November/December Topic:

 

Holiday Safety Tips:

• If traveling by vehicle, know where you are going and how to get there and back. Obtain a map or download the latest available GPS data and check for construction detours.  For longer trips, get a weather forecast.
  If traveling out-of-state, most states and/or state law enforcement agencies provide road-and-highway information either on-line or at a 1-800 number.  Check to see what conditions they report before leaving. Visit the Federal Highway Administration's related webpage at:   http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/index.htm
  Also be sure and inform a family member where you will be and when to expect you back and give them your route if they don't know it.

• 
  

• Travel and conduct your business during daylight hours if possible.  Try to select well-traveled and lighted thoroughfares. Bear in mind that routes which are congested during rush hour may be very lightly traveled at other hours. Use freeways and arterial streets and avoid less-traveled roads as much as possible, especially when driving at night or in unfamiliar locations.

• If possible, know the emergency cell codes for the area you're in. For example, in Oklahoma, remember that *55 = OHP is the emergency number for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.  Click here for a state-by-state listing of highway related cell phone codes.   

• When driving, keep doors locked and windows rolled up at all times. Maintain at least half a tank of fuel, and keep vehicle in good repair.   If planning a "road trip" over the holidays, have your vehicle serviced and checked out sufficiently far ahead to allow for repairs if needed. Don’t forget to have the mechanic check your spare tire and all fluid levels along with the other preventive maintenance procedures.