Five safety tips for your holiday travel

WASHINGTON — The end of December means one thing for a lot of Iowans: time to hit the road. Whether visiting family for the holidays, seeing friends for the new year, or just making use of a few days off, the season offers myriad reasons to bring people to town, or leave for distant cities.

Unfortunately, it’s also a time of year when weather can prove unpredictable at best and dangerous at worst. Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen has a few tips to stay safe on the road this holiday season.

Have (and update) an emergency kit

Reisen is a strong advocate for a back-of-the car emergency kit in every vehicle, packed with basic supplies like water, non-perishable food, jumper cables, warning triangles and the like. Colder temperatures offer a reminder to add some items to the kit that are more season-specific.

“In the winter, you want an ice-scraper and snow brush, and Kitty Litter to help with traction, and extra blankets and socks,” she said. “We live in Iowa, we know what winter can bring, so have what you need, if winter brings that.”

Check where you’re going... before you go there

Reisen said weather preparation required people to check not only the forecast for their starting point and destination, but for the route along the way as well.

She also advises that drivers read the directions before piling into the van. While GPS apps are useful for navigation reminders and improvising around closures, she said they could prove unreliable at the worst of times.

“It’s not like in the ‘90s where we’d print off our MapQuest directions,” she said. “Just because we have all these devices that tell us when and where to go, we should still be aware in advance.”

Check with the locals

If you’re going to visit family, Reisen says to ask them for any special, region-specific considerations, like the need for tire chains in certain parts of Colorado, or an idea of what stretches of road are plagued by deer.

“Talk to the people where you’re going,” she said. “If you’re visiting family, think, ‘What am I going to need there that I might not think about needing here.’”

Have a contingency plan

Whether driving, flying, boating or using any other means of transit to leave town, Reisen said winter travel was prone to unexpected disruptions.

Therefore, she suggests that all vacation planners know their backup options, including cancellation fees, alternative places to stay, and what to do if they don’t make their connection.

“If you’re staying at a hotel or flying, even, what are their cancellation policies?” she said. “If you get stranded in one airport, these are things you need to know in advance. How does stuff effect your trip, down the road?”

Slow down, and scrape off the snow

Perhaps the single most often-repeated piece of advice for wintry driving, Reisen said slowing down on slick, snowy roads was conventional wisdom for a reason.

“We want to get where we’re going alive, even if we don’t get there on time,” she said. “If I’m going on a really long trip and I have to be there at X time, I’m going to leave well enough in advance that I’m there a day in advance.”

Other common, if frequently-disregarded advice, is to scrape the snow off your car before driving it, to avoid blinding others on the road behind you while moving, or yourself when you brake.

That’s a much bigger ask for semi trucks and other large vehicles sharing the road this weekend. Reisen advised travelers to give those drivers a little extra space, whenever possible.

“Big old chunks of snow and ice could fly off their vehicle, if they’ve been somewhere where that weather is happening,” she said. “You don’t want to get hit with a ton of stuff on your way to visit for the holidays. It’s a big (mess) right before everything starts.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com