Top holiday driving safety tips every traveler should know

The holidays are a jam-packed time of the year to travel, and often, people are driving to their holiday destinations. In 2024, nearly 80 million people were expected to be on the roads for Thanksgiving and 107 million people were thought to be driving during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. That’s a lot of cars!

Of course, staying safe on the road is of utmost importance at any time of the year. But during the holidays, there is more traffic, rushing drivers, and potentially hazardous winter weather. Keep these holiday driving safety tips in mind this season as you head out to celebrate with family and friends. 

Thanksgiving road trip safety checklist

The week of Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Heavier traffic and longer travel times are common, so plan and prepare ahead of time to stay safe.

Plan smarter

#1 family finance and safety app.

#1 family finance and safety app.

Teach your kids and teens to earn, save, and invest with Greenlight.

Use code GLBLOG for one month, on us.*

Try Greenlight today

• Choose off‑peak departure times. Leaving early in the morning or later in the evening helps you miss the heaviest traffic near cities and shopping areas.

• Map a primary and a backup route. Save both in your navigation app and review live traffic before you leave.

• Share your plan. Tell a family member or friend when you are leaving, which route you will take, and your expected arrival time.

Prepare your vehicle

• Top off essentials. Fill the gas tank, refill windshield washer fluid, and check air pressure in all tires, including the spare.

• Confirm maintenance and recalls. Inspect brakes, battery, wipers, lights, and tire tread, and look up any open recalls.

• Secure your cargo. Keep gifts and luggage low and tied down so you can see clearly out of every window.

Pack an emergency kit

• Pack a phone charger or power bank, first‑aid supplies, water, snacks, a flashlight, reflective triangles or flares, jumper cables, a warm blanket, and a traction aid such as sand or cat litter if ice or snow is possible.

Drive defensively

• Buckle up. Seat belts protect everyone in the car.

• Plan a sober ride. If you plan to celebrate, designate a sober driver or use rideshare.

• Reduce distractions. Set your route and music before you shift into drive, and keep your phone out of reach.

• Slow down and leave space. Increase following distance and expect sudden stops.

Christmas and winter holiday driving safety tips

Winter weather and early nightfall can make Christmas and New Year’s trips more challenging. A few cold‑weather habits make a big difference.

Get weather‑ready

• Check the full‑route forecast and road conditions. If a storm is approaching, delay your departure.

• Maximize traction. Consider winter tires in snowy regions. On snow or ice, accelerate and brake gently, leave eight to ten seconds of following distance, and avoid cruise control.

• Improve visibility. Clear every window, mirror, the roof, and headlights before driving, and replace worn wiper blades.

• Recover from a slide. Steer smoothly toward your intended path. Do not slam the brakes. Ease off the accelerator until the tires regain grip.

Manage night driving and glare

• Holiday lights and wet pavement can increase glare. Clean the inside of the windshield and the headlight lenses, dim the dashboard, and make sure your eyewear prescription is current if you use corrective lenses.

If you become stranded

• Stay with your vehicle if it is safe. Run the heater briefly each hour, crack a window for ventilation, and keep the tailpipe clear of snow to prevent carbon monoxide buildup. Display a distress flag and conserve your phone battery.

Teen driver corner: Road‑trip rules you can agree on

New drivers face holiday‑specific hazards, including crowded roads, unfamiliar routes, nighttime driving, and winter weather. Agree on clear rules ahead of time and use technology to help everyone stay safe. Here’s a few to consider:

• Never drive impaired. Alcohol, cannabis, and some medications can reduce your reaction time and judgment.

• Keep the phone put away. Set the route and playlist before the car moves, or ask a passenger to handle navigation and texts.

• Respect fatigue. Rotate drivers, schedule breaks every two to three hours, and pull over if anyone feels drowsy.

• Require seat belts in every seat. Make it a rule before the car moves.

• Coach with data. Use driving reports to review speeding, hard braking, and phone use, and talk through patterns together.

Driving reports and safety from Greenlight

🚗 With Greenlight, keeping your teen safe on the road is simple. Share their location, review driving reports together to spot trends like speed or phone use, and get instant crash alerts to designated contacts*. On holiday road trips, check-ins are effortless, every drive becomes a quick coaching opportunity, and you’ll know right away if help is needed.

Avoid these common holiday driving hazards

Even if you and your teen are driving carefully, it’s easy for small things to become a safety hazard. Take note of these hazards before they become an emergency. 

• Secure a Christmas tree correctly to the top of your car. Use netting or a tarp, place the trunk facing forward, and tie the base, middle, and top with straps. Give it a firm tug test before you drive.

• Watch for wildlife at dusk. Slow down near fields and woods, scan the shoulders, and brake in a straight line if a collision seems likely. Do not swerve into oncoming lanes.

• Skip puffy coats in car seats. Buckle kids in thin layers so the harness fits snugly; add a blanket over the straps for warmth.

• Prevent carbon monoxide exposure. Never idle in a garage. In snow, clear the tailpipe before using the heater and crack a window if you are stopped.

• Treat holiday parking lots like streets. Drive slowly, stay in marked lanes, signal every turn, and back out gradually while checking for pedestrians and carts.

Celebrate well and get there safely

Holiday road trips are where memories happen. With a bit of planning and a few clear family rules, your Thanksgiving and Christmas drives can be safer and calmer. Safe travels.

Protect your family on the go. Stay connected with Greenlight - the family safety app with location sharing, SOS alerts, and driving reports*. Try Greenlight, one month, risk-free.† 

This blog post is provided "as is" and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.

*Requires mobile data or a WiFi connection, and access to sensory and motion data from cell phone to utilize safety features including family location sharing and driving alerts and reports. Messaging and data rates and other terms may apply.