The holidays can be stressful for many reasons. Is your family traveling “over the river and through the woods” to grandma’s house this year? Our friends from Carwise have a few tips to help make sure your holiday road trip is a smooth one.

Pack it safely.

Be sure to pack only essential items – because the heavier your car is, the longer it takes for it to stop. And, driving on wet or icy pavement just makes stopping a loaded-down vehicle even more treacherous. Here are some other safety tips when packing your vehicle:

• Starting towards the center of your cargo area, load heavier items like suitcases first. Use lighter items, including pillows and coats, as fillers around heavier ones.
• Don’t stack items too high, as doing so could obstruct the driver’s ability to see other vehicles in the rear-view mirror. Improperly stacked items can also shift and injure back seat passengers if you have-to brake suddenly or swerve.  
• Distribute weight evenly because uneven weight distribution can cause handling problems on curvy roads or during windy conditions.
• Carefully secure any items or carriers that are attached to the luggage rack or rooftop. And, don’t stack rooftop items too high, as passing under a low bridge might knock them off into the path of another motorist. It’s always a good idea to take your vehicle on a practice run first to make sure all rooftop items are safely secured.