Driving home for Christmas and Holidays: Part 1 – Plan Ahead

Holidays, what a wonderful time of the year. We countdown the days and then the hours until we get to carelessly spend time rejoicing with our family and close friends. To enjoy delicious food, free time and lovely company. It comes at no surprise that the lead up to Holidays is stressful, busy and blissful – we want to get everything done and dusted in time. This does not exclude the drive home.

Holiday Season is a beautiful time of anticipation and excitement, but the stress doesn’t fall far away from it.

Car accidents are particularly ample in December, so you know your journey home will be longer than usually AND more dangerous. To avoid risk, extra unnecessary stress and unpleasantries, planning your journey home for Holidays is crucial!

If unfortunately you become involved in a car accident on your journey home make sure to contact the Lifeguard Urgent Care’s auto-injury clinic in Spring Hill for medical assistance.

Below you can learn why you should plan ahead, what you should plan ahead for and how to ensure you are a safe driver.

Santa Claus with the Push scooter delivery the gifts

Why plan ahead?

Many times when we are stuck in avoidable traffic jams on the way to a meeting or an appointment we bite ourselves for not checking the traffic announcements ahead of time. This feeling is made even worse when you are short of time on the way to your festive house with your loved ones waiting for you.

Driving in a state of stress or tiredness makes the driver less focused on the road resulting in increased recklessness and obliviousness to some dangers, hence making the journey more dangerous. The Holiday Season sees many car accidents – for example, on average 343 people die in traffic accidents each year during the 3-day Christmas celebration.

Thus, especially if you’re making a long-distance drive home make sure to be ready for it – be well rested, hydrated, plan several stops on the way to get some fresh air, stretch your legs and eat something nutritious. Do not assume other drivers will drive safely. Be mindful of reckless drivers.

What to plan ahead for?

This section can be almost infinite! There are so many things we should consider before making any journey in a vehicle – some of them are obvious to us and some can be so abstract that we do not relate to them. Hence, below I have listed 5 things that are of great importance when it comes to increasing your safety on your Holiday journey home, even if they sound obvious.

• Preventative car maintenance – preferably have your car services before the journey, giving yourself enough time to potentially have to make some fixes, but at least check your oil, tyres, battery and breaks.
• Plan for your trip to happen in daylight – provides better visibility and less likelihood to come across a driver under influence of alcohol and drugs.
• Plan your route in detail, including an alternative route – should any unforeseeable instances occur.
• Check road conditions –  prepare your car accordingly.
• Be in good shape for a long drive – make sure you are well rested and stay hydrated. Plan several stops on the way to stretch your legs and eat something nutritious.
• Ensure lack of distractions – do not drive in any state of distress, or when you are expecting to be contacted.

Doing these things prior to the journey can take a lot of pressure off your shoulders when making the journey and prepares you for safely taking another route, which might be longer.

I am a professional driver – how to prepare myself?

It is normal that the pressure from work and household duties gets too much sometimes, so don’t ignore it! You can be a risk to yourself too during the drive home and to others if you are a professional driver. So if the drive seems overwhelming, do not hesitate to take the DOT physical in Spring Hill with Lifeguard Urgent Care – act in time to make it home safely.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety states that 1 in 5 fatal crashes involve drowsy drivers, so BE WELL RESTED. The average adult should have around 8 hours of sleep every night to optimise their functions the next day. Think about this statistic a few days before your drive home, so you are not left with glooming deadlines the night before the drive that will hinder your sleep.

If you are involved in a car accident contact the auto-injury clinic in Spring Hill run by Lifeguard Urgent Care to help you manage your medical treatment.

There are so many things to do before Holidays starts, that planning your drive home in advance might just slip away. And sometimes things can be unavoidable, or unforeseeable, but do not worry! We will cover what to do on the road to increase your safety when driving home in Part 2 of Driving Home for Christmas and Holidays.

Go to: Spring Hill Auto Injury Clinic

DOT physical Spring Hill

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.