Record number of holiday travelers expected to take to the road and skies, AAA says

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - As millions of Americans prepare to hit the road for Thanksgiving, auto group AAA is releasing its annual holiday travel forecast.

AAA predicts a record-setting 81.8 million will journey at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Monday, Dec. 1. Last year, 1.6 million less people traveled for the Thanksgiving holiday, the organization said.

“Thanksgiving travel numbers are always impressive because this holiday has become synonymous with heading out of town to spend time with loved ones,” Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel, said. “People are willing to brave the crowds and make last-minute adjustments to their plans to make lifelong memories, whether it’s visiting extended family or meeting up with friends.”

Here in Georgia, AAA is expecting 2.3 million people to travel 50 miles or more, the vast majority of them by car. That’s a 1.4% increase over last year, which sets a new record for Thanksgiving travel.

AAA says when it comes to flying, they’re anticipating about 152,000 Georgians to fly. Now that the government shutdown is over and flight restrictions have been lifted, they don’t expect wary travelers to cancel flights and say all signs point to smooth air travel.

On Monday, AAA representatives from Georgia shared travel trends over the years. They also unveiled a new safety initiative called ‘Crashes Hit Different’ and are calling on drivers to slow down, wear a seatbelt, and avoid impaired and distracted driving.

“The fact is, there’s going to be a lot of people that are going to be on the road and we know that in advance so we have to prepare. As many say, you have to pack your patience and then allow enough time to get to your destination safely. Try not to rush,” said Garrett Townsend, AAA Director of Public Affairs.

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Townsend said the busiest time to travel will be Tuesday, Nov. 25, so if you’re leaving that day, hit the road early. Heavy traffic is expected all day Sunday as travelers return home.

Impaired motorists are encouraged to use AAA’s “Tow to Go” service. The program offers a free tow within a 10-mile radius during select holiday periods. The service will be available starting November 27 at 6 p.m. through December 2 at 6 a.m. Call (855) 2-TOW-2-GO or (855) 286-9246 to request a ride.