We’re heading into one of the year’s biggest travel weekends. AAA predicts that a quarter of Americans will be traveling between this weekend and New Year’s Day. While still high, gas prices have dropped 50 cents since September. As reported on CNN News, AAA anticipates an additional small price drop before the end of the year that could move gas prices to $3.20 to $3.40 per gallon and encourage more people to drive to grandmother’s house for the holidays.

With 93.3 million drivers clogging the highways and recent winter blizzards, safety will be foremost in the minds of RV travelers as they hit the highways to visit relatives or squeeze in a quick vacation before the year ends. Most safe driving rules are a matter of common sense, but the size and weight of an RV motorhome or travel trailer can decrease stopping distances and make maneuvering to avoid an accident more difficult.

It never hurts to review safe RV driving tips before loading up your RV for a family trip:

  • Before leaving home, check all automotive and RV systems, paying particular attention to hitch couplings, tire pressure and vehicle brakes.
  • When coping with bad weather or tangled traffic, take a deep breath, slow down and increase your following distance.
  • If roads become overly slippery and icy, get off the highway. Before you leave home, scout out RV campgrounds along your route where you can find safe harbor until the storm passes. In a pinch, pull into a rest stop or Walmart parking to wait out the worst of the storm.