ATLANTA — In Georgia, we could see a record-breaking number of people on the highways and interstates over the Thanksgiving holiday.
AAA is predicting 1.51 million Georgians will hit the road and travel 50 miles or more. This could beat the record set back in 2019– when 1.50 million packed the roads over the Thanksgiving holiday.
People driving over the holiday make up 75% of those traveling across the state. AAA estimates about 115,000 Georgians will fly to their destinations. Another 28,000 are expected to travel by other means, bringing the total number to 2 million Georgians expected to travel 50 miles or more.
When it comes to driving, as for what’s triggering the uptick, besides wanting to see loved ones over the holiday, gas prices are dropping.
“Overall, Americans are going to be greeted with gas prices out on average are about 45 cents lower than what they were last year,” Patrick De Hann of GasBuddy explained.
As of Monday night, AAA reported the average price for a gallon of gas in Georgia was $2.82, which is about 50 cents cheaper than the national average.
We checked out prices around metro Atlanta and found the following prices:
- Fulton County: $3.02
- Gwinnett County $2.77
- DeKalb County $2.86
- Clayton County $2.86
- Cobb County $2.93
The cheapest gas as of Monday was in Chattooga County, where the average price for a gallon of gas was $2.55. You can find the average price in your county by clicking here.
The Georgia Department of Transportation put out a 7-day travel forecast for the Thanksgiving holiday. Of course, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is considered the busiest travel day of the year. GDOT is also making sure drivers are aware of the Sunday after Thanksgiving, which tends to see a spike in crashes as people are returning home from their destinations.
Credit: GDOT
The Georgia State Patrol is also reminding drivers to stay alert when heading out over the holiday.
“The Georgia Department of Public Safety will show an increased focus on patrolling the interstates and highways this Thanksgiving season to deter unsafe driving behaviors and reduce crashes. Administrative duties will be restricted during that time to direct increased personnel to those efforts,” Commissioner Lt. Colonel William W. Hitchens explained.
During the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday period, which runs from the day before Thanksgiving until the following Sunday, troopers investigated 749 crashes, resulting in 401 injuries and 18 fatalities statewide. In addition to the crash investigations, 390 people were arrested for driving under the influence. Troopers and officers issued 11,776 citations and 12,976 warnings.
“Remember, Thanksgiving is meant to be spent with family and friends, and you can only do that by arriving safely, ” Commissioner Hitchens said.
To help with traffic congestion over the holiday weekend, GDOT will suspend lane closures on Georgia interstates, major state routes and roads near major shopping centers, malls, or districts beginning 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 22, until 10 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26.
If you’re heading out for Black Friday shopping, the GDOT has data on traffic conditions based on historical data, which can be found here.
If you are out on the roads, experience any type of emergency, or need immediate assistance, you can reach troopers by dialing *GSP (*477). You can also request HERO or CHAMP assistance from GDOT by calling 511.
You can also take a look at your route and plan ahead by visiting the GDOT 511 page.
