Busy Roads Expected for Holiday Travels, State Groups Promote Safety

This week is one of the busiest travel periods of each year, and many North Carolinians are hitting the road to see family and friends.

A record-breaking number of North Carolinians are projected to be traveling over the next two weeks. AAA of the Carolinas predicts most travelers will be driving to their destinations, with just over 3 million North Carolinians on the road. To be prepared for any increased congestion, AAA suggests drivers map their route in advance, check their vehicles before beginning a trip and avoid any distractions while driving.

The heavy traffic isn’t just expected on the roads. Raleigh-Durham International Airport says they’ve experienced record-breaking passengers this month, with a single-day record set on December 1. The busiest days are projected to be those before Christmas, adding to up to more than 1 million travelers using the airport in December alone.

RDU suggests passengers should aim to arrive at the airport, get through security and arrive at their gates earlier than normal with the increased traffic. They also request any gifts brought in carry on bags remain unwrapped to prevent delays at the security checkpoint.

The holidays are notoriously a season for increases in drunk driving. Survey data from DriversEd.com found 66 percent of Americans say they feel less safe on the roads around the holiday season, while 62 percent say they are generally more fearful of drunk drivers than hazardous road conditions over the holidays.

To prepare for this, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program has teamed up with law enforcement across the state for an increased Booze It and Lose It campaign. Through January 5, increased law enforcement will be patrolling the highways to stop impaired motorists and keep other drivers safe while on the road. The goal is that no matter where you’re going, you’re helping yourself and other get there safely.

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AAA: Thanksgiving Most-Traveled Holiday of the Year

People often travel to visit family during Christmas and New Year’s. But even more people travel for Thanksgiving. This week, an expected 1.4 million North Carolinians will travel 50 miles or more from their homes. “I would say it’s the holiday that has the most travel volume,” said Tiffany Wright, Public Relations Manager for AAA Carolinas. […]

AAA Carolinas Projects Record Number of Traveling Tar Heels for Thanksgiving

Pack your patience if you are heading out for holiday travel on Wednesday. AAA Carolinas estimates more than 1.4 million North Carolinians will be traveling more than 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period and nearly 90 percent of them will travel by vehicle. “That’s the largest number that we’ve seen since we’ve […]

Gas Prices Expected to Rise After Pipeline Shutdown

Officials at AAA Carolinas say they expect gas prices to climb after a gasoline explosion in Shelby County, Alabama, late Monday evening. Colonial Pipeline shut down Lines One and Two in response to the explosion. Tiffany Wright is the Public Relations Manager for AAA Carolinas. She says, “If September’s shutdown was any indicator of what we should […]

AAA: Labor Day Travel To Hit 7-Year High

North Carolina will see the highest number of Labor Day travelers in nearly a decade, according to AAA Carolinas.

AAA: Gas Price Drop Means Record Number of Christmas Travelers

A record number of nearly 3 million North Carolina residents will hit the road for the year-end holiday season, according to AAA Carolinas.

NC Gas Prices Could Drop Below $3

No guarantees, but AAA Carolinas says gas prices typically fall in the fall.

Record Number Of North Carolinians To Travel During Holidays

A record 2.8 million North Carolinians will travel 50 miles or more for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

On the Road Again: Travelers Emerge in Time for Thanksgiving

Written by DAVID KOENIG Determined to reclaim Thanksgiving traditions that were put on pause last year by the pandemic, millions of Americans will be loading up their cars or piling onto planes to gather again with friends and family. The number of air travelers this week is expected to approach or even exceed pre-pandemic levels, […]

RDU Predicts 167,000 Thanksgiving Flyers, a Drop From 2019

Raleigh-Durham International Airport said that it expects this year’s Thanksgiving holiday traffic to be much lower than it was last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The airport said in a news release Monday that it’s expecting 167,000 passengers to fly through the airport from Nov. 23 to Nov. 30. It predicts the busiest travel […]

Busy Roads Expected for Holiday Travels, State Groups Promote Safety

This week is one of the busiest travel periods of each year, and many North Carolinians are hitting the road to see family and friends. A record-breaking number of North Carolinians are projected to be traveling over the next two weeks. AAA of the Carolinas predicts most travelers will be driving to their destinations, with […]

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