The holiday drive starts before anyone reaches for the keys

The most useful conversation about a holiday drive can happen while everyone is still at home. Decide who is driving each leg, which vehicle has enough usable seats, when you plan to leave and what would make you change plans. This gives a family an easy answer when coats are on and people are asking who is riding with whom. It also makes a last-minute decision to wait out heavy rain feel less like upsetting the entire gathering.

Plan the return separately

A cousin who is happy to drive in daylight may be tired after hosting dinner, and a person who intended to stay sober may change their plans. Choose the return driver ahead of time and give that person the option to stay overnight or arrange another ride. If a rideshare or taxi will be your backup, check whether it serves the place where the event is being held. The pickup point should be somewhere well lit where passengers can wait safely. A short trip home deserves the same seat-belt check as a trip across Georgia.

Before setting out, have a passenger handle directions and messages. The driver can set the route before leaving and pull over in a safe place if nobody else can manage a change. Allow time to stop if the driver feels sleepy. An arrival estimate that can change is more useful than a promise to be at the table at a particular minute.

Make travel easier for the whole group

Build in time to secure children in the appropriate restraints and check that bags do not interfere with seating. Have families bringing their own seats confirm they can install them in the vehicle they will actually use. Hosts can help by sending clear parking instructions, keeping a walkway lit and letting guests know it is fine to arrive later if conditions change. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration emphasizes two basics for Thanksgiving travel: buckle up and plan for a sober ride. Give each of those actions an owner before anybody leaves.

What Georgia law says

Georgia’s restraint rules cover more of the car than many families realize. Under O.C.G.A. § 40-8-76, a child under 8 generally must ride in an approved car seat or booster seat, in the rear seat, unless the child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches; limited front-seat exceptions apply. O.C.G.A. § 40-8-76.1 requires every front-seat occupant to wear a seat belt, and every occupant under 18 to be restrained in any seat. A 2025 change to Georgia law also affects how seat belt use can come up in an injury claim, which we explain in our post on seat belt evidence. This is general information about Georgia law, not legal advice for a particular situation.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Results may vary depending on the specific facts and circumstances of your case.