As thousands of Missouri drivers hit the roads to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends this week, the Missouri Department of Transportation is urging them to exercise patience, caution and good judgment behind the wheel. The holiday week brings a trifecta of concerns to the roadway, including impaired driving, distracted driving and heavy interstate congestion.
MoDOT says the night before Thanksgiving- sometimes referred to as Blackout Wednesday- has become a popular night for get-togethers at bars, often resulting in heavy drinking.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration- from 2013 to 2017- more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period, making it one of the deadliest holidays on the roadways.
In addition to Thanksgiving celebrations, Black Friday brings another hazard to Missouri’s roadways. On a day notoriously associated with impatient shoppers, MoDOT urges drivers to keep the online shopping out of the driver’s seat.
Distracted and impaired driving aren’t the only concerns for drivers. AAA estimates nearly 50 million people will be on the nation’s roadways, with congestion peaking Wednesday afternoon. This is the highest anticipated Thanksgiving travel volume since 2005. Trips could take as much as four times longer, and travelers should expect delays throughout the week.
An increase in travel volume means Missouri interstate routes will be heavily crowded.