DRIVING Home for Christmas

When British singer-songwriter Chris Rea recorded “Driving Home for Christmas” in 1986, he not only created one of the all-time holiday classics but he also, inadvertently, captured the essence of the American holiday commute.

When millions of Americans set off to enjoy the end-of-year festivities with their loved-ones, the vast majority of them will hit the road Chris Rea style. According to the American Automobile Association, better known as AAA, more than 115 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles away from home this holiday season, making 2023 the second busiest holiday travel season since AAA began its tracking in 2000.

And like Chris Rea, who was “top to toe in tailbacks, red lights all around”, Americans should expect busy roads this holiday season. AAA expects 103.6 million Americans to drive to their holiday destination, while 7.5 million travelers will be flying home for Christmas. INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects December 23 and December 28 to be the most congested days on the road, with December 30 also tipped to be very busy. "Nationwide, drivers could see travel times up to 20% longer this holiday season," Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said. His advice to drivers: "Avoid peak commuting hours and use traffic apps, local DOT notifications, and 511 services to minimize holiday travel traffic frustrations."