Holiday Driving Safety Tips: Helping Teen Drivers Stay Safe from Thanksgiving to New Year's
The holiday season is upon us! During this time of year, there's a lot of "more." We are spending more time with friends and family, eating more, spending more, attending more parties, and overall doing more celebrating.
However, what goes along with all of those "mores" is also more cars and more driving. Whether it's to a friend's house across town or a relative's house across the state, people will be hitting the road to get places.
In fact, AAA projected that more than 73 million Americans would travel by car over the Thanksgiving holiday period in 2025, so I’d expect similar numbers for this year, too. With more cars on the road, and the overall stress of this busy holiday season, it's especially important to stay alert and drive safely.
From Thanksgiving through New Year's, safe holiday driving means avoiding distractions, planning ahead, staying alert to impaired or unpredictable drivers, and consistently practicing defensive driving habits. For parents of teen drivers, this is also an important opportunity to reinforce the safe habits your teen has been learning.
Here are some holiday driving safety reminders to help you and your family arrive safely at every celebration.
1. Avoid Distractions Behind the Wheel
When drivers take safety for granted and go on autopilot behind the wheel, they set themselves up for danger. Distracted driving is far too common because the repetitive experience of driving can lull people into a false sense of security. It's important to consciously recognize this and keep your focus on driving safely to your destination. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,208 people were killed and an estimated 315,167 were injured in traffic crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024.
Distracted driving may be visual, manual, or cognitive. In other words, distractions can take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, or your mind off the task of driving.
During the holidays, motorists may be thinking about their checklists, trying to multitask behind the wheel, rushing to wherever they have to go, or pushing through the fatigue of a busy schedule.
Coaching your teen on avoiding distractions will help you be mindful of avoiding them as well:
Make sure you have everything you intend to bring before you start the car.
Put your phone away and out of reach, or set it to Do Not Disturb.
Enter your destination into the GPS before you begin driving.
Make lists before you head to your destination so you can focus on the road and not your mental dialogue.
If something needs your attention, find a safe place to pull over rather than trying to handle it while driving.
The holiday season is short, and there is a lot to do over the course of just a few weeks. It's common to be distracted, but that doesn't make distracted driving any less dangerous.
2. Plan Ahead to Avoid Rushed Driving
The best way to avoid distracted driving, especially throughout the holiday season, is to be more organized in general. How often do you find yourself trying to cram too many errands into a short amount of time? How many last-minute items do you need to go get? How often are you beating yourself up over something you forgot?
Invest in a planner or commit to using whatever digital app works for you, even if only for these last several weeks of the year, and stick to it. Plan your shopping, events, errands, and commitments, and then give yourself enough time to accomplish everything.
Good planning will help you know how much time you need to allocate to a task, including how much time you need to allow for driving, so the entire process can be less stressful and safer.
When planning holiday trips, remember to:
Allow extra time for traffic, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Check the weather and road conditions before leaving.
Avoid rushing to make up time if you're running late. As the
Take breaks during long drives, especially if you're feeling tired.
This habit will not only make you a safer driver, but it will help you provide the example your teen needs to understand how good organization contributes to overall safety.
3. Reinforce Foundational Defensive Driving Habits
With increased traffic and the stress of the holiday season, it's easy to get caught up rushing to places and forget basic safety habits like using turn signals, scanning the road, and following speed limits.
Remind your teen drivers of the safe habits they've been learning to become defensive drivers and to always expect the unexpected. And be sure to remember them yourself!
Some of the most important defensive driving habits to reinforce include:
Scan the road continuously. Look ahead and around your vehicle to anticipate potential hazards before they become emergencies.
Maintain a safe following distance. Leave enough space between your vehicle and the one ahead of you, especially in heavy traffic or poor weather.
Watch your speed. Adjust your speed for traffic, visibility, and road conditions, even when that means driving below the posted speed limit.
Approach intersections carefully. Check for other vehicles, pedestrians, and drivers who may not follow traffic signals.
Communicate with other drivers. Use turn signals early and avoid making sudden or unpredictable movements.
