Winter Holidays Travel Tips

A lot of people decide to travel during the holiday season, and many of them do so by road. With many people traveling on the roads, it is important to take steps to avoid car accidents and reach your destination safely. The following are some safety tips for drivers planning to hit the road for holiday travel.
Plan Ahead
Planning the trip ahead of time can not only save time, it can prevent a rushed trip where a driver feels the need to speed. Planning to leave home for the trip at a time that gives you half an hour to an hour of extra travel time can make a big difference. This extra time can help if there is unexpectedly heavy holiday traffic, and can help lower the temptation to speed in order to reach a destination.
Visit a Mechanic
It is important to have the car you are traveling in checked by a qualified auto mechanic before taking the trip. Checking for mechanical issues and fixing them before taking the car on the road is important to ensure that you do not get stranded on the side of the road in bad winter conditions. It is also important to ensure that your car’s mechanical issues do not cause a chain reaction accident, for example if your brakes fail and you run into a car in front of you, causing other cars to crash into you.
Take Breaks Often
Take frequent breaks when traveling. If you are taking a long cross-country trip, you should not drive for long stretches without stopping for breaks, including sleep breaks when necessary. Sleeping when tired can cause accidents because you cannot focus on the road. If you drive while sleepy, you cannot react to sudden changes or dangers on the road, and this can lead to serious accidents. If you are traveling with other qualified and licensed drivers, you should switch out drivers frequently to get some rest while still saving travel time.
Limit Distractions While Driving
Along the same lines, you should limit the distractions that could interfere with your ability to concentrate on driving. These distractions can include using your cell phone, changing radio stations, or attending to your children while you drive. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving caused thousands of death in 2015, and was responsible for hundreds of thousands of injuries to people in car accidents. Therefore, limiting distractions is extremely important when you are traveling for the holidays.
Do Not Drink and Drive
Avoid drinking and driving at all costs. Not only could this cause accidents, drinking and driving can lead to criminal charges. Even if you have one drink, you could be impaired enough to cause an accident, depending on how your body reacts to the alcohol. If you want to have a drink at a holiday party, designate a person to get you home safely, or get a cab or ride sharing car to pick you up.
Contact Us for Legal Assistance
If you are injured in a car accident with a negligent driver who does not take the necessary steps to avoid a car accident during the holiday travel season, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. to learn how you can seek compensation for your injuries.