Happy Driving: 7 Tips to drive safely during the Holidays

During the upcoming holidays, millions of travelers will come down to the roads. The additional traffic on ThanksGiving and Christmas will bring along some additional pressure for the highway patrols and the traffic police. In addition to the general law such as over-speeding, texting during driving and drunk while driving, in this article we have assembled some additional tips so that you can make the best of your holiday drives - enjoy safely and without any stress. 1. First, make sure your vehicle is in good shape and satisfactorily operational before you go out. Ask a professional to check both the tail and head lamps, oil, condition and pressure level of the tires, brake fluid, belts and hoses, condition of the batter, and antifreeze fluid before you leave. 2. Plan your journey beforehand. Check traffic reports and weather conditions of the roads you’d be driving into before you leave. Keep a paper map with you even though you have a GPS installed in your vehicle since there are times when you GPS might not work. 3. Follow speed limits while you’re on the freeways. If there is congestion, you’ll have to travel below given limits. Drive within your limits and expertise and never get tempted by hostile drivers. By responding to an hostile driver, you’re just inviting hazards. 4. A sound sleep is always recommended before a long trip since it can fill the entire trip with gaiety. Take break on regular intervals on freeways since it might prove to be dangerous if you drive at a stretch and moreover, if you are overly tired. Pull over at regular intervals(around every 100 miles or 2 hours) in a safe area. 5. Stay prepared for emergencies - keep a blanket, boots, an extra pair of gloves, a first-aid, a whistle, a compass some rope, and a good flashlight in the trunk of your car. Keep some sand or traction mats or traditional tyre chains as traction devices to improve traction on icy surface. Also, keep the gas tank at least half-filled in order to prevent fuel line freezing. 6. Make sure your home is secure as you leave. Never post any status of your vacation on social media sites. Enable timers to put on and off the lights as it gives an impression that the property is not vacant. If possible, ask a neighbor or relative or inhabit the property during your vacation. If possible, also park a car in the driveway. 7. Finally, stay calm! Driving during the holidays can be stressful and frustrating, which can result in poor decisions and peculiar behavior behind the wheel. So to avoid all these, pre-planning is necessary. While it can be very frustrating imagining that you’ve to scale hundreds of miles before you reach your destination, a couple of halts on the way can help gain the required oxygen. Relax and concentrate on what is important - reaching your destination safely.