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Although it is difficult to believe the holiday season is once more upon us. For many, that means trips to shopping malls, holiday parties, lines, traffic and travel. It is wonderful to celebrate with family and friends but there is no denying this can also be a stressful time of year.
At our firm, we regularly see an unfortunate increase in car crashes during the holiday season. At best, these crashes are a significant inconvenience during an already hectic time. At their worst these crashes can turn a joyous time tragic.
While the roads are full of distracted and hurried drivers the rules of the road designed to keep us safe take on even more importance. Taking precaution while navigating busy holiday roads can help keep you safe from harm. While it is always important to be a cautious driver, please take note of the following 5 tips for safe holiday driving:
- Follow at a safe distance to protect you from drivers stopping suddenly in heavy traffic.
- Use caution when entering busy intersections. Distracted and hurried drivers are more likely to speed through a yellow light as it turns red or risk a left turn in front of traffic. When your light turns green, check before entering an intersection.
- Use caution in busy parking lots. It can be tempting when hurried to rush through parking while searching for that elusive open parking space. Do not rush. Drivers leaving those spaces are also hurried and are likely to back out of their space without checking for other cars.
- Put the phone down. Not only is it now illegal in SC and many other states to text and drive it is a great way to cause a crash. Wait until you are safely parked before you check online for that perfect gift or recipe.
- Do not drink and drive. During the busy holiday party season it can be tempting to drive after having “just a few” drinks. If you cannot arrange for a designated driver, call a cab.
- With caution, the holidays should be what they are intended to be: a time for family and celebrating. However, if you or a loved one are involved in a crash, call Schiller and Hamilton and we will help get you on the road to recovery.
- For most of us, getting to grandmother’s for Christmas involves more than just going “over the river and through the woods”. As jobs and opportunity cause families to spread apart families must travel to be with loved ones for holidays.
- Visiting family should be cause to celebrate but in order to do so you must arrive safely. Here are Schiller and Hamilton’s tips for holiday travel.
- Service your vehicle before traveling. This means checking tires for wear and inflating to recommended levels, checking brakes, brake lights/turn signals, headlights, windshield wipers and fluids before embarking.
- Prepare or purchase a proper first aid kit to keep in your vehicle while traveling. (Include Link)
- Know your route. Check over your route online or on a map before leaving. This avoids last second decisions and quick lane changes that can cause serious highway collisions.
- Keep your cell phone fully charged and update carrier settings. Should trouble arise you will need to contact emergency personnel. Using your phone’s GPS will quickly drain the battery so be certain to travel with a car charger.
- In the event of a crash you will need to keep yourself or others warm. Always travel with an adequate winter coat, shoes/boots and a heavy blanket.
Schiller and Hamilton wishes you safe travels and a happy holiday season.