7 tips to lower long-distance travel risks

As families pile into cars heading south for Turkey Day, or board airplanes toward the opposite coast, traveling safely is the priority. Inclement weather and drunk drivers are not the only hazards to worry about.

More long-distance trips occur during the Thanksgiving holiday than any other time of year. And, long-distance travel increases health risks, in particular, the risk of blood clots.

Black women are more likely to develop blood clots, similar to those that Serena Williams battled earlier this year. They typically collect in the legs.

Sometimes, they remain in the legs, causing pain and swelling. But, when those clots travel to the lungs, that's when they can become life-threatening. If large enough, lungs don't get enough blood flow around the clot and the heart has a hard time pumping against the blockage.

Here are seven tips to keep you safe from blood clots -- also known as deep vein thromboses or DVTs -- this holiday season.

Know your risk.
Certain factors or conditions increase the risk for developing blood clots. Those include being on birth control pills or the patch, wearing a leg cast or boot, being pregnant, having had recent surgery, actively battling cancer, being a smoker, and obesity. If you fall into these categories, consider shortening your travel time, for example, by flying to Florida instead of driving.

Get moving, and often.
Every 2 hours, get out of the car and walk around. If you're on a plane or train, walk up and down the aisles to the bathroom. Clots form from blood pooling over a long period of time. So, break up that time.