Dec. 16, 2025
By Lauren Macias-Cervantes
El Paso — If you’re planning a road trip this December, packing those presents is just a part of the preparation. Vehicle maintenance is also an important part of any holiday travel.
TxDOT HERO teams are out helping stranded motorists every day. These experts say drivers need to ensure their vehicle is ready to take any trip by making time for maintenance.
“We do a good job of preplanning our trips, but we need to do a good job of checking our vehicles before we head out,” said El Paso District HERO Program Manager Martin Morales.
Morales gave some maintenance tips before hitting the road:
- Look under the hood and check to see if fluids are topped off
- Check bests and hoses
- Make sure caps are on
- Test your battery and replace if needed
- Check windshield wipers
- Check tire pressure and condition of each tire
- Check for any smells of antifreeze or coolant
Travel experts expect the weekend before Christmas to be the busiest on the road, that means holiday travelers should be taking care of those vehicle maintenance tasks this week.
“Our whole trip depends on the tires that we roll on, all our loved ones are riding on that vehicle,” said Morales. “In addition to checking the air pressure, which a lot of people will do, you must check the condition of each tire. Make sure you don’t have any nails or screws lodged in your tire because those will be dislodged at highway speeds and that may result in a flat tire. Check for drying, crackling or any indications of uneven wear. During that vehicle walk around, check the condition of your windshield wipers which can be critical in inclement weather.”
Texans aren’t the only ones that will need those wheels in the best shape. AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning Dec. 20 and ending Jan. 1. The forecast is a 2% increase over 2024, surpassing that record of 119.7 million travelers.
Tracking the weather forecast, mapping your route using drivetexas.org, packing that emergency kit, planning your stops, and securing your load are other critical components to having a safe trip.
Although all 50 states and the District of Columbia have laws regarding unsecured loads, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says each year, about 730 people are killed and 17,000 more are injured because of objects in the road. Most of these crashes (81%) involve unsecured loads on passenger vehicles.
Make sure you take time to tie suitcases, boxes, or whatever in tow with rope, netting or straps. Consider covering the entire load with a sturdy tarp or and do not load excessive amounts of cargo in or on your vehicle or trailer.
Remembering all these travel tips may sound like Santa’s naughty or nice list, but making a list and checking it twice can help get families to their year-end destination safely.
“Always wear your seatbelt, don’t speed, and make sure when you see emergency lights on the side of the road that you move over or slow down,” reminded Sgt. Eliot Torres with the Texas Department of Public Safety. “Enjoy your travels this holiday season!”