NORTH TEXAS (WBAP/KLIF News ) – Are you planning a holiday road trip with your family this year? So are millions of other Texans.
In a statement, AAA Texas predicts almost nine million Texans will travel during the year-end holiday period this year. “A 2% increase from last year’s record number of travelers and a 6% decrease from 2019, the last year-end holiday period before the pandemic.”
Those numbers are even larger nationally, the nonprofit said 115 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this year, the second busiest season since 2000.
Families taking road trips increased 1.8% compared to last year. However, this year’s projected numbers are the second highest on record since 2019, when 108 million drivers hit the road for the holidays.
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, predicts Saturday, December 23 and Thursday, December 28 to be the busiest days on the roads nationwide.
The increase in road trippers has first responders urging safety. On Friday, the busiest day for road trips in Texas, rain and fog blanketed the region.
MedStar urged drivers to use caution on slick roads.
“Leave early and slow down. Don’t drive distracted, Avoid standing water on roadways. Drive in the tracks in of the car in front of you. Increase your following distance,” were among the tips offered on the Tarrant County ambulance services social media.
Texas DPS announced it started ramping up DWI enforcement along state highways.
“There will be more DPS troopers on the roads looking for drivers not following the law that includes those who are failing to wear their seatbelts, speeding, driving while intoxicated and those committing other traffic violations,” said Sergeant Adam Albritton in a department social media post.
Drivers may notice that gas prices in Texas have increased this week. AAA Texas said prices spiked by more than 20 cents a gallon in some metro areas.
However, Texas still has some of the cheapest gas the nation. The statewide gas price average in Texas is $2.69 for a gallon of regular unleaded.
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