Many drivers know that Thanksgiving week is one of the worst travel times in America. And yet, countless families foolishly decide to drive out to their families the day before Thanksgiving or do last minute shopping then! This past Thanksgiving was no different from the rest. You probably have noticed the endless traffic jams, if you were not part of one yourself.

Of course, you can't absolutely avoid driving during the week of Thanksgiving, but there are definitely a few ways to go about driving and acting smartly during this hectic season. Perhaps reading the tips below will make your next Thanksgiving week a little bit less overwhelming.

To begin with, one of the best things you can do is carefully choose the right time to travel out to family. Statistics show that the best day to leave is the Sunday before Thanksgiving around 6:00 in the morning, and the best day for return is the day after Thanksgiving. Again, 6:00 am is the best time to hit the road. You should absolutely avoid traveling around 4:00 pm, as this is the time that traffic is at its peak. If you cannot travel to your family the Sunday before Thanksgiving, you should try your hardest to avoid driving out the day before Thanksgiving, as it is said to be one of the busiest travel days of the year. As for the worst day to return home, that would be the Saturday after Thanksgiving!

Another easy thing you can do is try to minimize last minute, frantic shopping. Not only will the roads be full, but the grocery stores will be too! You can save yourself a headache by buying the ingredients for your meals a few days beforehand rather than getting them the day before Thanksgiving.

Additionally, you should try to avoid highways and freeways at all costs. Many people will be traveling this way, so it is best to avoid the potential traffic jam by sticking to the back roads instead. Plus, you can de-stress a little and enjoy the beautiful scenery while you're at it. During this time of year, the changing leaves on the tress will definitely be more interesting to look at than a long line of car bumpers.

If you live close by to the supermarket or shopping mall, traveling by foot or by bike may be another smart alternative to driving your car through traffic. Plus, what better way to lose a few calories before gaining a whole ton on Thanksgiving?

As the holiday season means that most businesses won't be operating, it is best that you also make sure that your car is functioning properly before Thanksgiving--especially if you are planning to travel. One important thing to check is that your SRS airbag module is working correctly. If it is not, getting an airbag module reset is necessary. If your car has been recently involved in a crash, it most likely has stored crash data and hard codes. All of these can be erased with an airbag module reset. The company Airbag Light Reset can perform the reset for you in just 24 hours and will charge you a lot less than going to a dealer! Getting your airbag module reset with such a quick turnaround time is especially beneficial during hectic holiday seasons, like the week of Thanksgiving.