Whether stepping into the holiday season with excitement or trepidation, it is upon us. It’s the time of year when most car accidents, DUI, and car break-ins occur. It goes without saying that taking holiday safety seriously is of the utmost importance.

Thanksgiving & Black Friday Holiday Safety

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Thanksgiving has the reputation as the busiest travel day in America, be it in the air or on the road. For those of you who are driving, make sure you are tanked up and invest in a power station with a compressor and jumper cables.

If you are flying, check in your gun if you’ve got reciprocity in your destination state, aka, “free America.” If you haven’t flown with your gun, you’ll need a double-locked hard case (don’t use TSA locks), declare it at the ticket counter, and hand-carry it to TSA. Scan the TSA website. Chances are you will know their rules better than they do, so be prepared to absorb the ass-wound once buffoonery ensues.

On the day after Thanksgiving, don’t get sucked into the shenanigans of Black Friday. It’s not worth the heartburn. Shop online if you feel so inclined, but let the huddled masses looking to save a few bucks on a TV deal with the madness.

If family members do get drawn into this rookie play, tell them to keep their wits about them. Don’t get caught in Condition White. Check your target fixation and stay visually aware. Parking lots are a good place for would-be scammers who wait for you to back into them. For the love of all that’s holy, keep items you don’t want stolen in the trunk or covered up. Smash-and-grabs are a common theme around the merry ol’ holidays. If you lock eyes, even for a second, with a piece of dung waiting for you to let your guard down, you have taken away his ability to prey on you. A predator, just like in the wild, does not want to get caught.

Driving & Prepping

Don’t overlook the roads when it comes to holiday safety. As you are driving the roads with all of the other experienced and well-trained drivers out there, stay vigilant. Drive the roads like you are playing chess.

On those two-way 55s, make sure you’ve got your seat belt on. Think of it this way: That car coming at you at 60-plus miles-per-hour, they have your life in their hands. That 17-year-old girl who’s texting or that 70-year-old man who’s been out day-drinking to escape the bane of his nagging wife decide whether you live or you die.

If you live in those parts of the U.S. where the weather gets bad, don’t wait until a storm is forecast before you go and stock up and milk and bread. Milk and bread?! WTF?! We don’t plan to fail, but we sometimes fail to plan. You should already have a generator, gasoline, water, first aid, light, food, fire, first aid, coffee, and booze!

The cars in your driveway need a full tank of gas This should always be the case. And no, just because you live in the north does not mean you know how to drive in the snow.

Good citizens shouldn’t be punished for being stupid enough not to be prepared prior to a crisis incident. Make sure you are not among the idiots.

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Concealed Carry Christmas

No doubt about it, Christmas always hits us smack in the face. It sneaks up quickly. This is where holiday safety really needs to ramp up.

There is no better feeling than to have all of your stupid gifts bought weeks prior. Poking around the mall with all of the other ill-prepped dads the day before Christmas is an indicator that your planning skills suck!

If you are a trained gun handler, you should be carrying. You should also have your CCW permit. It is your duty and responsibility to protect and serve; to protect yourself and your loved ones and to serve your community as a responsible and trained gun handler. You need to be your own first responder. You should also have performed a few dry fire reps, seeing how you are likely wearing a couple of extra layers.

Dodge a DUI

There’s no shortage of alcohol during the holidays and there’s especially no shortage of cops who are looking to throw drunk drivers in jail. Do yourself and everyone on the road a favor and hire a ride service or stay the hell where you are if you end up drinking too much. The last place you’ll want to be in the New Year is in a jail cell or a courtroom.

On the contrary, if you suspect someone on the road is drinking, call that in. If someone gets too drunk at your holiday party, either call them a cab or have them crash on your sofa. You may save more than just one life in doing so.