Traveling for the holidays? If so, the last thing you’ll want to deal with is trouble with the law.
Millions of Americans are driving, or taking planes, trains, and/or buses to visit friends and family for the holidays. While many accidents are out of your control, it’s a good idea to be prepared for some common legal predicaments.
So before you cram all that fruitcake into your bag, here are 10 holiday travel legal tips to take along with you:
Driving? Pack your car with proper supplies. Make sure that your car is loaded up with essential supplies such as a flashlight, road flares, and FindLaw’s free guide called Motor Vehicle Accidents: First Steps, which includes a helpful checklist.
Make sure you carry proof of car insurance. Not only should be insured, but you’ll need to have proof of it on you while driving. If you don’t, you could risk having your driver’s license or vehicle registration suspended.
Know your local cell phone-while-driving laws. Read up on the cell phone laws in the state(s) that you’ll be driving through. Using a cell phone without a hands-free device and/or texting from behind the wheel can get you pulled over for distracted driving, and can lead to expensive fines in many jurisdictions.
Check window tint laws. If your car windows are tinted, you may want to check the window tint laws in the state(s) you’ll be driving through. While the tint level may be legal in your state, it may not be in some others.