The official holiday travel season is now in full swing, and your family probably has plans to join the thousands of other travelers on the roads in the next couple of months. Before you start packing your bags, there are a few things to go over.
A road trip is meant for fun, family, and respite. You want to make sure none of those things are injured during the drive, so it’s important to take certain steps before you leave. Here is a quick breakdown of some effective holiday safety tips for you and your family.
Make a vehicle maintenance checklist
The last thing you want on a holiday road trip is to experience a mechanical breakdown. You should take certain precautions before hitting the road.
Check your vehicle’s fluids. The oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid, coolant, and transmission fluid are all vital to the proper function of your vehicle.
Check your tires. Make sure you have plenty of tread on the tires, and that the air pressure in each of them is balanced. Also, check your windshield wipers. Getting caught in a rainstorm with bad wipers is no fun. Not to mention, it’s not safe.
Get plenty of sleep the night before
Without proper sleep, your mind and body don’t function at top capacity. Make sure you get a full night’s sleep before leaving for your road trip and don’t overextend yourself.
Driving tired is one of the leading causes of car accidents, especially during the holiday season. You don’t want to spend your holiday vacation handling the aftermath of a car accident.
Plan your route ahead of time
Plan the route you and your family deem best before hitting the road. Using GPS is great (and helpful) but you will feel a lot more confident in your journey if you already know what lies ahead.
Lay out a direct route, and be ready to adjust a bit along the way. Traffic jams, construction, and rush hours are all reasons your GPS may reroute your vehicle, but preplanning will help to set a rough time frame for your trip.
Don’t be afraid to stop for breaks
While you travel, stay hydrated, and don’t be hesitant to stop for breaks. Holding your bodily fluids for an extended period of time isn’t healthy, and it won’t help your focus to have to pee. Stop when you need to stop, and don’t pressure yourself along the way.
Drive cautiously at all times
The most significant piece of advice anyone could hear before a road trip is to stay alert. Don’t allow yourself to get wrapped up in whatever is going on inside of the vehicle.
Loud music, fiddling with dials, and too much interaction inside the cab can turn dangerous in an instant. Have fun, but keep your eyes on the road.
Originally posted on December 3, 2018 @ 8:05 am
