Is your family planning on driving this year to go on holiday? Whether you are headed out to your favorite vacation spot for celebrating the holidays with friends or family or going to Grandma’s cottage, Jim Butler has some easy tips to help ensure that your trip goes smoothly, so you can arrive safely at your destination without any incidents. After all, you don’t want to end up in an accident or have to contact DWI lawyers while you are on holiday.
Give yourself one week to Prepare for your trip:
– Test the battery
– Fill up your car’s windshield washer reservoir- Replace the wiper blades
– Check tread depth and tire pressure
– Check this car seat cushion to get the best comfort while going on a long trip.
Even if you are behind on getting your to-do list done already, now is the time to make sure you take care of things. Don’t leave home without having your car brake checked and oil changed also if those are things you’ve been putting off for a while now.
Prepare an emergency road kit for yourself
The BCU states that a winter emergency kit needs to include a snow brush, ice scraper, jumper cables, and a first aid kit. Also, carry the following:
– Phone chargers
– Basic hand tools
– Warm clothes
– Non Perishable snack bars and drinking water
– Paper towels or shop rags
– Flashlights with new batteries as well as triangles or flares
– Blankets, hats, gloves
– Small shovel
– Traction mats, cat litter, or sand
Make sure your car is maintained properly. If your maintenance isn’t up to date, then make sure your tires and car are inspected prior to taking off on a long drive. Get your route mapped ahead of time and be prepared for the roads to be busy during the year’s most popular times. To avoid heavy traffic, try leaving later or earlier if possible. Keep anything valuable in a covered storage area or in the trunk. If traveling with children, make sure you remind them to not talk with strangers. Accompany them to the restroom and provide them with whistles to only be used if they become separated from the family. Make sure to have contact information for roadside assistance with your, just in case anything happens while you are out on the road. Keep a charger and cell phone with you all the time in the event of an emergency. Jim Butler, as well as many other businesses, offer smartphone apps that allow drivers to request help without needing to make a phone call.
Map out your route
Make sure you know how to get to your intended destination and also have an alternative route you can use. Be prepare that there could be busy roads ahead. Use your smartphone app to check for any heavy traffic. Leave late at night or early in the morning when traffic is usually lighter if possible.
Check the weather
Familiarize yourself with the type of conditions you may be driving through, and not only the weather at your destination and home. You might have to drive through mountain passes in between your starting and stopping point. Take a couple of minutes to check out what the current weather conditions are using your favorite weather app or site.
Review winter driving techniques
Make sure to increase the normal following distance. Instead of the regular three or four seconds, instead make it eight or ten seconds. To accelerate, slowly apply the gas to avoid skids. Above all else, be patient and don’t allow yourself to get distracted.
Make sure your valuables are secured
The holidays are one of the prime time when thieves are active and having a cur full of belongings out in plain sight will definitely attract them. Make sure to not be a tempting target. Your wrapped Christmas presents and valuables should be stored in a covered storage area or the trunk. Use DVDs, games, books, anything that will keep your kids entertained and prevent them from distracting the car’s driver. Keep in mind, they are going to need snacks, and have to make stops. So any time you are traveling with kids be prepared for it to take longer. Parents are reminded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent to buckle up the kids in your car using seat belts, booster seats, or safety seats, depending on their age, weight, and height. Very 100 miles or two hours take a break. Adults need breaks too. Periodically breaking up your drive will help you stay alert while you are driving. Safety is very important and it will certainly help you avoid having to get DWI lawyers if you are not safe.
Visas and Documentation
Passport – Around three months before your departure get out your passport. Check its expiration date to ensure it is valid still for your trip. If it isn’t you will need to apply ahead of time for a new one. There are some countries that require that you have a valid passport for a specific time period following your arrival date – places like Ghana, Kenya, and United Arab Emirates all require six months minimum. It is good to check the country’s regulations where you will be traveling at Foreign and Commonwealth Office site.
Visa requirements – There are some countries that require that a visa be applied before traveling, while others will issue you one after you arrive. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the country’s entry requirements where you will be visiting and go through the proper application process well in advance.
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