New drivers are still developing their ability to recognize and respond to hazards. As they gain experience and become more comfortable behind the wheel, it's important that they don't become overconfident and neglect the fundamentals. When you're riding with your teen, ask questions that encourage them to think ahead. For example, "What are you noticing about the traffic up ahead?" or "What could that driver do next?"
This helps your teen develop the awareness and decision-making skills they'll need when driving independently.
4. Prepare for Impaired, Drowsy, and Unpredictable Drivers
During this season, drinking and driving is a greater concern. With more parties and celebrations, some drivers will make poor decisions about getting behind the wheel. According to NHTSA, 868 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday periods from 2019 through 2023.
Before attending a holiday gathering, think twice about getting behind the wheel after drinking. Designate a sober driver ahead of time, or arrange a ride with a service such as Uber or Lyft. There is no reason to drive when you cannot function at your highest level. And remember that you also need to be alert to other drivers who may be impaired.
Another concern during the holidays is fatigue. Late-night celebrations, long-distance travel, and packed schedules can leave drivers feeling exhausted. Drowsiness can affect your reaction time and ability to make safe decisions.
Talk with your teen about impaired driving. This includes recognizing when they're too tired to drive and making a plan for a safe ride home. Remind them that if they ever feel unsafe driving or riding with someone else, or driving themselves, they can call you for help, no questions asked.
Even as you ramp up your own safe driving skills, remember that not everyone on the road is doing the same. Coach your teen to practice defensive driving at all times and anticipate the mistakes other drivers might make.
5. Parents: Model the Safe Driving Habits You Want Your Teen to Develop
Your habits will influence your teen driver's habits, and the cycle will continue to the next generation. If you're checking your phone at red lights, rushing through traffic, following other vehicles too closely, or driving when you're overly tired, your teen is watching.
The same is true when you demonstrate good driving habits. As parents, we have an opportunity to set an example every time we get behind the wheel. The holiday season, with its extra traffic and distractions, provides plenty of opportunities to demonstrate safe driving.
Rather than simply telling your teen what to do, explain the decisions you're making. Point out potential hazards, describe why you're adjusting your following distance, or talk about why you chose to leave earlier to avoid rushing. When your teen is driving, ask questions to help them recognize hazards and make decisions on their own.
Remember, teaching your teen to drive safely isn't just about helping them pass the driver's license test. It's about developing the habits, judgment, and confidence they need to drive safely for a lifetime.
Holiday Driving Safety Checklist for Parents and Teens
Before heading out to a Thanksgiving gathering, Christmas celebration, or New Year's event, take a few minutes to review this holiday driving safety checklist:
Plan your route: Check traffic, road conditions, and the weather before leaving.
Allow extra time: Avoid the temptation to rush when traffic is heavier than expected.
Limit distractions: Put phones away, set up navigation, and secure loose items before driving.
Buckle up: Make sure everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seat belt.
Stay alert: Scan the road, maintain a safe following distance, and watch for unpredictable drivers.
Watch for fatigue: Take breaks when necessary and avoid driving when you're too tired.
Have a safe ride home: Never drive impaired or ride with someone who has been drinking.
Review driving expectations: Talk with your teen about nighttime driving, passengers, and when to call for help.
A little preparation can go a long way toward making your holiday travel safer.
Safe Driving Habits Matter All Year Long
This may not be the cheery holiday message you expected. I honestly want your family to enjoy this holiday season and each one after it. Unfortunately, far too many holidays are permanently ruined because of preventable tragedies on the road.
The habits you practice today will help shape the kind of driver your teen becomes tomorrow.
Let's work together on safe driving habits so you and your family can continue enjoying safe and happy holidays for years to come.
Want more help coaching your teen to become a safe, confident driver? Download my free guide, 5 Solutions to the Most Common Teen Driving Mistakes, or explore the The Parent's Guide to Teen Driving online video resource, designed to help parents teach their teens the skills and habits they need for a lifetime of safe driving.
From my family to yours, have a wonderful holiday season. Stay safe out there!
