Bing Crosby isn’t the only one who “will be home for Christmas”. In fact, nearly 100 million Americans travel home for the holidays, making it the second busiest time of year to travel after Thanksgiving. Between traveling, cooking, and buying presents, the holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year. Spend more time enjoying this season with loved ones and less time stressing by heeding our advice on a few tips that can help you survive holiday travel.

Avoid peak travel days  

Days like the Wednesday before Thanksgiving are known travel days, and it’s wise to avoid the roads if you can that day. Christmas and New Year’s Eve are a little trickier, depending on the day of the week the holiday falls. Keep in mind that most people try to take advantage of long weekends, so they can minimize time taken off of work. If the holiday is on a weekend, then the busiest travel days will probably be Friday and Monday.

Leave early in the morning or late at night

Driving during peak traffic hours between 8am-10am and 3pm-6pm could cause you major delays. If you leave before or after rush hour, you can avoid spending precious hours sitting in traffic. Leaving early in the morning might be safer than leaving late at night, if you think you will be tired. Always make sure you are well-rested before getting behind the wheel to avoid driving while sleep deprived.

Keep your kids busy

The only thing that could be more annoying than getting stuck in a traffic jam is having antsy kids whining in the backseat. Coloring books, portable DVD players, and even simple road games can keep you from hearing “Are we there yet?” over and over again. You could even take a page from Clark Griswold’s book and have a family sing-a-long. Packing some snacks and water might also benefit you just as much as your kids.

Perform any vehicle maintenance

It’s always a good idea to have your tires and car inspected before any long road trips. Also, make sure to check your fluid levels, like windshield wiper fluid and brake fluid. It might not be a bad idea to get an oil change, too. One detail people often forget is to check the headlights. Plastic headlight lenses get cloudy over time, which reduces headlight strength. You can replace the clear plastic covers for better visibility at night or during a storm.

Take stretch breaks

A lot of people want to get where they’re going as quickly as possible, but it’s important to stop sometimes. Get a good stretch in, walk around, and get some fresh air to wake yourself up. Driving can be boring, and many of us turn on “auto-pilot” on long trips. However, it can be dangerous if you aren’t alert at all times. The roads are busy, and possibly dangerous if you live in an area where snow and ice storms are frequent.

Road trips can be fun! Try to find and unique stops along your route and treat your family to a new holiday tradition.

Before getting on the road, make sure you are protected by an insurance company you can trust. In less than a minute, you can get a free, no-obligation quote from Good2Go Auto Insurance, Inc.  You can give yourself the gift of savings this year by visiting www.good2go.com, for your free quote and a down payment sometimes for as little as $20.