5 Tips To Make Your Holiday Road Trip Safer
The holiday season is coming at us fast, which means it’s time to make plans to celebrate the special time with family and friends. If your plans include a long road trip, consider these tips before you pull out of the driveway. It will make your journey safer for everyone and make sure everything is merry and bright.
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Clean the backseat
If you’re driving with small children this holiday season, inspect the backseat before you buckle them in. Parents says you should make sure that you activate child locks and move dangerous items, like windshield scrapers or antifreeze, out of reach of small hands.
Plan your overnight stop
If you have an especially long way to go, it’s in your best interest to plan for an overnight stop. Drowsy driving is dangerous, so it’s better to pull into a hotel for some well-deserved rest instead of risking a ticket or accident. SafeMotorist.com adds that part of your planning should involve making a reservation for lodging. It’s possible that an event or holiday traffic will make finding a room difficult, and you don’t want to be searching for a hotel when all you want to do is sleep.
Secure your cargo
As Parents points out, when your car is moving at 40 mph, so is your cargo. If you’re driving a crossover or other vehicle with the cargo area open to the passenger compartment, make sure your luggage is arranged and secured. If you need to make an emergency stop, this preparation will prevent flying projectiles in the cabin.
Check the weather
You probably check the weather at your destination so you know what to pack in your suitcase, but you should also check the weather along your route. As Autotrader reports, holiday weekends later in the year are subject to winter weather and its slippery risks. Knowing what you’re heading into will help you be prepared and give you an opportunity to refresh your driving knowledge before you head out into the flurries or rain.
Keep It Up: Take your vehicle in for service before a big trip
Share your route
Before you head out, Travel Insurance Review recommends sharing your travel route and arrival plans with one person you’re visiting with and one back home. This way there is someone watching out to insure you make it to your destinations or get concerned if you don’t show up. We know that sounds especially gruesome, but if the worst should happen it’s worth having a trusted person to alert authorities and start a search.
These aren’t the only things you should do for a road trip, but they will go a long way towards giving you piece of mind and helping you have a happy holiday.
Tip sources: Parents, Travel Insurance Review, SafeMotorist.com, Autotrader
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