With Thanksgiving Travel Comes Driving Dangers

Thanksgiving Week is one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, with tens of millions of people hitting the road to spend the holiday with friends and family. Even though Thanksgiving is a beloved holiday with tasty food and quality family time, traveling can be hazardous.
 
It’s extremely important to make sure that your car is safe to drive, whether you’re driving down the street or road tripping to another state. Here are a few things you can do to ensure that your car will safely take you to your destination:

• Fill your tires with air and get them replaced if they are worn.
• Make sure all headlights, turn signals and mirrors are functioning properly.
• Get an oil change if necessary.
• Make sure your insurance information is up to date and valid.
• Fill up your car with gas before leaving.
• Have an emergency kit in your car. It should include bottled water, flashlights, an emergency radio, a blanket, duct tape, a multi-purpose knife, extra batteries, hand warmers, gloves, a small shovel, fire-starters, a first aid kit, medications and jumper cables. Most stores and gas stations have pre-made kits that you can purchase.
• Top your car off with windshield wiper fluid and motor oil and make sure the wiper blades are working.
• Replace your brakes if they are worn down.

  
Once your car is in working order and you’re all packed up, you can finally get on the road. Unfortunately, with Thanksgiving comes driving hazards, including distracted drivers, traffic and bad weather. Here are just a few things you should make sure you do so your trip can go smoothly:

• Don’t text or talk on the phone while driving. If you need to make a phone call or send someone a message, pull over to a safe location.
• Don’t drive after drinking alcohol.
• Fasten your seatbelt. Many accidents result in deaths because a driver or passenger is not wearing a seatbelt.
• If you’re tired, pull over. Even though you want to get to your destination as soon as possible, you could fall asleep behind the wheel at put yourself and others at risk.
• Avoid peak travel dates and peak hours. If you can take a couple of extra days off from work or school, leave for your destination early in the week. The peak travel day is usually the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. If you can’t leave early, drive early in the morning or later in the evening.
• Invest in roadside assistance. If your car breaks down or you get a flat tire, you can get assistance rather than being stranded.
• Bring a GPS and a road map. Most mobile phone GPS applications will adjust your route based on traffic and if technology fails you, you can turn to the road map.
• Have a phone charger in your car and keep your phone charged at all times.
• Keep an eye on the weather. Check your WeatherBug smartphone app often so you can stay up to date on current weather conditions.
• If the weather gets bad, pull over. If it gets too snowy or foggy to drive, pull over to a safe spot well off the road and wait it out.
• Watch for wet leaves because they case cause your vehicle to slide.
• If you encounter a water-covered roadway, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”
• Be cautious of wildlife. Since most animals are more active during this time of year, pay attention to any animals that could run into the road.
• If you aren’t traveling alone, trade off driving duties so you can rest.
• Pay attention to speed limits and road signs.
• Stock up on drinks and snacks so you don’t have to stop as often.
• Be patient! Before you know it, you will be at your destination so you can enjoy the holiday with your loved ones.

Image: Drivers sit in traffic on Interstate 695 outside of Baltimore (Wikimedia Commons)