Winter Road Trips Require Extra Planning, Preparation

CARS.COM — A road trip is fun anytime of the year, but during the holiday months it requires special planning and execution. The unpredictable weather during the holiday season can create less-than-ideal road conditions on the road and subsequently, especially if you’re traveling with children, in the car.

Related: Cargo-Packing Tips: How to Fit Holiday Gifts Into Your Car

The number of long-distance trips increases by 54 percent at Thanksgiving and 23 percent during the Christmas and New Year’s period, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. Of that increased travel, a staggering 91 percent is done by personal vehicle.

Moreover, some data suggest that the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s periods are among the most dangerous times to drive, as drivers may be more aggressive due to stress or alcohol consumption, or they may not be navigating the heavier traffic as well as they could. It’s up to you to remain alert and be prepared for the cantankerous drivers, restless children or icy roads you might encounter on a winter road trip.

I recently hit the road with my family to travel from Boulder, Colo., to Oklahoma City for Thanksgiving. Although we’ve taken many summer road trips, this was our first big winter road trip. We packed up a 2015 Toyota Highlander and after a total of 1,400 miles on the road, many through ice and snowstorms, I now feel like a seasoned professional. If you’re planning to hit the road this holiday season, here are some of the tips and tricks that can help make sure your trip as safe and successful as possible.

Before You Go

• Make sure the oil in your car has recently been changed and is at the proper level and lubrication.
• Brakes should be checked for any wear and tear, and the brake fluid should be checked.
• Top off antifreeze and windshield wiper fluids, and fill ‘er up with a full tank of gas.
• Winter tires are advisable, but all-season tires will do the job too. Make sure to check your tires for signs of wear and keep them properly inflated.
• Windshield wipers should be checked and new blades installed if the old ones have worn down.

In the Car

• Be it winter or summer, filling the car with a plethora of food and beverages is advisable. Eating across the miles is part of the fun, but it also gives you an emergency stash in case you get stuck in snow. If you happen to be transporting your famous sweet potato casserole to share with friends and family, be sure to take the proper precautions to keep it from turning into a giant mess or a dangerous projectile.
• Keeping a blanket or two in your car throughout the winter months is a great idea in case your heat ever lapses or you find yourself stuck on the side of the road for any amount of time. The blankets we brought were put to great use during the particularly frigid drive home.
• You can buy an emergency kit online or you can make your own. The mainstays of the emergency kit are jumper cables, flashlights, a first-aid kit, water, a basic tool kit, a shovel, an ice scraper and a cellphone charger. You can augment your kit with things like flares or reflective triangles, canned food (don’t forget a can opener!) and extra clothing.
• In-car entertainment was more important during this road trip than it’s ever been during a summer trek. Stops at parks and playgrounds were dramatically shortened or altogether abandoned thanks to the freezing winter temperatures. As such, the football we brought sat unused, while the iPads, books, crayons, drawing paper and audio books we brought were all the rage for my three kids.

Our Winter Road Trip

The 2015 Highlander Limited with all-wheel drive was a laudable partner during this trip and offered a few features that proved quite handy. For instance, the Highlander’s famously large and deep center console housed lots of snacks and protected them from being crushed. A foldable cupholder/tray between the second-row captain’s chairs was convenient since the car was filled to the brim and it only took up space when it was in use. The rest of the time, it was folded out of the way.

With in-car entertainment so significant on this trip, the available rear entertainment system ($1,810) was used about 1,810 times. The USB connector, despite its awkward placement below the in-dash shelf, was vital as it kept portable devices charged throughout the trip, and the in-dash shelf was great for housing those devices.

Last but not least, the Highlander’s advanced safety features helped keep us safe on this trip. There were long stretches of straight, flat roads, covered on either side with cows or oil pumps — and as a driver, it was easy to fall into a trancelike state. Those were the times when the Highlander’s lane departure and blind spot warning systems became my true friends. And for that, I am thankful.