A Press Release from the NJ State Police.
West Trenton, N.J. – You are on your way to your Thanksgiving feast and you can almost smell the turkey. The kids are behaving in the back seat and it’s only a half-hour trip. You wish you had time to stop and fill up your tank, but you are already running late. The holiday traffic is heavy, but Wednesday’s storm have left the roads passable. It’s going to be a good day—until you see all lanes stopped ahead of you. Two hours later, you’re out of gas, the kids are crying and your cell phone is dead.
You can avoid a holiday disaster like this one with a few simple preparations:
- Fill up your gas tank
- Check fluids (Including windshield washer fluid and anti-freeze)
- Check tire pressure and windshield wipers
- Clear all ice and snow off of your vehicle prior to departure
- Bring a mobile phone with charger
- Let someone know your travel plans
You should also have an emergency kit in your car which should include these basic items:
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Folding shovel
- Bottles of water and snacks
- Jumper cables
- Flares or highway warning triangle
- Blanket
- First aid kit
- Ice scraper/brush
Wednesday is one of the most traveled days of the year, and rain and snow is expected so plan extra time for your trip. Monitor weather conditions before you leave at www.weather.gove/phi. Northeast N.J. residents should long onto www.weather.gov/nyc, or visit www.ready.nj.gov, the website of the NJSP Office of Emergency Management, for social media links and other sources of information.
On Thanksgiving weekend 2012, there were 301 people killed on the roads throughout the nation. Sixty percent of those occupants killed were not wearing their seatbelts. In the last decade, over 100,000 people survived crashes because they were properly restrained. Wear your seatbelt every time, whether you’re the driver or a passenger. It’s the best way to protect yourself from injury or death.
In 2013, six people died in five accidents in New Jersey during the Thanksgiving weekend. Three of those accidents involved alcohol, drugs, or both. If alcohol figures into your holiday plans, use a designated driver or arrange to stay overnight. So far this year, 480 people have lost their lives on New Jersey roadways, a slight increase over the last year. The official holiday period begins on Wednesday, November 27 at 6:00 p.m. and ends on Monday, December 2 at 6:00 a.m.
For additional information visit our website at www.njsp.org.
