5 Golden Rules for Staying Safe on the Road this Holiday Season

1. Cheers! – to Not Drinking and Driving
Sounds obvious but it bears repeating. Whether it’s at the company Christmas party, New Year’s Eve or just catching up with friends for a festive drink, drinking and driving is just not worth it. Designate a driver or enjoy a mocktail instead.

2. Santa Loves Safety
A general pre-holiday vehicle check-up can reduce your risk of having problems on the road. You’ll want to pay particular attention to tire pressure. Temperature fluctuations can affect pressure and a little destabilization can create unsafe driving conditions. Be sure to check yours and when you need to add air to those tires, you can use the filter in the GasBuddy app to find the closest Shell station with an air pump.

3. Buckle Up
We know…you don’t want to wrinkle your new party dress! We get it! But that dress is not going to impress the doctor working in the Emergency Room! According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts saved an estimated 13,941 lives among passenger vehicle occupants age 5 and older in 2015. You want to be part of that club in the event of an accident.

4. Slow that Sleigh Down
Speed is one of the leading causes of car accidents (plus sudden acceleration is a major gas guzzler) and I know the rushing around makes you feel like you can make up some time on the road but I’m sure your friends and family would rather have you arrive safely even if you are 20 minutes late.

5. Entering Slumberland!
Late night holiday gatherings or long trips to visit family leads to drowsiness. Be sure to stay alert. Pre-trip naps or sharing the driving responsibilities can help. If you are feeling tired and fatigued, asked a passenger to take over or pull into the closest Shell station to get coffee, water and a snack. You can stretch and walk around to help wake your body up. Also, be sure to take additional breaks as needed.