Safe Driving Over The Holidays
New Jersey motorists recognize the Holiday Season as the dangerous time of the year that it is. The combination of terrible weather and impaired drivers make both crowded city streets and busy highways unsafe. Fortunately, there are steps drivers can take to reduce their chances of facing hazards while trying to get home safe.
There are several tips drivers can follow when facing hazardous driving conditions in the winter, including:
- Eliminate distractions: During calm weather and smooth driving conditions, motorists are tempted to make phone calls, eat a snack or engage in personal grooming activities. Unfortunately, these tendencies might persist into the winter months. Safety experts encourage drivers to avoid as many distractions as possible during the Holiday Season. Drivers who avoid distractions can remain focused on the road. Not only can they quickly identify drowsy, impaired or distracted drivers by their actions, but they can also navigate snow, ice and other weather hazards.
- Avoid impaired driving: Closely following the previous tip, drivers should avoid any type of impaired driving. While this certainly means alcohol and drug use, drivers are also cautioned to be aware of any medication side effects. Since winter weather often ushers in the cold and flu season, individuals rely on medication that might have strong side effects. Flu remedies might cause drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision or cognitive sluggishness.
- Plan ahead: Safe holiday driving often boils down to simply planning ahead. Drivers who are aware of potential future issues do well to avoid them. Drivers can navigate incoming storms, for example, or the dangers of sharing the roads with drunk drivers. Additionally, understanding the upcoming issues can help drivers identify them during their commute.
Safe driving during the holidays can be as simple as staying alert. Unfortunately, other drivers on the roads might not share the same caution. Drivers could be impaired, traveling from one party to the next, or distracted, busy eating dinner on the way home from a long shift, but they often become road hazards. Avoid distractions, stay alert and remain focused on both the road conditions and the other drivers around you during the Holiday Season.