Avoid Holiday Accidents

Everyone looks forward to the cards, gifts, and treats of the holiday season, but November and December bring more than good tidings and cheer - they also bring crowded roads, highways and parking lots.

The rush to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list, combined with trips to the post office, parties and, in some locales, winter weather, can increase the likelihood that accidents will occur.

"Like roads and highways, parking lots and garages get crowded during the busy shopping season," said Georgina Sweeney of the CertifiedFirst™ Network. "With additional vehicles and road hazards, the holiday season can be a time of unfortunate collisions."

Here are some tips for the holiday season:

• Pay attention to the road and other drivers while traveling - don't be distracted by decorations, sale signage or other festive holiday details
• Listen to weather forecasts before heading out to shop
• Plan for additional traffic in shopping districts
• Observe traffic signs in parking lots and garages as you would on the street
• Keep an eye open for other shoppers and vehicles before exiting a parking space and when driving through garages and lots
• Respect parking spaces reserved for the disabled and use only if a person with you is assigned a permit, or your car has special plates
• Try to stay in the holiday spirit - leave enough room for other drivers to open doors, and be careful not to scratch or bump other vehicles in parking lots
• Shop at off-peak times when there are fewer cars on the roads and in parking lots.