How can I make travel this Christmas as hassle-free as possible?

The UK’s roads are a busy place to be over the festive period as thousands of people travel across the country to visit friends and relatives. This year, the number of drivers on the road is expected to peak earlier than usual, with Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23 slated to be the busiest days according to the AA.

But there are a few measures that you can take to make things a little less stressful when travelling this Christmas and New Year. Let’s take a look.

Give yourself more time

Running out of time always makes things more stressful. So, if you can, leave yourself a little more time and start earlier. This will allow any traffic to leave your plans unaffected and give you some extra breathing space.

You might also want to travel outside of peak times. That would mean travelling a little later on Friday, December 22 or starting very early on December 23. It would allow you to miss build-ups of traffic at peak areas.

Use traffic apps and listen to radio reports

>
The modern driver has a wealth of information at their fingertips. Apps such as Google Maps and Waze are invaluable at alerting you to slow-downs ahead on the road while also notifying you about broken-down vehicles on the road.

So if you’ve not yet downloaded one of these apps, give them a try on your next route. Just make sure your smartphone is either operated by a friend or relative in the passenger seat or securely kept in a smartphone mount for your car.

Pack some entertainment for the road

>
Particularly if you’re travelling with a family or young kids, then making sure you’ve got some entertainment aboard can really help smooth out a journey, especially if it’s taking longer than expected.

Books, colours and music can all really help as can tried-and-tested iPads and tablets. Before you set off, make sure that you’ve got plenty of options for charging them up, too, such as a fully topped-up power bank or a converter for your car’s 12-volt socket. If you’re driving by yourself, then a good audio book can really help pass the time – there are thousands available through major streaming services.

Stop if you’re tired

>
Tiredness is a real danger when you’re driving, particularly over the darker winter months. It affects your reactions and could make an accident far more likely. So, if you feel like you’re getting tired, remember that it’s always best to stop and take a break. Have a nap, stretch your legs and grab a warm drink and you’ll feel a lot better for the rest of your trip.

Don’t be tempted to try and push through the tiredness, either. It’ll only make things worse – your best option is always to stop somewhere safe such as a service station or lay-by. Don’t ever stop on the hard shoulder just to take a break.

Pack some snacks

Some chocolate or sweets can improve any journey, so pack some extra snacks for your journey to help spruce things up along the way. You’ll also want to make sure that you’ve got some water to hand to keep you hydrated during your journey. A flask with a warm drink is also a good option to bring along.

Make sure you have breakdown cover in place

>
There’s nothing worse than a breakdown over the festive period but, of course, things do happen. That’s why we’d advise having some form of breakdown cover in place to ensure that if you do have a mechanical issue then there is someone that is able to provide assistance.

There are many providers out there to choose from and they can easily be compared online to get you the best price.