Driving Smarter This Season
By Amy Ziff, Editor-at-Large
October 20, 2004
Holiday travel planning is often overlooked. With the focus on the presidential race these days, I worry that holiday travelers may forget to book in advance to get the best prices and guarantee their places. With fuel prices rising, there's no time to waste. Get your rental car reserved, your seat selected, and your hotel bed made!
The most popular spots for fliers this Thanksgiving will be New York City, followed by Los Angeles, Orlando, Denver, and Chicago. London is the top international destination for those fleeing the states for the holiday weekend (international fares can be quite good this time of year). While Thanksgiving is the busiest time of year at the nation's airports, with roughly 4-5 million travelers expected to fly, it's the roads that take the majority of the travel burden, as many holiday travelers drive to their destinations.
According to AAA, more than 85 percent of holiday travelers drove to their destinations in recent years. This winter it's predicted that millions will take to the highways again at holiday time. If you're among them, you'll want to pay attention to the following tips. In addition to safety advice, they also may put some fun back into your road trip.
- Before taking to the streets, be sure your car is road ready. Check all the fluids and your tire pressure (including the spare) and even pack an emergency kit. My father always took care to make sure that our vehicles had the following: a reliable spare, tool set, working flashlight, blanket, and flares. These items are good to keep in your car at all times, but in the event of an emergency, they're brilliant! (Thanks, Dad.)
- Remember to take a charged cell phone, snacks, bottled water, and a stash of cash.
- Be sure to start your trip well rested--a drowsy driver can be as dangerous as a drunk driver. Calculate your route ahead of time and write down or print directions to bring with you. As you pack up the presents, be sure to store them and your valuable belongings out of sight, preferably in the trunk of your car. Remember to keep the doors and trunk locked at all times.
Beyond the basics, here are a few more tips to consider:
- Time your trip well to avoid rush-hour traffic. See if you can also plan your departure to coincide with your kids’ sleep schedules or naptime.
- Pack (healthy) snacks. GORP, carrots, crackers, regular and dried fruit, nuts, and chips are all easy to eat on the road. Healthy nibbles will help stave off hunger-induced irritability.
- Keep children occupied with a VCR or DVD player in the back. They can even have headphones so as not to distract you from the road.
- Most kids love adventure--let them hold the map and follow the highlighted path along the way. They just might develop an interest in geography.
- Document the trip. If you have teens, give them a disposable or digital camera and encourage them to keep a travel journal. When you get back, they can create a travel log of the family journey.
- Expend energy often. Whether at a roadside rest stop or a town green, encourage your kids to expend their pent-up energy. Frequent stops for stretching and fresh air are also good for you.
- In the event that another driver bumps you or attempts to make you pull over by honking or yelling, keep driving. Proceed to a populated, well-lit area before checking out the situation.
You may already be a driving pro, but remember to drive defensively because it's a holiday season, and not everyone on the road is as good a driver as you. Here's to hitting the road and having fun this holiday season!
For the most recent travel news check out Amy Ziff's Travel Tips from AtoZ at www.travelocity.com/atoz. If you have a question or topic you would like me to cover in a future column, please e-mail Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com ask.amy@travelocity.com. Come back monthly to see if your question has been answered.
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