HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – AAA is predicting the 2023 Holiday travel season to be the second busiest for Virginians since 2000.
Morgan Dean, AAA Mid-Atlantic Spokesperson said for 2023, AAA is predicting there will be 3.2 million Virginians traveling from December 23 to January 1.
This forecast is up from last year but is slightly lower than in 2019, according to Dean. ” We predict about 90% of Virginia travelers for the year-end holidays will be traveling by car, that is about 2.85 million people,” said Dean.
Dean said it is important to make sure to know the weather forecast for your entire trip before you hit the road and plan accordingly. “If you are going to finish in inclement weather that may shut down roadways, could you delay that, could you travel earlier so you can arrive at your destination before it hits,” said Dean.
If you are going to be on the roads this holiday season, make sure you have a winter emergency kit with you. Some things in this kit can include a snow shovel, a flashlight, and an ice scrapper, said Dean.
Dean recommends having supplies for passengers like blankets, coats, hats, gloves, and a sleeping bag. If you are driving and start to feel drowsy, you need to get off the road and take a break.
“Maybe it is getting up and stretching, walking around for a few minutes getting a cup of coffee, getting something to eat, maybe it is taking a cat nap, and if you are in a spot where it is comfortable and safe to take a cat nap in your vehicle,” said Dean.
If you are flying, you should get to the airport 2 hours early for a domestic flight and 3 hours early for an international flight, said Dean.
Dean said to anticipate the airport to be busy and there can be delays.
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