Thanksgiving Travel:  Be alert for red light running on Wednesday, speeding on Thursday of Thanksgiving weekend

Thanksgiving is a time for family, food, and of course, lots of travel! But with more cars on the roads comes an increased risk of dangerous driving behaviors. We analyzed data from hundreds of communities to understand driving patterns during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (Wednesday through Sunday). Here’s what we found:

Red Light Running

• The biggest danger zone is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving! This is the day with the most red-light violations, and the number has steadily increased since 2020.
• Be extra cautious between noon and 4 pm on Wednesday, as this is the peak time for red-light running.
• Over 57,000 red-light violations were recorded in 2023 alone!

Speeding

• Thanksgiving Day itself takes the turkey for speeding violations since 2022.
• The most common time for speeding is between 10 am and 12 pm on Thanksgiving Day.
• While the number of speeding violations is slowly decreasing, with over 150,000 violations in 2023, it’s still a major concern.

Safety First

With millions of Americans expected to travel, staying safe on the road is crucial. Here are some key takeaways:

• Be aware of increased distractions during the holidays, especially on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
• Put down your phone, avoid eating while driving, and focus on the road.
• Speeding is a major factor in traffic fatalities. Stick to the speed limit and arrive alive!

Make this Thanksgiving a time for happy memories, not tragedy. Drive safely!

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