Holiday Travel Safety

Practicing safe travel tips like not drinking and driving can greatly reduce the risk of being involved in an accident or incident. MPB's lawayne Childrey reports on some other practices that can also improve your chances of getting to your holiday destination safely.

Holidays are the time when families pack up the vehicle and take to the road. Robert Hancock, Police Traffic Coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, cautions motorists to have a certified mechanic check their car , and never yield to the temptation of car overload.

An over crowded vehicle can often lead to distracted driving. Hancock says it's also a good idea to make sure your vehicle is clear of any movable items that could prove dangerous.

For Don Redman, Vice President for Public Affairs at Triple "A" the American Automobile Association even the hands free phone can be a hazardous to driving.

Some holiday drivers may even encounter cold icy conditions while traveling to their destination. Redman believes those motorists would do well to check road conditions, weather reports, obey posted speed limits and take along a few extra items in the trunk.

Although gas prices are down this year, triple A predicts that about 1.4 million fewer drivers will take to the road this holiday. They point to the national recession as the reason. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.