While the trip in the song took them "over the river and through the wood" by sleigh, the majority of holiday travelers head to Grandmother's house — or wherever else they go to celebrate — by automobile. Nearly 39 million motorists were estimated to have traveled more than 50 miles from home by car during this past Thanksgiving holiday, with millions more set to hit the road for Christmas, according to AAA.
For those planning to head out on a car trip this Christmas, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminds motorists to buckle their seat belts, put young children in child-safety seats and anyone younger than 13 in the backseat, avoid drinking alcohol or distractions when driving, and stay out of the "No Zone," the area around large trucks and buses where crashes are most likely to occur.
NHTSA also reminds travelers that weather-related crashes account for a significant percentage of fatalities during winter holiday travel, totaling 4 percent for Thanksgiving 2012. "Preparedness" is the name of the game when it comes to guarding against both weather-related accidents and roadside emergencies.
NHTSA has provided the following checklist for safe winter driving: