Usually the holidays take you outside your normal driving zone; if you live in the city, you might have to drive to a rural area or vice versa. Therefore, I thought I would collect some tips from my fellow coworkers at this car dealership in Austin so you can be prepared driving on either a rural road or a city street.

I would assume that most of you live in Central Texas – in or around the Austin area, where city driving dominates within the Austin city limits but quickly turns rural once you go a few miles outside. If you are not used to driving in the traffic mayhem of Austin, here are a few tips that you should follow to make sure you reach your destination safely and timely in this urban setting:

1. Check to see if construction is occurring on your route. If you have to be at a holiday party at a certain time, you might want to leave earlier than usual.
2. Drive economically. What I mean is don’t speed up when you know you’ll have to slow down, and don’t hesitate to switch to neutral instead of smashing the brake.
3. Drive in one lane. Although switching lanes may seem to save you some time, it more than doubles your chance of getting into an accident.
4. Don’t take anything personal. If someone cuts you off or is merging into traffic let it go, no sense in doing something that will endanger yourself and others around you.

Now, a lot of us find ourselves traveling outside of the city over holiday weekends. If you are not used to driving on rural roads and only venture out to the Hill Country during the holidays, follow these steps and be aware of rural driving safety:

1. Keep your eyes peeled for roadside hazards like ditches and shoulders.
2. Be cautious of farm equipment as well as other slow moving vehicles.
3. Don’t speed just because no one else is around! Rural roads often feature sharp turns, rolling hills and poor visibility that sneak up on you when you least expect it.
4. Watch out for animals on the road.