Monday, November 25, 2019
Millions hitting the roads for Thanksgiving
More than 55 million people nationwide are expected to be travelling more than 50 miles over Thanksgiving.
These figures include 49.3 million people who will be travelling by car, according to AAA.
Overall, an additional 1.6 million people are expected to travel this year, up 2.9 percent from last year. This is the highest number of travelers since 2005, said AAA, which began tracking Thanksgiving travel in 2000.
AAA predicts the worst travel time for the New York City metropolitan area will be from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. the night before Thanksgiving.
With so many people on the roads it’s especially important to keep safety in mind.
Drivers need to avoid distractions and slow down for safety. Taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds is enough time to cause a crash. If you’re driving through a downtown or area with lots of people walking, stop for people in crosswalks and at intersections — it’s the law in New Jersey.
Expect a lot of people to be out walking to local shops for last minute items and to transit.
People out walking should use marked crosswalks whenever possible and if there are not marked crosswalks, cross at intersections. Drivers must stop for people crossing in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Wait for the walk signal or green light before stepping into the road. If you’re crossing outside of a crosswalk or intersection, NJ law requires you to yield the right-of-way to vehicles.
Visit our Safety Tips Page for more ways to help make our streets safer.