During the holiday season, many people celebrate by going shopping to buy holiday gifts for friends and family members. This can cause a lot of traffic, as holiday shoppers flock from store to store looking for the right gift at the right price.
In order to stay safe while holiday shopping in your car, follow these holiday shopping car safety tips from Colors On Parade:
1) Make sure you have a full tank of gas before going holiday shopping – it’s easy to get caught up in holiday-related festivities and forget about refueling your car. By having a full tank, you’ll be able to drive home if there is inclement weather or other hazards that occur during your holiday shopping trip.
2) Drive calmly, cautiously and carefully – holiday traffic is inevitable as people rush from one holiday event or sale to another. In order to avoid hitting other cars or being hit, don’t speed or drive erratically. Always watch out for those who may be walking through parking lots with shopping packages as well as pedestrians emerging from between parked cars.
3) Never leave packages visible in your vehicle while shopping – visible packages make your vehicle a target for thieves. Always hide packages in the trunk or under seats to keep packages out of view to prevent break-ins.
4) Wear your seatbelt – holiday shopping can be a hectic situation as people hurry from store to store. Don’t make it worse by jeopardizing your safety! Always wear you seat belt for holiday safety.
5) Keep children buckled in the backseat – holiday shoppers often bring their young children with them on errands or holiday shopping excursions, but this can also present more of a problem if they’re not properly restrained in car seats and booster seats. Make sure that all passengers under the age of 18 are buckled up and safely secured at all times while out holiday shopping.
6) Carry a roadside emergency kit – in the event of an emergency while out shopping, make sure you carry your roadside emergency kit. Your kit should include a flashlight, fresh batteries, road flares, jumper cables, a first aid kit, duct tape and anything else you might need to stay safe until help arrives.
7) Make note of where you parked – wandering around with packages looking for your vehicle makes you a target for thieves. Always make a note of where you parked and have your keys ready in hand before you leave the store to ensure you can find your vehicle easily and get in quickly.
The holiday season should be filled with holiday cheer, not holiday disasters. Make sure your holiday shopping is safe by following these holiday shopping car safety tips.