5 tips for planning a safe ride home over the holidays

Whether you’re going across the country to spend time with loved ones or zigzagging from your family Christmas lunch to dinner with the in-laws, the holiday season means lots of driving. Because let’s face it — ’tis the season to avoid standing in the cold at a bus stop as much as possible.

And since we’re talking about Canada, this doesn’t mean just any old driving. We’re talking about cold, snowy, freezing, winter driving. Throw in some dangerous conditions, rushing to get last-minute presents, and all the extra traffic on the road, and you’ve got a recipe for trouble.

We paired up with Hyundai to share some tips to keep you safe on the roads this holiday season, so you can focus on what’s important — time with your loved ones.

Check the snow-cast

The holiday season in Canada means one thing for certain, and that’s snow (yes, even on the west coast). Whether it’s a light dusting that doesn’t stick or being barely able to open your front door without causing a mini avalanche, checking the conditions is crucial to staying safe on the roads.

Seeing what it’s like out there especially applies if you’re travelling across the province to visit family (with the handy feature of highway webcams) — but even if you’re just going across town, you should still check the weather forecast.

Be equipped for conditions

If it is particularly snowy out there, you’re going to want to make sure you slow down and leave extra distance between you and the next vehicle, and avoid losing traction by applying the gas pedal slowly to accelerate.

But if you’re looking to take your snow safety seriously, consider driving a Hyundai equipped with their latest feature, Snow Mode. Both the Palisade and Venue have the feature available, which can detect the type of snow you’re driving in and automatically adapt the traction, applying optimal grip for ultimate safety. Just the peace-of-mind we need in treacherous holiday conditions.

Get those winter wheels on

Now that you’ve got your snow mode on your side, you’re also going to want to make sure you have the right wheels for the weather. It’s recommended to swap to your winter tires once temperatures fall below seven degrees.

In addition to having on your winter tires though, you can take advantage of all-wheel drive with Hyundai’s Kona, Santa Fe, Tucson, and Palisade SUVs. Instead of having two front wheels doing all the work, you’ll have four working all at once. This means one thing: more control in snowy and icy conditions.

Stay alert

Palisade Driver Attention Warning feature/Hyundai

Distractions on the road are all too common during the holiday season. After all, everyone is relaxing after a long year of hard work, and vacay mode means you might be less alert than usual.

We’ve all experienced it: your brother messaging you to pick up some last-minute treats; catching yourself staring at the GPS for too long; feeling the fatigue set in after hours spent at the wheel. As a general rule, you should stop for a 15-minute break after two hours of driving — or of course, whenever you need to reply to a few urgent texts.

With Hyundai’s Attention Warning feature on select models, you’ll get notifications reminding you when it’s time to pull over for a quick stop and reset. Having a feature like this is perfect to keep you driving your best during winter road trips, especially if you’re travelling alone for long distances.

Be prepared for the rush

Last-minute holiday disasters are bound to happen to even the most organized of us. The downside? If you’re rushing out the door, it’s unlikely you’ve got time to sit and wait in the driveway while your car heats up.

To help you stay focused on your driving and not get distracted with de-fogging your windows, Hyundai’s entire SUV line-up offers a remote start feature, so you can turn on the ignition and heat your car up ahead of time. This means you’ll save time getting out the door — and even better, you won’t freeze when you finally get in the car.

What’s more, they also come with heated seats and steering wheels to keep you cozy during your drive, and LED lights for more visibility in poor conditions.

Venue exterior/Hyundai

This holiday season, take your safety seriously by finding a vehicle with the best winter-ready features around. To check out the latest range of vehicles designed to tackle all the challenges nature throws at you, check out Hyundai Canada today.