South Carolina is expected to see holiday travel increase by at least one percent, according to AAA Carolinas.
The agency said the increase is due in part to a drop in gas prices.
AAA Carolinas said that a total of 617,110 South Carolinians are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home. About 555,400 of those will drive, an increase of about 5,400 travelers over last year.
Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous annual holidays due to its four-day length and the congestion caused by the high number of highway vacationers.
The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 21, to Sunday, Nov. 25, with the highest number of travelers leaving on Wednesday and most returning on Sunday.
“Thanksgiving is the most traditional family holiday with the ‘turkey day’ always coming on a Thursday, creating a guaranteed four-day holiday for many,” said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas.
“The lower price at the pump will encourage more people to drive this Thanksgiving.”In the last two months, gas prices in South Carolina have dropped significantly.
The average price for unleaded gas in the state is $3.13, down 50 cents since peaking in mid-September at $3.63. South Carolinians are paying two cents less at the pump compared to last Thanksgiving, when they paid $3.14, AAA said.
In the Upstate, gas prices vary by location, according to SouthCarolinaGasPrices.com, as some customers in the area are paying as little as $2.96 and as high as $3.09.
South Carolina currently has the second-lowest average gas price in the country; Missouri has the lowest at $3.08.
The highest average price in South Carolina is in Charleston at $3.19 per gallon of unleaded self-service.
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