|
Especially
on the roads …
In addition
to the usual stresses of the holidays comes the added load
of traffic woes. This boost in gridlock hits right
when the days are their shortest and the weather its unfriendliest.
To avoid the pitfalls and potholes of winter-holiday driving,
here are some handy tips:
- Plan Ahead to Avoid a Bumpy
Road. Allow extra time in
your schedule. Bad traffic can often be avoided with a little
preparation. The heaviest travel occurs the
days immediately before and after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's
Day. Consider taking an extra day off so that you aren't
stuck in the pack. Also,
give yourself a break from holiday stress by getting the bulk of your shopping
done well before the holiday.
- Make sure that your car is
well equipped for travel. Breaking
down in the dark, in bad weather, or in the cold can crush
the holiday spirit. It's a good idea
to take your car in for a winter check-up. Your mechanic can inspect your
anti-freeze, battery, windshield wipers, and other cold-weather
components. You also want
to be sure that your tire pressure is at the recommended levels, as tires
can be hazardous in wet weather when they are filled to improper
levels.
- Think before you drive. Remember, the highways are a community.
As much as we may want to think we are isolated in our
steel and glass bubbles, driving
is really a social interaction without words. To understand holiday driving
conditions, think of the way people act outside their cars
in this time of year. Many are
worried, preoccupied, hurried, distracted, and all those states of mind that
make them easily agitated and less careful. On the road, this means that
you should be more vigilant than usual, give people more
distance, and be forgiving
when someone does something rash or absent-minded. Avoid confrontations,
and try not to let other drivers bring you out of the happy
holiday zone.
- Don't think
of driving as a chore. Consider your travel to be part
of the vacation. Rather than getting cranky from thinking
that
you
are losing vacation time, you
can try to find ways to enjoy the time you spend driving. This might include
playing favorite holiday music or pre-recorded holiday "talking books," singing
holiday carols, or chatting with your passengers as if you were sitting on
the couch back at home.
- Carry equipment for on-the-road
emergencies. If you're
traveling in bad weather or in snow country, you'll want
to prepare for problems by packing flares, blankets,
a first-aid kit, flashlight, water, and snacks. It's useful to have a shovel
to dig out your wheels in case you get stuck, and a bag of kitty litter to
pour under the wheels for traction. Also remember to pack
the cell phone for emergencies,
but be prudent about using it while driving in holiday traffic or in bad
weather. You'll want to pack chains if you plan on heading
into the snow. (These tips,
by the way, apply around the calendar, not just for the holidays!)
- Drive responsibly. Once you get on the road, drive slowly
and carefully. It's the time of year when to-do lists can
run long, and we all have places where
we would much rather be than on the road, but a defensive approach pays off
in the long run. And this one should be obvious: Don't drink
and drive; be aware
of your physical and legal limits and the potential dangers of intoxicated
driving. To avoid other drivers who may have celebrated too
much, stay off the roads at
high-risk times, such as after nightfall on New Year's Eve.
|
|
