AAA expects a record number of Floridians will hit the road for Thanksgiving
MIAMI— What's a holiday without a quick trip to reset and connect?
AAA expects the second-busiest Thanksgiving week of travel on record.
Rainy weather heading into this holiday week hasn't slowed travelers prepping for road trips.
Manny Hernandez is taking a four-hour drive with his fiancé this week.
"With these conditions, you can add two hours" on top of that "so the anxiety, the stress levels of getting to your final destination is horrible," he admitted.
AAA, a non-profit federation of motor clubs with over 60 million members throughout United States and Canada, is expecting a large spike in travelers hitting the road this year.
"AAA is estimating that that 2.9 million Floridians will travel," which is 50,000 more than last year, said AAA's Wayne Kinser. He said to be cautious while driving this week.
"What we recommend is to get your car checked out," Kinser said. "A common breakdown that we're going to see is battery failure and tire trouble."
He advises drivers to leave early, "so that you're not in a rush. Minimize distractions behind the wheel and obviously don't drive impaired," he said.
Hernandez and his fiancé say the stop-and-go traffic is even more stressful with the price of gas. The prices had them considering ditching the road and catching a flight out.
"But then when you fly," Hernandez said, "you have to rent a car. And then it's gas. … Sometimes driving is really the best option. But in a sense, you're putting a lot of toll and a lot of mileage on the car. So you lose either way."
Others throughout South Florida say they chose not to travel this year because of the potential traffic and road conditions.
"All the way from Miami Beach to the airport there is flooding," said Jossie Torregrosa, which is why the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is telling people to drive carefully this holiday.
"If you see a disabled vehicle," advised Alexandra Lopez with FDOT, "even if it's not blocking the roadway, you still have to be careful. And just be careful of everyone else, right. …
"Don't get distracted and don't drive using your cell phone."
