Thanksgiving has long had the reputation of being one of the busiest travel holidays in the United States. This year, AAA estimates that a record 71.1 million Americans will travel to their Thanksgiving destination by car, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers by more than 1 million. The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) reminds motorists to prioritize safety, avoid distractions and buckle up.

“With Thanksgiving travel numbers increasing every year, more motorists than ever will be on the road with you,” said MDOT Executive Director Brad White. “Drivers should watch their speeds, put down their phones and obey all traffic laws to ensure we all make it to our holiday destinations safely.”

As the number of drivers on Mississippi highways is expected to increase during the holiday season, motorists should avoid driving distracted. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sending or receiving text messages takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. If traveling at 55 miles per hour, this is the equivalent of traveling the length of a football field blind. Drivers who use a hand-held device are four times more likely to get into a serious crash.

“All it takes is one second for a distraction to cause a serious accident, which is why you should always keep your eyes on the road,” said White. “Put the phone down. If it’s urgent, pull over to use your phone or have a passenger assist you.”

Before going over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house, MDOT wants to share safety tips with the traveling public:

• Plan ahead and allow for extra travel time. The MDOT Traffic mobile app shows real-time traffic conditions along your travel route.
• Buckle up. Using your seatbelt is an easy and effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in the event of a crash.
• Slow down and use extra caution in work zones.
• Watch for deer and other wildlife. When temperatures cool, animals are more active near highways. Use extra caution if traveling during dawn, dusk and after dark.
• Avoid distractions like cell phones and food.
• Do NOT drive impaired. If you plan to drink, have a designated driver.

To provide maximum travel capacity and minimal construction delays throughout the holiday weekend, MDOT crews and contractors will halt all non-emergent lane closures beginning the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 27 through the morning of Monday, Dec. 2.

“Even though most highway construction will halt across the state, motorists should be aware that some lane closures will stay in place,” said White. “These lane closures are there to protect motorists, and MDOT wants drivers to treat them like active work zones.”

For more safety tips for this holiday season, visit GoMDOT.com/drivesmartms.

Stay updated with the latest travel information by downloading the free MDOT Traffic Mobile App, which is available on the App Store and Google Play, or by visiting MDOTtraffic.com. Like and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).