3.7 million drivers expected to hit the road
The best way to beat the holiday traffic returning from the Thanksgiving weekend is to stay where you are on Sunday and leave for home on Monday.
Unfortunately, most people don’t have that option as work and school resume after the long weekend.
“The Sunday after Thanksgiving is the heaviest traffic day of the year for this area,” said CHP Officer Brad Voyles, who has worked the South County area since 1985. “It’s definitely the busiest time of the year. The number of accidents doesn’t increase drastically, that’s not the problem. It’s simply the amount, the sheer volume of traffic on that day. Even a minor crash, then, makes it worse because we can’t get there, tow trucks can’t get there to clear the scene.”
The problem isn’t travelers driving under the influence, either, Voyles said.
“It’s really consistent with other non-holiday weekends,” he said. “We may see, in this area, three to four DUI-related crashes and a typical number of arrests for driving under the influence. It’s not like the summer holidays, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, where we do see a spike.”
Nevertheless, Voyles said, CHP officers will be on the lookout for drivers who are under the influence, as well as drivers who are causing problems or potential problems in other ways.
“Things like seatbelt use, reckless driving, aggressive driving,” he said. “When you have traffic situations like we will have this weekend, you see frustration and that’s when you can see road rage. People get upset when somebody gets ahead of them, but you’re not getting there any quicker when you pass a car or two under those circumstances. They’ve done studies. For example if you were to drive from the top of Pacheco Pass to Gilroy, which is basically 25 miles, to get there 10 minutes quicker, you’d have to drive at like 20 mph faster than the flow of traffic, and that’s just not going to happen.”
Voyles advises being prepared to spend a lot of time on the road if the trip home is planned for either Saturday or Sunday. There are no shortcuts, as all the major highways and byways will be choked with traffic, and common sense precautions, though often ignored, will make the trip home more pleasant.
“Plan to have lots of patience,” he said. “Don’t drink and drive, take your time and be courteous. On Pacheco Pass, expect the worse. As you near the outlets in Gilroy, be alert, as holiday shoppers will be out in force. The best advice I can give is to relax and enjoy those that you’re traveling with.”
A survey by the Northern California’s AAA office predicts more than 4.6 Californians plan to travel 50 miles or more for the holiday weekend – a 4.6 percent increase over last year. Over 3.7 million Californians, or 81 percent, expect to drive.
“Gathering with family and friends for this upcoming weekend is a top priority for Americans, and airports and highways are expected to be as busy as ever,” AAA spokesperson Cynthia Harris said. “Travel costs are up this year, but when it comes to spending Thanksgiving with family, people tend to find ways to absorb higher travel prices.”
