AAA predicts fewer drivers on the road for Thanksgiving this year
If you’re feeling hesitant about traveling for Thanksgiving this year, you’re not alone. According to AAA, pandemic-related unemployment and health risks are two factors that are impacting Americans’ travel plans for the holiday.
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AAA travel predictions for Thanksgiving
The association currently estimates that 50 million people will travel for Thanksgiving in the U.S. this year. That’s a 10 percent decrease in travel from last year.
We’ll have to wait and see if AAA’s predictions hold true. Despite the apprehension about Thanksgiving travel, some Americans still plan on doing at least some driving this holiday — especially if they own their own car. Car transportation gives you “the flexibility to modify holiday travel plans up until the day of departure,” said AAA’s senior vice president Paula Twidale.
Safety tips for Thanksgiving travel
Don’t forget the hand sanitizer when packing your car for a Thanksgiving trip
Photo: The News Wheel
If you are planning to drive to a socially-distanced Thanksgiving gathering, here are some tips to help you stay healthy and safe while doing so.
- Travel by private vehicle instead of public transit.
- Get a flu shot before your scheduled departure date.
- Monitor travel restrictions for any area you’ll be driving through as well as to.
- Check Georgia Tech’s real-time risk assessment map in the days leading up to the trip.
- Pack masks, disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, and other essential supplies.
- Bring your own snacks and drinks so you can minimize the number of stops you need to make along the way.
- If you do have to get gas or food, use contactless payment methods.
- Wear a mask whenever you’re in close proximity to people who aren’t in your household.
- Whenever possible keep at least 6 feet away from other people.
- Don’t touch your mask and keep your hands away from your face.
For more ways to prepare your vehicle for Thanksgiving travel, review these tips for sanitizing your car. And check out these helpful items that you’ll want to bring along on the journey.
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Whitney Russell is a current resident of Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not adventuring through the exciting world of car news, she can be found hiking with her husband and their two dogs, motorcycling, visiting nephews and nieces, discovering new memes, thrifting, decorating, crafting, woodburning, researching random things, and escaping into a great movie. See more articles by Whitney.
