ByJim Gorzelany,
Senior Contributor.
Perhaps spurred by the scare of long lines at the airport and widespread flight delays from the (now settled) government shutdown, the AAA predicts that a record-high 73 million Americans will be taking to the road next week to gather with family and friends on Thanksgiving. That amounts to 90% of all travelers and a 1.3 million increase over last year’s pilgrimage.
Aside from the usual cautions to prepare a road-trip vehicle for a long winter’s drive with a fresh oil change and a mechanic’s inspection, planning routes and travel times to avoid traffic congestion and overly punishing stretches of pavement can help result in a stress-free excursion.
For starters, choose travel dates and times wisely. As logic would suggest, data from a recent AAA report confirms that traffic tends to be clearest on Thanksgiving Day proper, and the heaviest on the Wednesday before and Friday after, peaking on the following Sunday.
