Thanksgiving Travel Safety Tips

Got travel plans for Thanksgiving? If so, you’re probably like most Americans and are skipping the airport and packing up the car instead due to COVID-19 concerns. Traffic has been down throughout much of 2020 due to the pandemic, and while experts recommend limiting in-person get-togethers, there will still likely be heavy traffic on Tennessee’s roads in a few weeks.

Holiday weekends are always among the most dangerous times for drivers in America due to more people on the road than usual. In addition, drivers are often flustered, stressed, and trying to get to their destinations as quickly as possible. All of that combines to create a potentially dangerous environment for you and your loved ones.

You can reduce your risks this holiday season by:

• Avoiding distractions—Appoint someone else to be in charge of text messages, phone calls, and looking up directions.
• Not speeding—Leave early to give yourself plenty of time to make it to your family get-together.
• Checking your vehicle before you go—The last thing you want to deal with on your holiday road trip is a dead battery, a flat tire, broken windshield wiper, or burned out headlight!
• Mapping your route in advance—Road work is often canceled or minimized during holiday travel, but road closures and lane shut downs often persist. Map your route in advance to avoid slowdowns, bottlenecks, and dangerous areas.
• Packing supplies—Thanksgiving weather is usually mild in TN, but if you’re traveling north, you could hit snow and ice. Pack your vehicle with blankets, food, and water in case you get stranded.

If you get hurt in a crash over the holiday season, we want to help! At Ponce Law, our Nashville auto accident lawyers fight for the rights of people injured by negligent drivers. Contact us today for a free consultation.