LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Holiday travel is in full swing, as AAA predicts we'll see pre-pandemic levels of drivers on the road.
The Auto Club Group predicts 53.4 million Americans will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, up 13% from 2020. This brings travel volumes within 5% of pre-pandemic levels for the 2019 holiday.
The gap is closing even faster in Florida, as total travel figures are only 2% below pre-pandemic levels. AAA predicts nearly 2.9 million Floridians will travel for Thanksgiving, a 13% rebound from the total number of travelers during the 2020 holiday.
Many people at a rest stop in Leon County off of Interstate 10 said they're traveling back home for the holidays for the first time in years.
For one family traveling from St. Augustine to Pensacola I-10 was the smoothest part of their drive.
AAA spokesperson Mark Jenkins said it's important to stay safe, especially when the roads are busy.
He advises minimizing distractions when you're behind the wheel, which means putting your phone down and leaving early if you can so you're not in a rush.
