Holiday Travel Tips from a Personal Injury Attorney
Travel Tips to Visit Family Safely
About one-third of the country plans to pack up the car and travel more than 50 miles this holiday season. That’s a lot of extra vehicles on the road.
So you can arrive at your destination without incident, you will want to keep a few more things in mind. As usual, don’t drive drunk or distracted, stay alert, and if you feel sleepy, get some rest. But in times of extra traffic, you need to pay attention even more.
The personal injury attorneys at Gonzalez & Jones want you to make the most of this holiday season. They have put together some tips to ensure that friends, family, and fun top the list this year.
Service Your Vehicle for Fall
In the automotive world, a well-maintained vehicle is a safe vehicle. We could even throw in there that a clean car is also a safe one.
When was the last time you had your vehicle serviced? Do you keep great records?
We rounded up six points to check before you hit the road for your holiday travel.
- Engine Oil – you should have your oil changed every 3,000 – 5,000 miles.
- Wipers – Every 6 months, ditch the old ones and put on new ones; top off that washer fluid while you’re at it.
- Tires – If they aren’t worn out, have them rotated.
- Lights – Are any headlights, tail lights, or turn signals burnt out?
- Brakes – How much wear is left on the brakes until they conk out on you?
- Detailing – Give your car a professional clean every 6 months.
When your vehicle is in good working condition, you’re far less likely to be involved in a wreck.
Pay Attention to the 12-Second Rule
Do you know the 12-second rule? It’s all about looking far enough ahead of your vehicle to ensure you can react on time.
At 40 miles per hour, your vehicle will travel over 700 feet. At 60 miles per hour, you’ll travel more than 1,050 feet; that’s almost a quarter mile.
As you’re moving down the highway, look out 12 seconds ahead of you. Analyze what’s happening, check for cross traffic, and watch for debris and drivers that don’t seem to be paying attention. If you notice something going on, this will give you far more time to stop or evade.
Know Who, and What, Will be on the Road
Vehicle travel surges during the holidays. More vehicles on the roads mean more to pay attention to. There are, however, more aspects to pay attention to during this travel season.
You’ll be hitting the road with millions of other travelers. Combine that with local traffic and truck traffic, and some highways will get really crowded. Then, you have to factor in when you are driving. Evenings and nights around the holidays see an increase in drunk driving, so extra precaution is necessary during these times.
Inclement weather plays a big part in how dangerous travel is from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Unexpected snow or ice storms, heavy rains, and even blowing dirt and debris can put a damper on your travel.
Finally, some rural areas have a high population of wild animals out and about. As the days shorten, the animals are foraging for food. Some are rutting (males of their species almost blindly chasing the females). Collisions with wild animals increase in the late fall.
Understand What to do if You’re in a Wreck Away from Home
The odds of being in a wreck go up during the holidays, but if you’re paying attention and driving defensively, you should remain pretty safe.
But what if you do get in a wreck when you’re traveling? How do you handle the logistics from afar?
No matter where the accident occurred, the procedures for handling it will remain the same.
- Remain calm
- Contact the police
- Document everything
- Get witness info
- See a doctor
Better yet, just download and print off our accident guide. It will help you keep all the information you need right in one place. Just tuck it into the glove box with your insurance information, and let everyone know where it is in the event you are hit.
Have Gonzalez & Jones Help with your Accident
Gonzalez & Jones are here to help if you get in a wreck.
From our personal injury lawyer offices in Hollister, California, we can help no matter what part of the state your car accident took place in.
Call us at 408-848-2208, or get in touch through our contact page, and we’ll have a free conversation to see how we can help you.