Thanksgiving Travel Tips
AAA forecasts a small decline in the number of Americans traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Approximately 41 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a decrease of 600,000 travelers (1.4 percent) from last year’s total of 41.6 million. This is the first decline in Thanksgiving holiday travel since 2002 and is the fourth consecutive travel holiday this year with a year-to-year decline in the number of travelers.
That is still a lot of people on the road. Get in the right frame of mind before you get behind the wheel. Never drive when you’re emotionally upset or rushed. According to traffic safety authorities, lack of attention is a major contributing factor to auto crashes.
Hit the road early.
Additionally, your alertness level normally drops around your regular bedtime. Nightfall only magnifies your risk by limiting your field of visibility. If you must drive during your regular sleep cycle, stop each hour and freshen up. A best practice is to travel with another person so that the responsibility of driving can be shared to ensure a rested driver is behind the wheel.
Don't use your cruise control at night or in rainy and wintery weather.
Stay off the cell phone.
Select clothing that provides comfort and freedom of movement behind the wheel.While heavy garments may be necessary outside the vehicle, they can restrict movement behind the wheel. Always come to a complete stop in a safe spot before removing a coat or gloves.
Recently on I-44 we were behind a large SUV. Everyone in the family had a DVD monitor in front of them, including one for the driver on the center console. It was obvious this driver was more interested in the movie than driving. Pay attention to the road and save the movie for when you get to Grandma's.
Don’t forget to buckle up,and have all your passengers buckle up, too.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
