LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — The first person to drive two million miles in the same car has some tips for travellers hitting the road to holiday visiting destinations.

Irv Gordon, a 60-year-old retired science teacher, has driven to Montreal for dinner, Philadelphia for lunch, and to California just for the heck of it.

Gordon turned the odometer on his red 1966 Volvo P1800 over to two million miles in Times Square last March during Volvo Cars of North America 75th anniversary celebrations.

Get where you’re going safely this holiday season by being patient, prepared and positive, Gordon advises.

Here are his tips:

* enjoy the scenery and the company
* think happy thoughts when you’re behind the wheel
* be serious about winterizing your car – get it checked by a qualified technician
* take frequent breaks from driving – “This is not NASCAR,” he says
* buckle up
* bring your papers – all your necessary i.d., registration, and licence
* pack light, because less luggage means fewer headaches and better gas mileage
* don’t drive if you can’t handle the winter weather; take a plan, train or bus instead

Gordon bought his Volvo P1800 for US$4,150 in 1966. He racked up the miles with a daily commute, and a passion for driving the vehicle. He made the Guiness Book of World Records in 1998, which noted then that Gordon’s Volvo had the “highest certified mileage drivven by the original owner in non-commercial service.”