As the holiday season approaches, people start planning their celebrations. Many families get together to celebrate the winter holidays with a big meal or party. For some families, road trips are more cost-effective and practical than trying to fly to attend holiday celebrations.
Unfortunately, driving across the state or to another county for holiday celebrations can put people on the road on some of the most dangerous days to drive. The following are some of the ways that people can reduce the risk of a holiday road trip turning into a negative experience because of a crash.
Travel early and stay late
The most dangerous days to drive around the holidays include on the holidays themselves and the weekends immediately before and after the major federal holidays. Whenever possible, arriving a day or two early and staying a day or two extra can be a smart, safe decision.
Avoid common distractions
There are several dangerous sources of distraction that can affect safety on the way to a holiday party or vacation. Children fussing in the backseat can quickly become a distraction, so parents may need to plan to keep them entertained. Checking directions can also be a source of distraction, so drivers may either need to treat their passengers as navigators who assist them or take the time to program their destination into their GPS device before they get behind the wheel. They should also try to limit eating or drinking while driving.
Impairment is a concern
Many holiday celebrations involve alcohol. People drink beer while watching football games on Thanksgiving or enjoy eggnog with their families on Christmas Eve. The tendency to enjoy alcohol around the holidays can make it unsafe for people to head back home after the end of their holiday get-togethers. Limiting how much alcohol one enjoys or asking to spend the night after inviting a bit too much is far safer than trying to head home as soon as possible after consuming alcohol socially. When people have spent hours celebrating with family members, the combination of alcohol consumption and fatigue can be especially dangerous.
Having a few safety rules in place can take much of the risk out of traveling for holiday celebrations with loved ones. Those who are proactive about safety can reduce the risk of a motor vehicle collision that might make the holidays a tragic anniversary instead of a fun opportunity to get together.
