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Editorial: Safety first this holiday when on the road

Holiday driving can be a stressful task at the best of times.
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You don’t want this to be you this holiday. Slow down on the road. (submitted)

It’s likely got the kids (old and young) cheering, but for anyone who has to drive over the Christmas holiday it’s likely got them cringing: snow.

The forecast shows the possibility of a rare white Christmas for the Cowichan Valley. While the white stuff may look like fun frosting from behind the window panes on Christmas Eve, it doesn’t have quite the charm from the vantage point of the driver’s seat, with the windshield wipers drumming out a beat at odds with the carols on the radio.

Holiday driving can be a stressful task at the best of times.

There are a lot of busy people out on the roads, all focused on getting to where they’re going as quickly as possible.

There are distractions everywhere you look, and plenty up in the old noggin, as well. Did you remember to turn the lights off on the tree? Did you lock the door? Did you remember the stocking stuffer for Robert? What about the card for Lexi?

You had to drive around the grocery store parking lot three times before a spot miraculously opened up and now you’re running late.

But of course what we have to remember when we climb behind the wheel is that all of that stuff has to get left behind.

There’s no schedule once you get into the car. It will take as long as it takes to get there safely, and that’s the only priority. It’s when we forget this that we tend to get into trouble.

Snow and ice just add another dimension to the madness. But again, taking the proper time to prepare can be key. Clean off your car before you head out – your whole car, not just a porthole the size of a dinner plate to peer through in front of you. Make sure you have winter tires. You get the drift.

When you get in the car this holiday, the only thing on your mind should be safety. It’s the only thing you’re guaranteed not to have a happy holiday without.