As you plan your holiday trip this year, spend some time thinking about the cast of drivers who will share the road with you.

Any time you drive, you usually can take for granted that at least half of the other drivers on the road are either tired, stressed out, impaired by alcohol or drugs or-even worse-using their cell phones to talk or text message. During the holiday season, there are more drivers on the road...and therefore more drivers that could be impaired.

To make sure you're best able to meet these challenges, here are some things you can and should do:

MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS READY TO ROLL.

Get your car serviced before you leave. Make sure any needed repairs are made and that your tires have plenty of tread. Don't forget to check the condition of belts and hoses. Something as simple as a radiator hose could keep you stalled beside the road for hours.

CHECK ROAD CONDITIONS ...

before you leave, and plan your trip to leave time for maneuvering through constructions sites and lane closures. You'll save a great deal of time by avoiding heavily congested areas during rush hour. One good source of information about road closures and traffic alerts is the Federal Highway Administration's site at

PREPARE FOR BAD WEATHER.

Make sure you have a snow scraper and brush in the car, even if it's balmy when you leave home. A blanket, flash light, small snow shovel and booster cables will also come in handy should the weather change.

TAKE YOUR CELL PHONE.

Properly used, a mobile phone provides a great deal of security on the road, allowing you to report an accident or a hazardous condition. It will also come in handy if you need directions or emergency road services.

Keep the cell phone handy, but by all means keep it out of the driver's hands. For some reason, states have been reluctant to pass legislation banning the use of cell phones while driving, but there is no question that a phone in the hand of a driver can be a deadly weapon. According to a study published in Human Factors [2005], cell phone use by drivers contributes to 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries each year.

Even using a head set or blue tooth phone is dangerous because of the distraction. According to the above-mentioned study, a driver talking on the phone has an impairment greater than that of a driver with a blood alcohol content of .08-the legal limit.

GET PLENTY OF SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Studies show that at least half of drivers on the road at night are fighting fatigue. And sleepy drivers are as impaired as those who have been drinking or talking on the phone.

Close your eyes for only four seconds while driving 60 miles per hour, and your car will travel out of control for 100 yards. But fatigue and sleepiness start much earlier than the first nod.

Note the warning signs: repeated yawning, difficulty focusing, not remembering the last few miles, drifting from lane to lane, hitting rumble strips, tailgating or missing traffic signs.

Be wary if you see these signs in another driver on the road. When you note them in yourself, let someone else take over at the wheel or, if that is not possible, pull over for a break or brief nap.

Walking around should make you more alert. Caffeine will also help, but it takes about 30 minutes for it to get to your blood stream.

Even if you're well rested, be aware that your body is trained to get sleepy in the hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Fatigue-related crashes are four times more likely during those hours than at other times.

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT.

Make sure all passengers do the same.

In Australia, where seat belt laws are strict, only four percent of car occupants do not wear seat belts, but these persons account for 22 percent of all car accident deaths. In the United States in 2004, non-seat-belt wearers accounted for 55 percent of deaths.

DON'T SPEED.

Everybody is in a hurry over the holidays. And according to the 10-year Crash Stats study of the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), holidays are prime time for speeding-related traffic deaths. New Year's Day led the list, but Thanksgiving and Christmas also ranked high. Overall, speeding accounts for 30 percent of fatal crashes.

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE.

You probably wouldn't dream of drinking to excess just before a long cross-country trip for the holidays but driving a few miles across town after a holiday party is equally dangerous.

Alcohol is a factor in 39 percent of highway deaths. According to the NHTSA, about half of accidents over the Thanksgiving holiday involve drunk drivers.

It takes a male only approximately four drinks in an hour (approximately three for a female) to reach a blood alcohol content of .08, the legal limit in all 50 states. (A drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor.) A BAC of .08 quadruples the risk of having an accident, but impaired driving comes at a BAC of .05 or lower.

It's your decision and your responsibility to refrain from drinking, speeding and being distracted by a cell phone while you're driving. But you have no control over other drivers or the weather. That's why it makes sense to be a defensive driver. Leave yourself time and space to allow for the mistakes made by others.

Caldwell Memorial Hospital provides Topics in Health for information only. This information is not meant to provide medical advice on any personal health issues. Personal medical advice should be obtained only from a physician. If you need a personal physician, call the Physician Referral Line at 757-5571.