It’s here!  The first of our big holidays is just days away.  Everyone is busy doing their last minute food shopping to get ready for Thanksgiving.  If you’re not cooking more than likely you’re driving to see family and to celebrate the holiday.

Here are a few tips to help you get ready for your road trip:

• Ensure the family car is road trip ready!  If you’re not renting a car for the drive make sure the family car has been serviced and is ready for a long road trip.
• Avoid peak travel days.   According to AAA Wednesday’s 11/26 and 12/24 will be the busiest travel days of the year for drivers.  If you can leave early in the morning or a day before you’ll avoid the gridlock.
• Take several rest breaks!  Don’t try to complete the drive all at once. Take a break or several (depending on the length of the trip) for rest, bathroom and food stops.
• Keep valuables out of sight.  Store gifts, electronics and anything else of value in the trunk or covered for storage.  During the holiday season, thieves troll rest stops looking for items in cars to steal.  Take your personal electronics with you or store them out of sight.  It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
• Secure your home.  A lot of travelers forget to secure their home while away on vacation or for the holidays.  Double check that all doors and windows are locked and place a hold order on all mail and newspaper deliveries.  Also lock the garage door opener.   Give your home the “we’re at home look” by setting your lights to go on/off on a timer.   When your lights come on at the normal times the family is home, it will give the illusion that you are home.  Burglars won’t take a chance and move on.

The most important thing to pack for any trip especially a holiday trip is your patience.  The roads will be crowded along with rest areas, gas stations and restaurants.  So pack plenty of patience and remember everyone is just trying to enjoy the holiday.

For more travel tips, visit www.travelsense.org

BMWK, Are you traveling for the holiday? Where are you going this year?

Happy and safe travels.