Record high holiday travel forecast, officials remind people to drive safe

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Officials remind people to drive safe during the holidays as the American Automobile Association (AAA) expects record high travel.

AAA Missouri spokesperson Nick Chabarria said they expect more than 119 million Americans to travel more than 50 miles from home.

“At risk of sounding like a broken record, AAA is forecasting another record holiday travel period for the year-end holiday, which we look at as December 21st through January 1st,” he said.

Chabarria said that’s a three percent increase in travel compared to last year.

“It’s a trend we’ve been seeing really all year and going back a couple of years now,” he said. “People are traveling — especially for the major holidays — and they’re doing so in record numbers.

Officials remind people to drive sober, buckle their seat belts, and put away distractions to stay safe on the roads.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk-driving crashes often increase around Christmas and New Year’s.

The national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign, happening now, aims to educate people on the dangers of driving drunk. The number of law enforcement officers on the road also increases.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Clark Parrott said officers are out now through New Year’s Day.

“When you consider alcohol is one of the top three factors that cause fatal traffic crashes, we’re going to do everything we can to continue driving our fatalities down,” he said. “We’re currently six percent below last year’s number and we want to make sure that we end on a negative, compared to last year.”

If you’re drinking alcohol during the holidays, the NHTSA has these safety tips.

• Never drink and drive
• Don’t let someone get behind the wheel if that person has been drinking.
• If you’re hosting a gathering make sure everyone has a sober ride home.
• Call 911 if you see a drunk driver.
• Always wear your seatbelt. It’s your best defense against impaired drivers.