Safety Tips for Holiday Drivers
Always plan ahead and make sure your car is in good condition maintenance wise. All of our 106 St Tire & Wheel locations are set up to do 47 point safety inspections for free. We'll check: your lights, oil, tires (condition like tread wear and air pressure level), belts and hoses, brake fluid, brakes themselves, antifreeze fluid and the condition of your battery. Anything going wrong could ruin your holiday plans and all of the above should all be checked by a professional before you leave.
Planning your route in advance will save time. GPS is good! Even with a GPS system, it's a good idea to bring along another option should something occur and using GPS is not possible. An actual current paper road map is great back up. Remember, road access can come and roads can go especially in the country because of severe weather in areas you don't drive every day and are not familiar with. Before you leave, check traffic reports and current weather conditions as well as long-range weather forecasts.
Follow posted speed limits and remember that in NYC we now have a 25 mph speed limit (caution your out of town holiday visitors!) that is "photo enforced" which means the DMV will be very happy to commemorate your holiday travel with a lovely photo of your license plate as it speeds through a monitored road as well a donation of a fine for $50 if you exceed the posted signs. As NYers, we know we have to drive defensively. Please do not respond to aggressive drivers and its worth a thought, "could that other driver have been drinking?" Don't get sucked into the drama of succumbing to road rage and becoming aggressive yourself.
Here's a no-brainer! A good night's sleep before departing will improve your concentration and help make the trip more enjoyable. Getting bleary eyed? Pull over and take a walk in the crisp air....if you are really tired, pull into a rest stop and take a nap. Lock your doors, stay in a well-lit area, keep gifts your cell phone and other valuables out of site.
Be a Girl Scout / Boy Scout and be prepared - keep some water, protein bars, a blanket, boots, an extra pair of gloves, a cell phone charger for your car and a flashlight in the trunk of your car. Kitty litter or sand can be used to improve traction on icy surfaces. Toss it under the front wheels if you have a front wheel drive car. Also, keep the gas tank at least half-filled to prevent fuel line freezing in colder climates. IMPORTANT: if you break down, call someone close immediately and tell them where you are. In fact, call more than one person as a precaution. If they are not home, leave an extensive message stating exactly where you are, what's happened, what your license plate is, etc.
Don't post on social media that you are going away. Don't forget to secure your home when you leave and use timers to turn lights on and off so your home looks occupied. Have someone check on your home and lend your driveway to a neighbor. Keep a trusted friend in your travel loop. Let them know where you are going and when you expect to return home.
The holiday season can be stressful as can ordinary, daily life in NYC but once you are ready to get underway, try some meditation, soft music and/or just chill. Exhaustion, frustration, and rushing can lead to poor and dangerous driving decisions. Risky behavior behind the wheel can ruin your holiday as well as that of other family members; it could impact the rest of your life as it does for many every holiday season. Please don't be a statistic? Some pre-planning can reduce your stress and make the holiday better for your entire family.
Happy holidays from the staff and management of Queens best tire and wheel dealer, 106 St Tire & Wheel open 24 hours at 106-01 Northern Blvd and 105-08 Northern Blvd and open 7 days at 79-20 Queens Blvd, 118-02 Merrick Blvd, 45-13 108 St. We will be closed from 5PM on 12/24/15 through Christmas day and re-open Saturday morning at 7 am so our staff can enjoy the holidays with their families; this is the only time throughout the year that we are closed.
Thank you for your business.