MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The East Central Division of AAA predicts a record number of travelers for the Thanksgiving holiday.
AAA Director of Public Affairs for the East Central Division Jim Garrity, said they project 55 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles during the holiday. Garrity said the decrease in gas prices and pent-up demand are also encouraging a record number of people to hit the road.
“We’re going to see people in the days before Thanksgiving, you’re going to have a mixture of people who are commuting back and forth to work still, they’re going to mix with people who are getting a head start,” said Garrity. “You can expect a lot of traffic.”
The simplest precaution to take is allowing yourself plenty of time to pack and get on the road. Once on the road, Garrity said motorists should be prepared for a mix of work and holiday travel traffic that will likely cause congestion delays.
“If you are one of the people who are traveling for Thanksgiving, get out the door early, give yourself extra time,” said Garrity. “I like to say that, the worse case scenario is you get to where you were going to be when you wanted to be there, if you run into some traffic.”
The day before Thanksgiving has become noted for partying and drinking, according to Garrity. If you plan to be a part of those festivities plan ahead for transportation to and from you destination.
“That day before Thanksgiving, that’s a big drinking and driving, kind of an unofficial holiday for a lot of people,” said Garrity. “If you’re planning to have a couple of drinks that day, make sure before you go out, you have your plan to get home.”
Garrity also advised motorists to check your vehicle out before you leave. According to AAA, approximately 200,000 Americans were in need of a tow during the 2022 holiday season, a number that could potentially be on the rise as more motorists hit the road.
“You want to make sure that your vehicle is ready to go, we’re expecting to rescue a couple of hundred thousand people at the roadside,” said Garrity. “With that in mind, you don’t want to be one of those people, just do whatever you have to do.”