COLUMBUS – Highways and airports will be crowded this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, more crowded than for any Thanksgiving since before the recession, according to the AAA’s estimates.
The auto club predicts 46.9 million Americans, including more than 1.9 million Ohioans, will travel at least 50 miles from home from Wednesday, Nov. 25, to Sunday, Nov. 29.
This is an increase of 0.6 percent nationally, 0.9 percent in Ohio, from last year and is the highest Thanksgiving travel volume since 2007.
The vast majority of travelers, 41.9 million, will drive to their destinations.
“Eighty-nine percent of the travel will take place in the car, so that means you can expect crowded roadways, especially on Wednesday…and Sunday,” AAA Ohio spokeswoman Kim Scwind said.
Schwind says the auto club predicts about 1.7 million Ohioans will take to the roadways.
Most drivers will pay the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices since 2008. During the 2014 Thanksgiving holiday travel period, gas prices averaged $2.79 nationally and $2.82 in Ohio. The AAA’s nationwide average price on Wednesday was $2.13 and $1.95 in Ohio.
Extra money in their pockets does not meet travelers will spend more on their trips, however.
Despite improvements in the economy, including steady wage growth, rising disposable income and a falling unemployment rate, consumers remain cautious about their finances.
“What we’re seeing this holiday is people are actually starting to pull back a little bit,” said Schwind. “They’re remaining a little bit more cautious about their finances.”
She says this trend is contributing to a smaller growth in travel than last year, compared to 2013.
OSHP and local law enforcement are increasing enforcement of drunk-driving and seat belt laws in Ohio as the holiday season is one of the most dangerous on Ohio’s highways. There were 27 deaths in alcohol -related crashes between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The patrol and Mothers Against Drunk Driving kicked off the 29th Tie One On for Safety holiday ribbon campaign, which encourages motorists to tie the MADD ribbon to their vehicles as a pledge to be safe on the roadways and to remind drivers to buckle up.