With the holiday season in full swing, families across the country are looking to bring home their traditional Christmas tree. AAA East Central is offering motorists some tips on how to get their trees home safely.

According to AAA, more than 200,000 crashes involved debris on U.S. roads over a four-year period, which resulted in 39,000 injuries and 500 deaths.

AAA East Central's Safety Advisory, Lori Cook says as with any large object, properly securing a Christmas tree will prevent it from becoming a hazard to other drivers and prevent potential vehicle damage.

"Negligence could mean possibly putting other lives at risk and setting yourself up for costly repairs to your own vehicle," Cook said.

Additionally, motorists can potential face large fines and penalties or even jail time if an unsecured tree falls off their vehicle. In most state, penalties result in fines ranging from $10 to $5,000 with at least 16 states listing jail as a possible punishment.

Thankfully, there are plenty of way you can prevent any of this from happening to you thanks to these tips from AAA East Central:

- Use the right vehicle: It's best to transport your Christmas tree on top of a vehicle with a roof rack. If you don't have a roof rack, you can use the bed of a pickup truck or an SUV, van or minivan that can fit the tree inside with all doors closed.

- Use quality tie-downs: Bring strong rope or nylon ratchet straps to secure the tree to the vehicle's roof racks. Avoid the lightweight twine offered by many tree lots.

- Protect your vehicle: Use an old blanket to prevent paint scratches and protect the vehicle's finish.

- Point the trunk towards the front: Always place the tree on a roof rack or in a pickup bed with the bottom of the trunk facing the front of the vehicle.

- Clear the tree: Make sure to brush any snow or ice off the tree so it doesn't cause a visual obstruction for anyone.

- Tie it down: Secure the tree at its bottom, center and top. At the bottom, use fixed tie-down points and loop the trunk above a lower branch to prevent any side-to-side or front-to-rear movement. The center and top tie-downs should be installed in a similar manner.

- Give it the tug test: Before leaving, give the tree several strong tugs from various directions to make sure it's secured in place and will not blow away.

- Drive slowly and easily: Take the back roads if possible. Higher speeds create significant airflow that can damage the tree and challenge even the best tie-down methods.

Follow all these tips and you'll be able to get your tree home safe and sound for the holidays.