy your vacation, knowing that you are protected.

Notify your family and friends of your travel plans

Before you leave for your holiday trip, notify your family and friends of your travel plans. Notifying your family and friends of your plans will help them quickly reach out to you in case of an emergency on the road. Note that having someone know where you are as you travel is always safe.

Be on the watch for road hazards

Snow during winter can look pretty, but it still poses a driving hazard. Poor traction, for instance, can cause trouble such as aggravating delays, major traffic tie-ups or collisions. Therefore, ensure you are extra cautious as you drive, especially at night. You should also be on the watch for slippery roads, especially during wet or rainy days. In addition, ensure your tires can adequately grip the road to increase safety.

Summing it up

The holiday season is one of the most beautiful times of the year to travel. However, it can be pretty dangerous if you do not plan accordingly. Fortunately, wherever your destination for the coming Thanksgiving, by car, ship or plane, these travel safety tips will help ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday travel.