Of the 54.6 million Americans who are expected to travel for Thanksgiving, 49 million of them will be driving to their destinations, the AAA reports – and that could lead to some very backed-up roads.
To cut down on the time you’ll be stuck in traffic, the AAA recommends leaving early Wednesday morning. For those who don’t have Wednesday off, AAA officials say hitting the road before 11 am on Thanksgiving Day is the second best bet.
More important than knowing when to drive is knowing when not to, says Paula Twidale, AAA’s senior vice president of travel.
The peak of Thanksgiving travel is expected to occur Wednesday afternoon, making it the worst time to drive over the holiday weekend, she says. The other peak times to avoid driving are between 4 pm and 8 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Twidale says.
The best time to travel by car is to start before 8 am or after 8 pm.