AAA says nearly 3M Floridians will be on the road for Thanksgiving

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — AAA says it is expecting a record-breaking number of Floridians to drive this Thanksgiving holiday week.

Action News Jax hit the road Monday and reports nearly 3 million Floridians will be on our roads and highways this week.

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Now all those motorists, like those on I-95, amount to some 50,000 more than last year. Due to all of that influx, AAA says everyone needs to drive with extra caution.

Right now Florida is ranked the ninth deadliest state for car crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday according to autoinsurance.com. I spoke with the spokesperson for AAA, Mark Jenkins about road safety during this time of year.

“The three most important things that drivers should remember this weekend is to leave early so you’re not in a rush, minimize distractions while you’re behind the wheel and never drive impaired,” Jenkins said.

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This chart from AAA shows the best and worst times and dates to travel for Thanksgiving

Before you hit the road, make sure your car has undergone the proper maintenance.

“Underinflated tires can be a big issue that can cause tire blowouts so that’s the last thing you want to deal with when you’re driving down the road or a highway at 50 to 60 mph,” said Jenkins.

AAA says they also expect a high call volume of more than 411,000 calls nationwide for roadside assistance.

To ensure your holiday travels have the green light, remember to also get your brakes, car battery and wiper blades checked.

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