Tips for Traveling on the Road During the Winter Holiday Season

When the Christmas season draws near, families have a tremendous amount of pressure and stress for planning the holidays. Besides shopping for presents and attending multiple holiday parties, families must carefully plan on traveling across the state, and in some cases the country, to see other friends and loved ones. If you're traveling on the road this holiday season, here are a few tips to consider:

Plan your schedule carefully and check the weather.

Your planning can start several days ahead of the trip by getting your calendar out and determining what's the best possible route and date to leave. Keep in mind that Christmas Eve will be one of the busiest days of the year on the road and you'll want to bypass that chaos. I highly recommend taking a few days off prior to Christmas Eve to reduce your chances of hitting traffic jams. If you've got a long trip and it will take several days then I suggest planning your schedule to where you arrive late on the 23^rd or early on the 24^th.

Also, weather can play a significant role to how you plan your trip. If you're traveling through an area where snow or freeing rain is expect then consider going a different route or have a backup plan. This plan could consist of hotel and lodging information in the event you get stuck in the storm. Trust me; planning for those details now is much easier than figuring something out when you're in the midst of a snow storm.

Stock your car with the necessities.

Though most Americans have a reasonably short trip to visit their family, others will travel for hours and even days to their destination. No matter how short or far your trip is I highly recommend planning for everything. Start by packing items that you may need for your vehicle in case of an emergency on the road. For instance, be sure to include a medical kit, jumper cables, extra oil, a spare tire, ice scraper, and chains for the tires in case you hit snow or freezing rain.

It's also important to plan for a traffic jam and sitting still for several hours. Bring a cooler that is filled with several bottles of water and soft drinks, as well as light snacks that will get you through the drive. There's nothing worse than having family members complain about being hungry when you're stuck in traffic and miles from the nearest restaurant. Also, stock the car with entertainment for the family such as books, video games, and I suggest bringing a DVD player for the children. You'll be glad you did it.

Have your car serviced prior to the trip.

This is the most critical step to planning your holiday vacation. It's much wiser to spend an hour to get your car serviced than to ignore it and break down on the side of the road. Winter is extremely hard on a vehicle and your car needs to be in its best condition before you take it on the road. It's similar to running a marathon. You can't expect to do well on a marathon if you haven't trained, worked out, or addressed any pulled muscles. Take your car to a reputable service shop and ask your mechanic to look at all the basic components of your car including the battery status, tire pressure, oil levels, brakes, engine, taillights, headlights, and the internal systems. Your car needs to be in tip top shape and ask for a report of all the items that were checked on your car. You don't want to put the family you love in a vehicle that poses the threat of breaking down on a stretch of dangerous road.

Be patient on the road and have fun.

Once you've hit the road make sure that you've got all the necessary materials with you' whether it's hotel information, a map with the routes you're taking, and contact information in case of an emergency. All of your valuables, including gifts and packages, should be stored in the trunk and away from sight. The holiday season is known for theft and if you make a stop at a gas station or restaurant then you don't want anything in your car attracting a potential thief.

It's critical that you're patient on the road and you're careful since your family is in the car with you. Since you planned the trip several days in advance there should be no rush to get there and you don't need to worry about time. Take your time getting to the destination and drive very defensively. The holiday season brings out all sorts of drivers trying to make deadlines and hurrying from lane to lane. If someone cuts you off, don't feel the impulse to do anything that might endanger your family. Just let the incident go and remain calm. Use your turn signal to indicate where you're going and in case of bad weather make sure you allow plenty of room between your vehicle and the next.

It's also important to have fun on your family trip. This is an exciting time of year and you can make the trip lots of fun. For instance, allow each family member to bring their own favorite Christmas CD or tape and take turns rotating the play on each one. This will get everyone involved in the family and it'll be interesting to hear the different style of CDs. You can also take turns telling your favorite Christmas story or past Christmas traditions. It's a great way to pass the time and to arrive at your destination full of holiday joy!