Thanksgiving to be busiest travel holiday of the year

Less than a week away from Thanksgiving and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and AAA are projecting Thanksgiving will be the busiest travel holiday of the year.

The turnpike is expecting to see approximately 3.55 million cars and trucks on the road during the six-day period, beginning Tuesday and ending Nov. 26; while AAA is projecting an estimated 50.9 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more away from home, a 3.3. percent increase over last year.

“We appreciate that family, friends, food and festivities are the focus of the Thanksgiving holiday season,” said Mark Compton, turnpike CEO. “We also know that millions will be traveling our roadway to celebrate those traditions and have planned accordingly so motorists will not be detained by scheduled maintenance or construction. All lanes are slated to be open and additional safety, maintenance and state police patrols will be on hand.”

“An uptick in the economy has given travelers plenty to be thankful for this year, and we expect travel to remain plentiful through the holidays” said Jim Lehman, president, AAA East Central.

Beginning 5 a.m. Tuesday until 11 p.m. Nov. 26, all lanes in each direction of the turnpike will be open and available to accommodate heavier traffic volumes. All scheduled maintenance and construction projects will be suspended during these times.

Nov. 21 and 22 are projected to be the most heavily traveled days on the turnpike with 725,000 vehicles expected both days.

Gas prices

Travelers are still hitting the road despite higher gas prices.

While AAA expects most U.S. drivers will pay the highest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2014, the vast majority of holiday travelers, 89.3 percent, are still planning on traveling.

Despite recent declines in the national average price for gasoline, the residual impact of recent months’ hurricanes linger. Today’s national average price is $2.562, which is 41.3 cents more than last year.

Distracted driving

“Distracted driving is among the top reasons for crashes and fatalities on the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” said Corporal Holly Reber-Billings of State Police Troop T. “Any distraction that interrupts a driver’s concentration can be hazardous. At this busy time of year, when there typically are more passengers in vehicles, it’s extremely important to stay focused and pay attention to the roadway. When you turn your head to check on passengers in your car, your steering wheel often follows. Stop at a safe location to see what might be happening in the back seat.”

If motorists are going a long distance it’s helpful to plan for regular breaks. Taking a break at least every two hours increases a driver’s level of alertness.

Hotel stays

If staying in a hotel, travelers will pay more for AAA Three Diamond Rated hotels this holiday weekend. The average price increased by 14 percent to $176 a night.

AAA also expects to rescue more than 330,000 motorists across the country this Thanksgiving weekend, with the primary reasons being lockouts, flat tires and battery-related issues.

AAA recommends motorists have their vehicles inspected by a trusted repair shop before taking to the roads.