Many in the Valley are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving this weekend by preparing to welcome friends and families to their homes. But others are packing up, preparing to take to the roadways to travel outside of the Phoenix area either alone or as a group as part of their celebrations. This year, AAA predicts that 42 million Americans will make a road trip of at least 50 miles during the Thanksgiving weekend and a large number of those travelers are believed to live in Arizona.
So what can you do if you will be driving? While it may seem like you will get bogged down in traffic no matter what, officials with the Arizona Department of Transportation report that timing your trip can make a big difference in terms of what level of traffic you will encounter.
Most travelers will leave at some point on Wednesday of this week which means that Wednesday is predicted to see the heaviest traffic loads and greatest congestion on Phoenix streets and interstates. Regardless of where you are going, your best bet to avoid backups is to leave before 12:00 p.m. if at all possible. Traffic is lighter at that time because most people are still at work or otherwise unable to leave in the morning hours, leaving the roadways open to the lucky few who have greater control over their travel plans.
If you cannot leave before noon, then consider which freeways you will use and determine your start time accordingly. ADOT recommends leaving by 2:00 p.m. if you are taking the I-10 towards California or Tucson and before 3:00 p.m. if you plan to drive north via I-17 towards Flagstaff.
No matter which direction you are headed, it is important to keep safety in mind as you drive and to make sure you are not a danger to others based on your actions behind the wheel. This means that you should refrain from speeding and from weaving in and out of traffic if it is present. Also, make sure you do not tailgate or follow too closely the vehicle in front of you as you may need to stop quickly and with little warning. Failing to maintain control over your vehicle or your driving conduct may increase the likelihood that you are involved in a car accident.
The legal team at Abels & Annes, P.C. wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. We hope your holiday is full of joyfulness and free from accidents, but in the event that tragedy strikes, know that we will be here to help.
We always have an attorney standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to help injury victims by providing them with a free, no-obligation case consultation about their accidents and their legal rights. If you have been hurt, we want to help you as well by discussing your case and whether you have a valid claim. Further, if we represent you, we will fight for the best possible outcome in your case and we will never charge you a fee unless we successfully make a recovery on your behalf.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we believe in helping victims and only victims. Therefore, we never represent insurance companies and we only represent those who have been hurt. Call us today toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 if an accident affected your life or harmed someone you love to learn whether you have a case that may entitle you to financial compensation.
Prior Blog Entry:
Teen Motorists at High Risk for Arizona Car Accidents, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published November 23, 2015.
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