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5 tips for holiday travel

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Holidays and travel go hand in hand as people all over the country hit the road to celebrate with loved ones.

In fact, 91 percent of holiday trips are in vehicles, as opposed to by plane, train or bus, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, so you can expect a lot of company as you’re driving.

Along with all those other travelers, you could run into stormy weather conditions, so it’s important to prepare for your trips, long or short. As such, here are five tips for holiday travel.

Switch to snow tires

Also called winter tires, snow tires have treads that grip icy roads, so you can accelerate, brake and make turns safely.

“What we’re talking about here is a piece of equipment that all but transforms the average passenger car into a take-no-prisoners snow machine,” according to Automobile magazine. “ … The right winter rubber will not only make you safer on the road, it’ll make winter driving less stressful and more entertaining.”

All-season tires won’t work as well as snow tires, so hold onto them and put them back on your vehicle come spring. You can also reuse snow tires for years to come.

Plan ahead for directions and technology

Just because technology in your vehicle is accessible while you drive doesn’t mean it’s safe. In a recent study, researchers watched how drivers used voice, touch screen and other interactive technologies to make a call, send a text, tune the radio or program navigation.

“Programming navigation was the most distracting task — taking drivers on average 40 seconds to complete,” according to the study. “Text messaging was the second most distracting task; audio entertainment and calling and dialing were the easiest to perform and did not significantly differ in overall demand.”

Whether you’re using the GPS on your phone or in the car, program it before you pull out of the driveway or gas station. As for texting, silence your phone and put it away, or ask a passenger to check it and type for you if you need to fire off a message.

 

 

Review how to skid

You probably know to steer into a skid — or is it steer out? In case you’re hazy on the specifics, review how to deal with skidding, as explained on SheKnows:

  • Keep both hands on the wheel.
  • Remove the cause of the skid. For example, if you skid because you accelerated too hard, come off the gas pedal.
  • Look where you want your car to go, and keep looking there, even if your car starts to spin.
  • For a rear-wheel or all-wheel skid, steer into the skid, which means steer to the same side the back end of the car is sliding toward. During a front-wheel skid, straighten the steering wheel.
  • If you have anti-lock braking (you likely do), stomp and steer. ABS allows you to keep steering while braking. If you hear a grinding sound, it’s working.

Update your emergency kit

The emergency kit you keep in your vehicle year round should already have the basics, such as jumper cables, a first aid kit, water, snacks, a flashlight and batteries.

When cold weather hits, make some permanent changes or at least add a few items before long trips, including blankets and coats for everyone, fresh snacks (a road trip is a great time to work through the old ones) and even a makeshift heater from a coffee can, tea light and matches.

Service your vehicle

At the beginning of the season, ask an automotive service technician to prepare your vehicle for the cold weather by changing and filling the oil and fluids, balancing tires and checking that everything is in working order.

Visit Jensen Tire & Auto for helpful and affordable service at any of its 21 convenient locations.