Thanksgiving is a wonderful time for us to gather as friends and families to share in the many blessings we’ve received. It’s also a time for congested roadways filled with millions of other people hoping to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones. This year, the amount of Floridians taking to the roads for travel will be higher than ever.
Florida: 2.5 Million Drivers
AAA, the motor club, is predicting the highest number of Thanksgiving travelers since 2005. They estimate a total of 48.5 million Americans taking to the roads during the holiday weekend. In Florida alone, the number is projected at 2.5 million Floridians bumper-to-bumper on our busy roadways.
This Thanksgiving weekend comes at a time when gas prices have been falling, pushing the overwhelming majority of holiday travelers to the roads. Across Florida, gas prices have fallen 24 cents in the past month. While they aren’t the lowest prices we’ve seen, they’re low enough to push people toward automobile travel.
4 Tips for Thanksgiving Travel
With Florida being a hotbed for holiday travel, what can you do to make your holiday weekend a bit safer? Here are some tips!
- Leave Early or Leave Late
The days leading up to Thanksgiving will be the busiest and most prone to accidents. The earlier you are able to leave, the less traffic you’ll be forced to deal with. Waking up early or leaving later than the average holiday commuter will make your travel much less stressful! - Inspect Your Vehicle Early
Car troubles are the last thing you want to deal with during holiday travel. We recommend checking your car over thoroughly a few days before you plan to leave. This includes routine items like batteries, tires, oil level and pressure, lights, and anything else that may go wrong. - Know Where You’re Going
It sounds almost silly in the days of GPS, but planning your route ahead of time can be crucially important. Check local weather and traffic reports before setting out, and make sure your route is already planned. In the event that your GPS isn’t working properly, or you want to deviate from the main roads, knowing how to get where you’re going will make travel headache-free! - Take a Deep Breath and Relax
Traveling long distances can be exhausting, and a car packed full with your family may add to your stress levels. It’s important to just relax, as added anxiety and stress on the road have the potential to ruin your weekend or worse! Pay attention, take a deep breath, and focus only on the road immediately ahead of you.
Brooks Law Group Turkey Giveaway
Planning to stay at home with your family instead? You may be interested in our sixth annual Turkey Giveaway. This year, the Brooks Law Group will be donating 350 turkeys to families in need in our community. If your family needs a turkey for your Thanksgiving meal, we hope you’ll join us this Saturday, the 17th! For all the details you need to take part, visit our Facebook Events page. You can also read our recent blog post about the event, which features pictures from last year’s giveaway!
