You are not alone if you plan on traveling out of town this holiday season. According to the Department of Transportation, one of the busiest times to travel occur during the winter holidays.

The University of Texas Police at Houston (UT Police) would like to remind travelers to make safety an integral part of their Thanksgiving travel plans and to celebrate the upcoming winter holidays responsibly.

“As our community is traveling to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, UT Police is reminding drivers of their duty to help keep our roadways safe – and we urge everyone to take this responsibility seriously,” said Assistant Chief Paul Cross.

UT Police offers the following tips for safe travel during the holidays:

• Do not drink and drive. Make alternate travel plans if you are consuming alcohol.
• Slow down - especially in bad weather, construction areas, heavy traffic and unfamiliar areas.
• Eliminate distractions while driving, including the use of mobile devices. Texas law prohibits using a portable wireless device to read, write or send an electronic message unless the vehicle is stopped.
• Buckle up everyone in the vehicle – it’s the law.
• Drive defensively, as holiday travel may present additional challenges.
• Don’t drive fatigued – allow plenty of time to reach your destination.
• If you see a road hazard or if you observe anything suspicious, report it to the nearest law enforcement agency.
• On multi-lane roadways, use the left lane for passing only. Not only is it courteous driving and avoids impeding traffic, Texas law requires slower traffic to keep to the right and to only use the left lane for passing (when posted).
• Before your trip begins, make sure your vehicle is properly maintained and always double check to make sure all cargo is secure.
• Monitor weather and road conditions wherever you are traveling. For road conditions/closings in Texas, visit Drive Texas.

A complete list of travel tips can be found at http://bit.ly/utph-holiday-safety.

“We are especially thankful this holiday for our police officers and public safety officers who will be giving up part of their holiday and time with their families to help patrol roads and keep our buildings safe,” Cross added.

Join UT Police for a Travel Safety presentation scheduled at noon on Thursday, November 14 at Pickens Tower, Floor 2, Lobby Elevator, Training Room A (FCT2.4144). Visit the Education Center or Learn2Succeed to register for the class.