Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and while many Americans are likely excited for family gatherings and delicious feasts, they should be ready to encounter some congestion on the roads. The latest study from INRIX, the traffic tracking firm, found that driving this Thanksgiving is expected to rise compared to last year. <\/p>\n
USA Today reported that road travel for the November holiday will increase by 3 percent compared to 2012. Most of this traffic will be on the Wednesday before, which is largely known as the "getaway day" for travelers. Lower gas prices have encouraged many to get behind the wheel, especially because many experts predict the entire Thanksgiving week will see the lowest fuel costs since before 2010. <\/p>\n
AAA found that the average cost of gas in the U.S. was $3.20 per gallon, and in many areas it has fallen below $3. <\/p>\n
"What we've been seeing this spring and summer is congestion levels up about 6 percent on average, month over month," said Jim Bak, director of community relations for INRIX, as quoted by USA Today. "Over the last couple of months, we saw things tail off a little bit. So we expect holiday congestion to be up about 3 percent over last year. If gas prices weren't as low as they are, things probably would have been flat compared to last year. With the low gas prices, people have more incentive to travel." <\/p>\n