13 Nov Travel Safe This Holiday Season

This holiday season will be a busy one, with many people on the road traveling to and from grandmother’s house for Christmas. It’s important to stay safe on the road; with that in mind, there are a few rules of thumb to follow to ensure that your trip is as safe as possible.

The first thing to inspect is your vehicle. Are your tires in good shape? Are they pressurized to the right weight, and are the treads worn? It’s good to make sure the part that connects you to the road is in good shape, whether you plan to travel a few hundred miles, or just to the airport. Make sure the oil and transmission fluid levels are topped off, and windshield wiper fluid, too. Have maps or a GPS system on hand so that you don’t get lost, and check in with those at your destination every so often. This way, if something were to happen, they would know where to find you.

The next aspect is making sure everything is taken care of at home. Nothing can ruin a trip faster than the nagging feeling that something has been forgotten or left undone. Before you leave your home, make sure all doors are locked, all windows closed, and that nothing is left plugged in. All packages should be placed in the vehicle. Making a check list is a good way to ensure you take care of everything. And before leaving, ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your home and report any suspicious activity.

The final way to make sure your trip is stress free and enjoyable is to decide that it should be. The mind is a powerful thing; if you let little fears nag at you, it can take the fun from the entire trip. Make a conscious decision with your travel companions to have fun and not to worry. The holiday season is a time of giving and celebration, and it should be spent with family and friends, laughing and talking – not worrying about whether you left something unnecessary at home.
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