Top 7 Holiday Montana Travel Tips

Top 7 Holiday Montana Travel Tips

While the holidays are a time of parties and general merriment, don’t be surprised if you find yourself stuck spending long, boring hours in a car or in an airport terminal. Traveling is easily the worst aspect of holidays for many each year.

With a little preparation, however, you can avoid some of the more annoying hiccups that can happen to even the most seasoned travelers. These 7 simple, yet important tips can help make your holidays travel not only safe, but relatively stress free.

1. Get a Full Night’s Sleep

While it may be tempting to make a few, or several, withdrawals from the old sleep bank in order to attend all of the holiday parties you’re invited to, sleep is extremely important if you are traveling far. One of the top causes of car accidents are drivers who are too drowsy to keep their eyes on the road. The last thing you want is to ring in the new year from an emergency room.

2. Keep an Eye Out for Speed Traps

You may also be tempted to cut corners by putting the pedal to the metal when you hit the road. During the holidays, traffic police are on the lookout for speed demons racing to department stores or road trippers just looking to quickly get out of town. Remember to never drive faster than the posted speed limit and to follow all traffic laws. No holiday sale is worth a hefty fine for speeding.

3. Check Your Vehicle Maintenance Beforehand

Doing a quick maintenance checkup on your vehicle in early November is a great way to ensure your car won’t break down during the holidays. With winter fast approaching, you will want to check the antifreeze levels, the state of your windshield wipers, and the air pressure in your tires. You should also make sure you have a spare tire and a jack in the trunk of your car. And if you live in an area that is prone to winter storms, such as snow and ice, you should consider investing in a sturdy pair of snow chains in case the weather suddenly turns nasty on you.

4. Travel on the Actual Holiday

Few people are aware of this fact, but traveling on the actual holiday is a great way to avoid being caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic. By the time Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s rolls around, most people have already reached their holiday destination of choice, so the roads and airports should be mostly free of travelers. Traveling on the day of a holiday is also a great way to save a little money on plane fare during a time when ticket prices are usually soaring.

5. Wash Your Hands Frequently

This tip goes without saying if you’re an experienced traveler. With the weather getting colder and the party and event invites appearing in the mail, the holidays are a time when people tend to crowd closer and closer together while indoors. Whether it be at a crowded mall, a barber shop Christmas chorus, or an office holiday party, you could very well find yourself stuffed in a room full of people who may or may not be feeling symptoms of a cold or some other viral sickness. Washing your hands or using hand sanitizer after every handshake or heartfelt hug is the best way to prevent any unwanted illness during the holidays. Nothing can put a dent in your holiday spirit like a runny nose or a hacking cough.

6. Don’t Get Suckered at the Gas Pump

Gas stations are notorious for hiking fuel prices during the holiday season. If you plan on hitting the road for an extended road trip there are a few ways to avoid getting gouged by greedy gasoline mongers. Waiting to fill up until you’re out of the city limits since gas prices are typically cheaper in rural locales than they are in dense urban areas. Filling up earlier in the week, too, is another way to keep from overpaying since gas prices tend to rise as the week wears on. And if you do come across a gas pump with prices you deem to be reasonable, don’t hesitate to pull over and take advantage.

7. Don’t Eggnog and Drive

This tip should be followed year-round. Holidays or not, you should never drink and drive. Driving while intoxicated is not only dangerous to your safety, but to those sharing the road around you. Drinking and driving is one of the top causes of automotive-related deaths. With so many ride-sharing companies on the prowl these days, there really is no excuse to get behind the wheel after you’ve had some Christmas rum, or a few rums. So, do everyone a favor and just call an Uber. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.

Contact The Advocates Today!

If you’ve been hurt in an accident over the holidays, you will need an Advocate on your side. Our attorneys have decades of experience helping accident victims just like you recover what they are owed according to Montana law. We know how to get you fair compensation for your injuries and losses better than any other law firm. Don’t wait to contact our office today. You can either call (406) 272-6986 or chat online right now with a live attorney from our homepage. With an Advocate leading your legal team, your recovery will always be our first priority. You deserve an Advocate!