This Thanksgiving holiday, let us be thankful for our health, safety, friends, and family. Thanksgiving is a popular travel holiday, when families tend to come together from all parts of the country to celebrate love and be thankful for one another. One of the most common practices that take place on or around this holiday are lengthy road trips. If not by plane or boat, families usually choose to pack up the mini-van and drive the few hundred, or few thousand, miles it takes to reach their central family headquarters.

Along with holiday traffic flow comes risks, crowds, stop-and-go driving, frustration, fatigue, and more. This is why it is important to remember and understand safety guidelines for taking long road trips. Continue reading to learn how to safely navigate the road for extended periods of time, as well as, a few tricks to making the journey easier.

Road Trip Safety

Driving in general has its risks. You cannot control how other people drive, nor can you control road and weather conditions; however, when it comes to taking a long road trip, there are a few more safety measures and precautions to make for safe travel. Long trips that require extensive periods of driving can be more hazardous than standard car trips. This is because drivers tend to become desensitized to their surroundings and “zone-out” while driving on the road. This diminishes a driver’s alertness and hinders their ability to react or respond to other drivers around them, road signs, traffic signals, and more. Also, road trips can cause drivers to become fatigued, and many still refuse to stop for rest when this happens. This causes more accidents than you can imagine.

Another reason why long road trips can be dangerous if not careful is that people have new technology that can distract them from the road. For example, many newer model vehicles, especially ones marketed toward families, now come with optional upgrades like flat screens, DVD players, head phones, and more. This allows passengers to stay entertained on a long trip, but these devices can also distract a driver if they aren’t careful.

Adjusting screen settings, loud music, tangled headphone wires, and more are reasons for parents to take their eyes off the road for one second to assist their child, even though that one second could result in an accident. Another form of driver-distraction to avoid includes fussing with the GPS, adjusting the navigation screen, text messaging, and even eating. These reasons are why long holiday road trips can be a bit more dangerous than regular day-to-day driving.

Tips for Safe Holiday Travels:

• Pre-Set All Screens and GPS

• Pull Over to an Exit to Adjust Settings, Text Message, Clean Up a Spill, Eat, Etc.

• Keep Your Eyes on the Road at All Times

• Never Pull Over on the Highway Shoulder Unless a Medical or Vehicle Emergency (Always Find the Nearest Exit and Pull Off There)

• Use Hands-Free Calling for Phone Calls

• Avoid Driving Long Distances Alone if You Can

• Always Try to Drive with At Least One Another Person

• Get a Full Night’s Rest Before Driving Long Distances

• Map Out Your Coordinates Before Starting the Car

If you or a loved one is injured in a traffic accident this Holiday season, or anytime ever, contact a licensed car accident lawyer to fight for your rights to compensation. The can assess your case and determine if you or your family has a valid claim. Injured victims of negligent motor vehicle accidents deserve to recover compensation for their damages. Damages include pain, suffering, lost wages, medical expenses, hospital bills, loss of companionship, prolonged rehabilitation, mental anguish, trauma, and much more.

Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C.

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for accurate information about filing a car accident injury claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attorney, Daniel Craven, has extensive trial and litigation experience in motor vehicle accident law. He is ready to discuss your recent injury and determine your eligibility for remuneration, today. We offer free initial consultations so there is no out-of-pocket cost to have your case assessed. And we never collect lawyer fees unless we recover full and fair compensation for you! Call 317-881-2700 and speak with a licensed and experienced
car accident lawyer in Indianapolis, IN.