Christmas Travel Safety

The Holidays are nearly here and you know what that means.  The kickoff to the holiday travel season is about to begin.  Nearly 63.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Christmas holidays.  And more than 82% of all holiday travelers intend to travel by car.  Here are some road safety tips for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Make sure your car is well equipped for travel.  Check the tires, battery, antifreeze and brakes.  Check that your spare tire is properly inflated and that your cell phone is fully charged.

Keep a safety kit in your vehicle.  The kit should include a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, first aid kit, water, blankets, flares and non-perishable food items.  You should also include an ice scraper, small shovel and some kitty litter in case you get stuck in the snow.

Even if the weather and roads look okay in your neighborhood, that may not be the case 100 miles away.  Check the Weather Channel to find out the weather conditions of the roads and interstates you will be traveling on.

Avoid driving during late night hours, especially on the weekends, where there is an increased incidence of drunk driving.  Make sure to wear your seat belt.  Each year, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, seat belts save an estimated 15,000 lives.  And allow extra time in your schedule.  This is one of the busiest times to travel and patience and flexibility is needed.