Merry Christmas from the team at Mercedes on Lease!

We know that a lot of drivers will be celebrating this week and as our gift for you we’ve wrapped up ten of our best tips for travelling over the Christmas period to help you make the journey a little smoother.

 Christmas Driving Tips for 2022

1. Check Your Car Before You Travel

Before you set out on any journey we recommend doing an inspection of the vehicle around 72 – 12 hours before you travel, depending on your regular vehicle usage. You want to look for any damage, that all your lights are working, top up your fluids and check your tyres to make sure that your vehicle is in the best running condition for the trip.

We’ve covered all the essential checks in an earlier article and we recommend reading this for a full list.

2. Fill / Charge Up the Night Before

If you’re in a car with a traditional combustion engine then you should make sure you’ve filled up before you travel to avoid having to stop in one of the pricy motorway service stations.

If you’ve got an EV then you’ll also want to charge the night before to avoid having to stop and charge on the road if the trip is longer than your mileage range, especially if you’re on a long trip and want to minimise the time on the road.

3. Pack the Car in Plenty of Time

While it’s not always the best decision to pack the car the night before, especially if you’re travelling with a lot of gifts, we do recommend making sure you give yourself enough time before you need to leave to get everything in safely.

Depending on how much you are taking and the number of passengers who will have their own travel items this might need to be an hour or so before you set off to make sure everything is packed in safely.

4. Make Sure You Don’t Block Visibility

If you are taking a lot of gifts or luggage with you then you need to make sure that you are not blocking your visibility. This means making sure you can see out of all your mirrors and the rear and side windows to see your blind spots.

5. Plan Your Route Before You Travel

If you’re travelling to visit family or friends then we recommend planning the route before you set off so that you know the best roads for your trip and how long the journey should take. This will help you better plan your day and hopefully avoid you rushing.

6. Allow Time for Traffic

There will be times when roads around the country are going to be busier as many people head out to visit family and friends so if you’re tied to a particular time, such as a set lunch time, you should factor in a little extra time in case you run into traffic.

 7.  Take Regular Breaks

If you’re travelling a long distance or late at night after a full day of festivities then you should make sure to take regular breaks for hydrating, resting, movement or using the bathroom which will also help prevent tiredness. For particularly long trips, you might want to do driving shifts if you are travelling with another adult who is capable of driving the vehicle.

8. Keep to the Speed Limits

If you’re travelling at Christmas you might find that there is very little traffic at times, and with no other cars on the road it can be easy to not notice your speed creeping up. Make sure you stick to the speed limit, using cruise control or speed limiter features if your vehicle has them.

9. Make Sure You Don’t Drink and Drive

There’s a lot of food at Christmas time that packs an extra punch such as brandy-soaked Christmas puddings and though they might not be very high alcohol content indulging in them along with a drink at dinner could put you over the legal alcohol limits. You should be mindful of your alcohol consumption whenever you are going to get behind the wheel but especially at Christmas where you might not always taste the alcohol.

10. Be Prepared for the Weather

You should already be prepared for winter driving, but we recommend checking the weather before any travel so that you are prepared at the other end or for the return trip. This might mean making sure there’s some de-icer in the car or an extra jumper for your passengers if it gets cold, or knowing you need to drive a little slower due to rain or ice on the road.

We hope you all have a wonderful week!