Last Updated on September 12, 2018 by Keisha Mclean-Green

The 35 days between Thanksgiving and New Years is the busiest long-distance-travel period of the year. More drivers travel 50 miles or more away from their hometown during this holiday season than any other time of year. In the past few years, the number of drivers has increased as more and more people opt to save money on travel and choose driving instead of flying. Even though the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can be stressful, it doesn’t have to affect your driving. Here are a few tips to keep yourself and your passengers safe on the road this holiday season.

Plan Ahead

• Tune up-before you start your trip, make sure your vehicle is in good shape for travel.
• Be flexible in setting your travel plans. Leave early if you can to avoid the peak traffic hours.
• If you are traveling an unfamiliar route, program your GPS with your destination before you begin travel or go “old school” and print the directions. The idea is to give yourself time to familiarize yourself with the directions in case of traffic jams or detours. Be prepared to adjust your route if necessary.
• Since 41% of fatal traffic accidents are single vehicle crashes that most often occur during the late night/early morning hours and the late afternoon hours to drivers who are tired, have consumed alcohol, or both, the US Department of Transportation warns if possible, drivers should try to stay off the road between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m., when drunk driving accidents are most likely (source: smithjonessolicitors.co.uk/road-traffic-accidents/car-accident-claims).
• Give yourself time to get to your destination. This will help you keep your speed down, which allows you to be alert and drive safely.
• If the weather is bad, consider revising your plans so you won’t have to travel on icy or snowy roads. Arriving safely is more important than arriving at a certain time.

Remember Driver Safety 101

• Buckle up-a safety belt is your best defense in a crash. Make sure all passengers are properly secured, front and back and remember, the rear seat is the safest place for children of any age to ride.
• Remember to keep your eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and your mind on driving.
• Pay attention-don’t drive distracted. Don’t text and drive and don’t use your smartphone for directions unless you have a voice navigation to prevent you from using it while you’re driving.
• Maintain the proper following distance of at least 6 – 8 seconds of distance between you and the driver ahead
• Use turning signals to communicate in traffic, giving drivers around you time to see you to prevent accidents.

Don’t Drink And Drive…Please!

If you are hosting or attending a holiday party that serves alcohol, plan ahead so that you either have a designated driver or can stay long enough to sober up before getting behind the wheel. If you are the host, keep an eye on your guests and help them either by providing a place to stay or stop serving alcohol after a certain hour in consideration of guests who have to drive. Here are a few steps you can take to prevent holiday drinking and driving.

• Offer plenty of non-alcoholic drinks and limit the amount of alcoholic drinks. While many guests may want to enjoy the holidays with an alcoholic drink, offer non-alcoholic drinks as an option.
• Ask someone to be a designated driver. It’s one of the simplest rules to follow, but also one of the most effective in keeping people safe on the roads.
• Call a taxi or cab. If someone should not be driving and they insist on going home, call a cab for them instead of allowing them to take the risk of driving home.
• Serve food if you’re serving alcohol. Drinking on an empty stomach can cause a person to become intoxicated faster. Offering food along with drinks may help prevent guests from over-indulging on alcohol alone.

Wherever your holiday travel lead you this year, we wish you Happy Holidays and Safe Travels!

Source: US Department of Transportation

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Reference: Orlando Personal Injury Attorney – Florida Personal Injury Lawyers.