Hitting the Road This Holiday Season? Minimize Your Travel Risks.
Hitting the Road This Holiday Season?
The holidays are a time to reconnect with family and friends. Parties are scheduled and travel spikes, so safety should be top of mind. No matter if you are traveling near or far, by plane or car, we want to make sure that your holiday travels are safe.
What Makes Driving During the Holidays So Dangerous?
Holiday road trips are particularly dangerous because of the increase in accidents and fatalities. There is so much to do in so little time, which leads to increased stress and less patience. Traveling by car during the holidays has the highest fatality rate of any major form of transportation based on fatalities per passenger mile. If you’re hitting the road this year, be sure your vehicle is in good running condition, get plenty of rest and be prepared for any emergency. Here’s how to minimize your travel risk:
- Prepare your car for winter and keep an emergency kit with you.
- Get a good night’s sleep before departing and avoid drowsy driving.
- Leave early, planning ahead for heavy traffic.
- Make sure every person in the vehicle is properly buckled up no matter how long or short the distance traveled.
- Put that cell phone away; many distractions occur while driving, but cell phones are the main culprit.
- Practice defensive driving.
- Designate a sober driver to ensure guests make it home safely after a holiday party; alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs can cause impairment.
Be Prepared. Have an Emergency Kit.
A winter storm can leave you spending your holiday stuck in a drift or stranded in a blizzard, particularly if you’re traveling on unfamiliar roads. Be sure to stock your vehicle with items that might be helpful in case of a problem:
- ER™ First Aid Kit
- Pocket Knife
- Phone Charger: You should make sure you have a portable charger or spare battery for your phone to make sure that you can always contact emergency services or family if you run into trouble.
- Warm Blankets and Extra Clothing: You should also have items to help keep you safe if you get stuck and have to wait for rescue. Blankets are crucial to stay warm without having to have the car running.
- ER™ Roadside Tool Kit, Portable Shovel, and Windshield Scraper: Before heading on a trip you should have supplies to help you out if your car breaks down or gets stuck. Standard items such as a jack, spare tire, flares, and a jumper cable are important, but you should also have a portable shovel, tool kit, flashlight, and an ice scraper.
- ER™ Emergency Food and Water: Our ER Emergency Food Bars and Water Pouches are approved by the U.S. Coast Guard to store safely for up to 5 years. Water and non-perishable food can be a life saver, especially if you are traveling on roads that don’t get a lot of traffic.
- Sand or Cat Litter: It’s also a good idea to have sand, cat litter, or gravel to help you get traction if your car should get stuck.
- Flashlight with Extra Batteries: The cold can drain batteries, so make sure you have fresh batteries for your flashlight at the start of each trip.