LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Thanksgiving is a couple of weeks away and it's the busiest time of the year for travel. While that still may be the case this year, AAA expects the number of people traveling to drop by more than ten percent from 2019 -- the biggest drop in travel for Thanksgiving since 2008.
While the COVID-19 pandemic is causing more families to stay home for the holiday, millions will still make a trip. AAA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have offered safety tips for holiday travelers.
Lori Weaver Hawkins, of AAA Bluegrass, says most travelers are expected to drive to limit their exposure to the coronavirus. For these travelers, Hawkins’ advice is to bring disinfecting wipes for the car, hand sanitizer, masks, and some extra snacks to avoid having to stop at restaurants on the way.
For those taking public transportation, the CDC says to continue following COVID recommendations like wearing masks, social distancing and frequent hand washing.
If flying, Hawkins suggests travelers get TSA Pre-Check, to avoid lines and limit contact with others.
No matter how travelers are getting to their destination, if they're crossing state lines, it’s important to look up the latest number of cases in that state and its guidelines, like quarantine orders.
“The other thing that you should really do is if your trip involves a hotel stay, call ahead or get in touch with your AAA travel agent and have them help you with this," Hawkins said. "But you want to know what the hotel's protocol is because most of them have changed."
While COVID safety is a huge concern this year, Hawkins wants to make sure drivers still remember to stay safe in other ways, by not drinking or texting and driving.
