Thanksgiving is just days away, and that means many North Carolinians are getting ready to hit the road.AAA Carolinas says about 1.3 million North Carolinians are expected to take road trips for the Thanksgiving holiday. Spokeswoman Tiffany Wright says that means drivers should be even more careful on the roadways.
“We can't stress enough the importance of eliminating distractions behind the wheel,” Wright said. “We like to say, 'disconnect and drive.' We're seeing so many collisions happen, and it's because people have their head down in their phones.”
The holiday travel period officially begins Wednesday and ends Sunday, according to AAA.
“Unlike Fourth of July or Memorial Day, where people are making destination trips, this is more folks getting with their families,” Wright said. “Folks looking to stay in the Carolinas or even wherever they're from in the surrounding areas may tend to do so with a road trip.”
The warm autumn has meant more people have also extended the summer travel season, Wright said.
North Carolina's average gas price is around $2.40 per gallon. That's up more than 30 cents from last year's Thanksgiving average.
