Traveling by car for Thanksgiving? – What you should know

According to a recent study by the American Automobile Association (AAA), 89% of travelers prefer to drive to their Thanksgiving destination, which in most cases is more than 50 miles away.

That means around 49 million Americans will hit the roads during the holiday but it also means that there is likely to be heavy traffic and crowded roads, especially in and around major metropolitan areas.

“Families and friends are eager to spend time together this Thanksgiving, one of the busiest for travel in two decades” said Paula Tweedale, AAA’s senior vice president of travel, in a recent press release. This year is projected to be the third busiest Thanksgiving since 2000.

INRIX, a private analytics company, analyzed the data and offered useful insights to help travelers prepare for delays.

The best and worst times of the week to drive in the United States:

• 23 Wednesday: The best time to travel is before 8:00 AM and after 8:00 PM. The worst time to travel is between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Thursday 24: The best time to travel is before 11:00 and after 18:00. The worst time to travel is between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
• Friday 25: The best time to travel is before 11:00 and after 20:00. The worst time to travel is between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
• Saturday 26: The best time to travel is before 14:00 and after 20:00. The worst time to travel is between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
• Sunday 27: The best time to travel is before 11:00 and after 20:00. The worst time to travel is between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM.

Cities with the most delays

Of course, there are cities and routes with more congestion. Top 5 cities with the highest probability of traffic jams:

• New York: peak traffic is expected on Wednesday 23 from 14:45 to 16:45. Traffic on the I-278 South corridor; I-495 to 6th Ave will increase by 158%.
• Los Angeles: peak traffic is expected on Wednesday 23 from 17:30 to 19:30. Traffic on the southbound I-5 corridor; Colorado St to Florence Ave will grow by 144%.

• Atlanta: peak traffic is expected on Wednesday the 23rd from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Traffic on the I-85 South corridor; Clairmont Rd to MLK Jr Dr will increase by 105%.
• Chicago: peak traffic is expected on Wednesday the 23rd from 15:00 to 17:00. Traffic on the I-290 West corridor; Morgan St to Wolf Rd will grow by 99%.
• Seattle: peak traffic is expected on Wednesday 23 from 16:15 to 18:15. Traffic on the southbound I-5 corridor; WA-18 to WA-7 will increase by 86%.

Heavy traffic is also expected in Florida, especially on I-95 near Orlando, due to high hotel occupancy in the city. It’s probably not a good idea to travel indiscriminately this holiday. So, it’s a good idea to consider these suggestions so you don’t get stuck in traffic for hours.

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