Holiday travel tips can be handy as American Automobile Association (AAA) released a forecast of 100.5 million Americans traveling over the Christmas season.
The figure is a 1.4 per cent increase from last year. If the forecast is accurate, 2015 will see the seventh-consecutive year of increased Christmas travel.
"The holidays are a time for joining with friends and family, and the record number of people traveling this holiday should make for a joyous travel season," Marshall Doney, AAA president, said in a report by The Hill.
AAA predicts 900,000 motorists to be rescued during the Christmas season.
AAA Mid-Atlantic manager of public and government affairs John B. Townsend's top holiday travel tip is to check the condition of your vehicle.
"So make sure to check the condition of your vehicle's battery and tires for winter driving before heading out on your holiday getaway," Townsend said in a report by The Washington Post. Do not forget to check your wiper blades as well.
"The thing you want to keep in mind is that you always have to be prepared for those things you can't anticipate, a breakdown on a back road or something that may in fact keep you stuck in your car, like an unexpectedly bad snow or ice storm," Tom Calcagni, director of public and government affairs at AAA Mid-Atlantic, said in a report by WTOP.
Lisa Farbstein, Transportation Security Administration at Albany International Airport, also shared some holiday travel tips.
Travelers are advised to put gifts in gift box or bag, and not to cover them in wrapping paper as inspector may ask you to unwrap it if he cannot see what's inside through the scanner.
Modeling clay for children resembles plastic explosives so it is not advisable for hand-carried items.
Passengers may bring food on board after it passed the inspection. "Sometimes they want to bring a homemade pie or cake or a pie or cake from the person's favorite bakery. But the box may be opened and a swab taken along the edge to detect for explosive residue."
Farbestein said they want to share some holiday travel tips because "we see a lot of people traveling who are not frequent travelers."
