Dear family travelers:

Got the bag of kitty litter in the car?

The kitty litter is in case you get stuck in snow or ice, AAA suggests. It works as well as sand or salt and weighs a lot less. A small shovel is a good bet, too, as is a flashlight.

Weather can wreak havoc with our best-laid travel plans - as we learned last Christmas with the blizzard that derailed travel across the country. The best thing we can do when taking to the road this winter, especially with kids in the back, is be prepared. Here's how:

1. Get those safety seats checked to make sure they are installed correctly. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of kids, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - deaths that can be prevented through the proper use of child safety seats. But NHTSA research shows that seven out of 10 children are improperly restrained without parents or grandparents even realizing it. SeatCheck is a national campaign through which you can make sure your safety seat is installed properly at more than 4,000 inspection locations across the country staffed by trained and certified child safety seat inspectors.
2. Inflate your tires. As temperatures falls, so will the tire pressure. (Look for the correct tire pressure in your owner's manual.) But most important, make sure your tires are in good shape-key when you need to stop on a ice or a slick road.
3. Make sure your wiper blades are in good shape and that you've got wiper fluid that won't freeze.
4. Have blankets and pillows for the kids, as well as plenty of warm clothes. Ditto for food and water bottles (reusable of course.) Treats help too. In our case, it was always cherry Tootsie Pops.
5. Make sure your cell phone is charged and the relatives know what time to expect you. (They can call for help if they don't hear from you on time.)
6. If you are using a GPS, make sure it is the latest version and don't just follow it blindly if it is taking you away from main routes.
7. Use those aps! AAA has a mobile app AAA FindMe, as well as a fuel cost calculator and a TripTik travel planner that you can download from aaa.com that will tell you where gas stations are along your route and how much you can expect to pay.
8. Keep medicines in the car, not the trunk. (If you should have an accident, you may not be able to get inside the trunk.)
9. Invite your teens to drive part of the way. You want to be at their side when they have their first experience in snow or on the interstate.   (Tips from AAA on helping your teen drive more safely).
10. Should you get stuck, stay with the car.

Wherever you are going, take it slow. The presents will be waiting no matter when you arrive.

There are plenty more safety and travel tips on www.takingthekids.com.   

And ff you decide to say no to the cold, here are some warm-weather deals you might check into:

Dominican Republic: 4 All-Inclusive Nts w/Air, Kids Free, $599 

Orlando: 4-Star Fall Escape Package 

Myrtle Beach: Fall Deals & Getaway Pkgs 

Tybee Island, GA: 59% Off 2-Nt Historical Cottage Stay - $179