‘Don’t drive intoxicated, don’t drive in-text-ucated,’ What to expect during holiday travels
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – An estimated 4 million Texans are planning to travel during Thanksgiving weekend, the majority of those by car.
According to Doug Shupe with AAA Texas, the number of people traveling during the holidays has steadily increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. He recommends travelers prepare for extra congestion on the roadways.
“We are anticipating a bigger increase in the overall travel volume this Thanksgiving,” Shupe said.
The reason behind the road trip as Texans’ preferred mode of transportation is because of its cost-effectiveness, Shupe said. However, the money-saving move leads to an increase in traffic and traffic accidents across the Lone Star State.
“Typically with a lot of traffic we see crashes also come with that,” Sargent Justin Ruiz with the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
Ruiz said they increase law enforcement presence on the roads to help combat this. In 2021, over 3,000 people were pulled over for speeding, which he says is the main cause of holiday accidents.
“We’re getting a lot more contacts with folks. And it’s not because it’s an, ‘I got you,’ moment. It’s a, ‘Hey, let’s follow the law,’” he said.
Shupe has one piece of advice for Texans taking to the roads this holiday season.
“Obey the speed limit, and of course, don’t drive intoxicated, don’t drive in-text-ucated,” he said.
DPS is working to release holiday traffic data from last year.
