Thanksgiving Travel Brings Challenges To The Roads

The holidays are here. We can expect roads to be busier than normal as it is estimated that around 43.4 million people will be traveling for Thanksgiving dinner alone. Holiday travelers will be dominating the road starting Wednesday, which is also perceived to be the busiest day, until Sunday. Sunday, however, is another day to watch out for as people are expected to drive back home. Travel experts see Friday as the more desirable day to travel because the roads are less busy. This goes without saying but if you’re not doing Black Friday, stay away from shopping malls! These areas will be very busy from Thursday night onwards.

Related: Winter Driving Safety Tips For Kentucky Roads

Lower gas prices for Thanksgiving 2013
The influx of road travelers can also be attributed to the gasoline prices that seem to be cooperating. While motorists are grateful for that, it also means that more vehicles will be on the road, thus making it more congested. This means we should be planning our travels ahead of time to avoid as much inconveniences as possible.

Stay updated
If you are concerned about road construction, while there are some roads being worked on, most are on a slow decline for the winter. It’s always best to try and find out the latest news on road construction. It’s also a good idea to study alternative routes in case you encounter bad traffic. Alternate routes may add time to your trip, but it can save you from the stress of stopped traffic and road rage.

Be cautious about timing
We are usually faced with a few choices when deciding when to leave our home for the holidays. It’s either we leave early, leave later to avoid heavy traffic or just embrace the traffic head-on. Regardless of whether you leave early in the morning or late at night, be aware that drowsy driving is very dangerous. Take turns driving if driving long distances. If that is not possible, then make sure to break up your trip, especially if you’re not used to driving long hours.

Related: Sweet Dreams Turn Into Nightmares

Be ready for the airport screening
If you’re flying this holiday season, remember that lines and wait times will be longer. Also, security officials might ask you to open your packages, presents or bags for safety purposes. Though they are doing their jobs, this might be troubling, especially if you have a lot of gifts you will need to again wrap. To avoid this, you may want to send the gifts to your destination or wrap them once you arrive to your destination.

As a Kentucky Accident Attorney, I hope everyone has safe travels this holiday season. The roads can be dangerous, and the holidays are always filled with congested driving. Please be aware of your surroundings and don’t be distracted behind the wheel.