Lorenzo Hall Staff reporter

November 20, 2009
RICHMOND—
AAA's forecast for traveling in Virginia during the Thanksgiving holiday is consistent with travel expectations nationally. In the Commonwealth, 1.5 million Virginians will travel 50 miles or more away from home, up 3% from last year. A good chunk of those traveling will do so by car. AAA says this year's expected increase in travel reflects improved consumer confidence, better financial market performance and a growing sense amongst Virginians that the worst of the global economic crisis is behind us. Last year, Thanksgiving travel dropped 25%. The news isn't too bright for airlines either. Air travel in the Commonwealth is expected to decline by 6%, translating to 76,000 Virginians taking the skies.

Martha Meade, with AAA, says other modes of transportation like trains and buses are seeing an uptick in customers as well, primarily because air travel is unpopular. Seventy-five percent of the state police force will be out on the roads watching drivers very closely on Thanksgiving. Police say most accidents occur on Thanksgiving between 3pm and midnight. Last year, 12 fatalities occurred on Thanksgiving and that's when travel was down significantly.