Drive Home for Christmas with Eversure

December is here so you know what that means – Christmas is coming! At Eversure, we couldn’t be more excited and so to celebrate, we surveyed the office to find out everyone’s top five Christmas songs. The results are in, and we’ve complied a 15-song lineup to create the ultimate driving home for Christmas playlist, perfect for getting into the festive spirit.

If you’re getting behind the wheel for long journeys or short, then this guide will help make sure you are fully prepared before driving home for Christmas. Don’t forget to secure breakdown insurance with us for complete reassurance as nothing is more Christmassy than knowing you are fully covered – then, you’ll enjoy the Eversure playlist even more as you know we have your back every mile of the way.

Plan Your Journey

Planning your journey is always essential, but it’s especially important to plan your journey before driving home for Christmas as the roads are packed with families travelling across the UK. Even for short trips, careful planning and preparation are crucial due to this increased traffic.

Planning ahead will allow you to avoid potential delays by steering clear of roadworks or other disruptions – few things can dampen the festive spirit faster than being stuck in slow-moving traffic jams, especially if you have children in the car too.

It is easy to anticipate the busiest travel times this time of year; Friday evenings leading up to Christmas tend to be the most hectic, with the Friday before Christmas Eve, the 20th this year, being known as ‘Frantic Friday’. As a result, it is best to avoid driving at peak times altogether by adjusting your schedule and travelling early on Saturday morning instead. Christmas Eve is also a busy travel day so if you’re driving somewhere to stay overnight, think about leaving the evening before and enjoying an additional night away.

Allow plenty of extra time in case of unforeseen delays as even the best planning can’t account for everything. Keep your Christmas spirit high by taking out breakdown insurance with us. Store the number of your breakdown provider, as stated on your policy documents, on your phone and have it written down somewhere as a backup in case your phone loses power.

Inspect Your Vehicle

Cold weather can impact your car’s performance so it’s necessary to check your vehicle is ready for winter before leaving in order to avoid unexpected breakdowns. Here’s a checklist to get you started:

Battery

Tyres

Brakes

Wiper blades

Fluid levels (including fuel)

Lights

Heating systems

Doors and locks

For further details on getting your car ready for winter, read our comprehensive guide on essential winter car preparation to prevent breakdowns.

Secure the Presents

Don’t forget to pack the car with your presents! When travelling home for Christmas your car is more likely to become very crowded with all your luggage, your passengers and all your presents. As a result, your visibility can become restricted so you must pack your car effectively. Pack heavier items into your boot first so that things such as suitcases are at the bottom. This means that you can then place lighter, more delicate items on top. Effective packing should mean that if you have to stop suddenly, things won’t fly about.

Driving in Bad Weather

As winter driving conditions are unpredictable, you should check the weather forecast before you leave – you may have to consider delaying your journey if severe weather conditions are expected. In adverse weather conditions, you should only drive when you absolutely must. To help best prepare you, we have an ultimate guide to driving in winter as well as guides to driving in all other weather conditions such as floods, nighttime, snow and ice. If you are embarking on particularly long road trips then remember to take regular breaks to stay alert, especially if you do end up encountering heavy Christmas traffic.

Choose the Right Playlist

If you have several hours of driving ahead, or if you are only in the car for 20 minutes, why not keep yourself entertained and in the festive spirit with some of the best Christmas tunes? Enjoying your journey is part of the festive experience and it will also help keep your children entertained. For the best soundtrack, listen to the Eversure Christmas playlist featuring all the festive classics certified by the team.

Be Aware the Morning After

Many Christmas events, in addition to the day itself, involve a culture of heavy drinking. If you are participating, keep in mind that the morning after can still be dangerous; you may be over the legal limit even if you do not feel intoxicated. If you’re questioning whether you’re sober enough to drive, it’s best to err on the side of caution and assume you are not.

Final Thoughts

By making sure you are fully prepared and have every eventuality covered, including getting breakdown insurance, you will avoid the stress associated with Christmas traffic. Press play on our playlist, sing along to Eversure’s favourite festive songs and enjoy a stress-free journey home!

Merry Christmas from the team at Eversure!