Though we realise it’s still pretty early to be dropping the C bomb, the first hints of the festive season have certainly started dropping. The odd twinkling light on the high street, a baby in a santa hat on Instagram stories, a few bars of a Mariah Carey ringtone overheard on the bus…whisper it, but the party season is on.
Unfortunately, in the rush to get from A to B, from panto to work’s drinks with some Christmas shopping in between, UK roads can be more dangerous than usual. Statistics back this up, with December 5th being the worst day of the year for car accidents. With that in mind, here are 5 IDEAL road safety tips for Christmas.
MIND THE MORNING AFTER
We won’t insult your intelligence by telling you not to drink and drive; we all know the dangers, both to ourselves and others. But, it is important to mention that the morning after a heavy session on the mulled wine poses risk, too.
For most people, and very roughly speaking, it takes around an hour for a drink to leave your system; that means if you were to attend a fairly enthusiastic party and get home late, you’d still be over the limit after a few hours sleep. Best, then, to avoid drinking altogether if you have to drive the next morning, or limit your drinks to a low ABV%, or at the very least, stop drinking earlier in the night than usual. Check out this handy ‘how long until I’m sober’ tool here.
DON’T RUSH, DON’T STRESS
Yep, we’re sure you can’t wait to see those faces, and the temptation is strong to drive quickly and urgently during the Christmas period, but we’d recommend channelling Chris Rea’s acceptance that ‘it’s gonna take some time’ instead. The roads are busier during the festive season, with people keen to get home to family or buy those last minute gifts, and conditions are often more dangerous, but it’s wise to take a breather, take your time, and drive with extra caution. Because the greatest gift of all is a family together, safe and well.
FORECAST IT
Not content with having the potential of more drink drivers than normal, as well as more stress and rush behind the wheel, Christmas also sees some of the coldest, most inclement weather of the year. Roads can be really slippery and tyres unpredictable over the festive season, so it’s wise to check the forecast carefully before a long drive and adjust your route and ETA accordingly. If condition are especially ominous, and visibility is poor, then it might be best to delay your journey.
CONSIDER A DASHCAM
Should the unthinkable occur and an accident does happen, don’t let it put a dampener on your festive spirit. Stay calm. And on future occasions, consider a dashcam to put your mind at ease about any resulting legal disputes
Footage obtained via a dashcam can be provided to the police to be used as evidence in a criminal prosecution. The increase in footage being provided to the police became so prevalent that a website was launched to specifically allow for dash cam evidence to be uploaded; the National Dash Cam Safety Portal (NDSP) was established to assist police forces
As any car accident lawyer will tell you, dashcam footage is likely to be appropriate to support prosecutions or defences in the following cases, all of which are increased over the festive season:
- Driving without due care and attention/inconsiderate driving;
- Dangerous driving;
- Driving whilst using a mobile phone;
- Drink driving or drug driving (where there is evidence of poor driving).
The use of a dashcam or a go-pro is not always so straight forward. It can lead to penalty points and a fine if you are seen interacting with the dash cam whilst driving, or even if the police feel your camera would obstruct your view of the road. You must also inform any passengers that a dashcam is being used in your vehicle.
EMBRACE THE SERENITY
Christmas isn’t universally a period of good cheer, peace and harmony. For some, it can be stressful and laden with tension. There are people you’d not usually choose to spend time with requiring endless small talk, an urgent, last minute dash for pressies and alcohol, heightened family tensions…and that’s on a good day. So, embrace that extra time spent in the car, taking things slowly and in peace, perhaps with a Christmas playlist gently soundtracking the drive and serenity in the air. Enjoy that calm before the storm, we think.