If you are using your car over Christmas, take extra care. The roads can be unpleasant at this time of year due to the sheer volume of traffic and the fact that many of those drivers are exhausted and stressed.
The following tips can increase the chance any trips you do make pass off without incident:
1. Ensure everyone uses their seat belts
However much of a rush you are in to get to a store before it shuts, don’t move off before everyone is buckled up. Even if it leads to a battle because the kids claim their belts are uncomfortable and they are tired from traipsing around the stores, they must wear their seat belts.
2. Consider walking a little
Parking a little further away from a busy store is often much easier. You can avoid the dangers and hassle of circling the parking lot looking for someone to exit a space, as well as the dangers caused by someone too eager to jump into the space you are vacating. Use the walk to clear your mind of the in-store stress and plan what’s next so you are in a better frame of mind to drive safely to your next destination.
3. Remember nothing is worth a crash
It is easy to get stressed over small things in preparation for Christmas. You might be tempted to break the speed limit to get to a store before it closes to get your child the toy they want. Or you might feel furious with the driver who nips into the parking slot you had lined up. However important those things might seem now, they won’t when you look back on them, so try to keep things in proportion. If you have a collision due to overblowing the importance of something, it will ruin your Christmas.
Not all drivers will be so cautious this Christmas, and if one of them injures you, you’ll need to learn about your options for compensation.
