We’re in the thick of the holiday season, and with Christmas less than a week away whether you're traveling long distances or staying local you'll want to make sure your vehicle is ready. Especially since the holidays can bring unanticipated traffic to our region.
This time of year also comes with a ton of holiday stresses, but officials say when we're behind the wheel you'll want to focus on one thing only - driving safely.
Meg Ragonese, the Public Information Officer for the Nevada Department of Transportation says, "We want to make sure that all of that holiday anxiety, all of the holiday preparations that we might be thinking about aren't the focus. We want to make sure that you're focused on driving safely to where you need to go."
During the holidays there might also be some unexpected traffic even if you are staying close to home. You'll want to make sure you gas up your car before you start your journey. "A high fuel level will just make sure that you can account for, and you can get safely where you need to go if you run into anything unexpected on those holiday travels whether that be weather or unanticipated traffic."
Now might be a good time to fuel up your car, especially since residents say they’ve been noticing gas prices at select stations getting below the $4 range.
When travelling for the holidays you’ll also want to make sure you’re maintaining the speed limit, checking tire and fluid levels and preparing a winter driving safety kit which typically has anything from a blanket, chains for your tires, water, snacks, phone charger and warm clothes if you need them.
It's also not a bad idea to let people know where you might be while traveling in case of emergencies.
Officials also warn, driving impaired is one of the leading causes of traffic deaths in Nevada year-after-year and it's the number one thing you should never do. Mathew Flores, a Sparks resident says, "Imagine if you're drinking and driving and you get into an accident you can ruin someone’s holidays."
