Thanksgiving Travel Tips

Many Americans will be hitting the road to visit friends and families for one of the most widely celebrated holidays in America-Thanksgiving. If you plan to travel 50 miles or more, this Thanksgiving you will have lots of company on those busy roads and highways. AAA estimates that about 42.5 million people will be traveling 50 or more miles from their homes to visit family and friends this Thanksgiving. This article discusses the most important safe driving tips for Thanksgiving holiday travel.

1. Vehicle Readiness

The first safe driving tip for road travel this Thanksgiving is to make sure your car or vehicle for the trip is in top condition and ready for the trip.Check your tire pressure levels. Fuel up; check all the fluid levels in your car such as oil level, automatic transmission fluid level, Brake fluid, Radiator fluid levels, and window washer fluid level.  Clean your windshield sometimes frost may accumulate on your windows at this time of the year. Try not to drive during extreme bad weather conditions.

2. Pack some snacks and supplies

If you have small children you definitely need snacks for the trip. To keep them entertained and less of a distraction for the driver, pack the IPAD, pack some bottled water, and emergency first-aid kit. Include a flash light and blanket just in case, and depending on the part of the country you will be traveling to you may want to listen to the weather forecast. Some parts of the country may already be experiencing cold weather.

3.Check vehicle Load Capacity

Check the load capacity of your vehicle. In most vehicles it is written on the inside frame of the driver door. Make sure you do not overload your vehicle. A quick way to figure out the weight of your packed luggage and supplies is to weigh them on your scale and add that to the weight of all the passengers.

4. Use a GPS Navigation System

Most Phones now have a GPS navigator; use it to track your route. The GPS will warn you about road traffic conditions and possible accidents ahead, and also show you the nearest gas stations and restaurants along the way.

5. Secure Your Pets

If you are traveling with a pet have your pets secured with harnesses or inside an animal cage. Animals often cause a lot of distraction for the driver. Making sure all your pets are secured one way or another will help the driver focus more on the driving.

6. Use Seat belts

All passengers in your vehicle including the driver must use seat belts for safety. It is also the law in most states in the United States. Young children must be safely secured in their child restraint seats and securely belted in line with age requirements.

7. Obey All Traffic Signs

One of the most important driving tips for Thanksgiving travel is to obey all road traffic signs. You need to be patient when driving during the  Thanksgiving holiday, many more cars will be on the road so you should expect some delays at some point of the trip. Avoid excessive speeding it is one of the major causes of road accidents on highways and interstates.

8. Avoid Distractions

Texting and driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. Talking on the Phone and driving don’t mix either, some states have banned it and others can only allow you to talk with a hands free device. For your safety and the safety of your passengers and other road users, please practice safe driving this Thanksgiving and have a great Turkey Dinner with family and friends!