The holidays are hectic enough without an accident, but what do you do when your road trip to see family goes awry? The weather forecast didn’t mention the sudden snow storm or 30-degree temperature drop. Your kids all need a potty break in the middle of the highway. Something fell and spilled in the back of the car with all your luggage and you have no idea what it is or what it’s ruining. With everything going on, you might not even think of the worst case scenario: car trouble. Here are three tips to avoid some of the holiday road trip disasters and make it to your destination jingling all the way.
Holiday Road Trip Disasters:
What to Do to Prepare for Everything Going Wrong
Leave Early or Late
Avoid crowds and crazy traffic by traveling a few days earlier than the holiday or leaving several after. This type of flexibility isn’t available for everyone, so if you’re actually close to your destination, consider making the trip on the day of the holiday itself. Traffic is virtually gone, streets are empty and you’ll be able to have a smooth trip with minimal stops or delays.
Winterize Your Car
Make sure you aren’t heading out into any inclement weather conditions without proper snow tires and chains or a faulty heater. Prepping your car for winter in the fall is a great way to guarantee you won’t run into any dangerous situations on the road. To get your car ready for winter, make sure to do the following:
- Check engine coolant and antifreeze levels
- Check your tire pressure and tread depth
- Get winter windshield fluid
- Talk to your mechanic about switching to winter oil for your next change
Pack an Emergency Winter Kit
In the event of a breakdown, your car could be your only source of shelter for hours. The heater might not work, or you could be stuck idling in negative temperatures until help arrives. To ensure that everyone stays warm and avoid medical emergencies, pack an emergency winter car kit that includes enough water for everyone to last at least a day, thermal blankets, gloves and socks, a coat, a flashlight and batteries, snacks and a radio to hear traffic reports and any emergency advisories in your area. You also don’t want to forget an external charger for your smartphone to ensure you’ll always be able to send a message or call for help when you need it.
Make sure you do everything you can to ensure everyone arrives merry and safe at the destination. If something happens that’s out of your control, consult the proper people. For example, if you are involved in a car accident, you may want to speak with a doctor or injury lawyer so you know what steps to take in the future. You and family are the most precious gifts riding in your car this season. Stay safe and have a holiday filled with friends, family, and fun.
Some great tips! Especially for combatting the weather. It is always good to be prepared for all scenarios possible! 🙂
you have a great blog! keep it up
One of my biggest fears is driving in bad weather- and I try to avoid at all costs! I always forget to put an emergency kit together- thanks for the reminder!
I am always nervous about travelling during the winter. So I think I always over prepare just in case. Don’t want to be stuck in a car in a storm.
Really informative tips.Road trips are often the best way to experience the elusive essence of a country’s identity, history and natural environment. Able to choose your own adventure, you have the freedom to visit whatever attraction you desire and every day is different. Cosmopolitan cities, natural phenomena and jaw-dropping scenery are all at your fingertips when you choose to embark on a road trip.
Really nice post. Winter traveling always scares me because once I saw an accident and it was really disturbing. Such nice views at the vacation spot do the magic.
I feel you on this, we had planned on going up to Virginia this holiday season until something at home happened that prevented this from happening… but it reminds me of what we went through the last time we made it up there for Christmas. We ran into the same weather conditions and we weren’t prepared for it then…
Really good tips for travellers…one should be prepared for any eventuality/ contingency during holidays and travel…thank you
We took a cross country trip over the summer with the kids. After reading this I don’t know that I would ever do a cross country trip over the winter. There are too many elements to think about that you pointed out. I can’t imagine how scary it would be to be stranded in the winter. Good tips!
A winter emergency kit is defo a good idea! With the weather becoming more and more unpredictable I think it’s always worth being prepared! I’ll be off to prepare my car now!
Prevention is better than cure. So an emergency winter kit is definitely that I would recommend all.
I was thinking of visiting my mom for the holidays. She told me snow is already predicted. We definitely need to get our car winterized.
This is good info especially for people driving to colder states. Always do a seasonal car check for roadtrips.
Oh no! I hope that the future road trips are better than these!
These are great tips!! It is so important to be prepared for the holidays. I moved down south recently and I know there are a lot of people here that could benefit from this article!!!!