Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

AAA: Record Number of People Traveling During the Holidays

AAA projects 94.5 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the year-end holiday season, an increase of 0.6% from the 94 million people who traveled last year. This upward trend marks the fifth consecutive year of increases and the highest travel volume recorded for the season

by Staff
December 23, 2013
2 min to read


America’s highways will be more crowded than ever before this holiday season, according to a new forecast.

AAA projects 94.5 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the year-end holiday season, an increase of 0.6% from the 94 million people who traveled last year. This upward trend marks the fifth consecutive year of increases and the highest travel volume recorded for the season.

Ad Loading...

The year-end holiday period is defined as Dec. 21 to  Jan. 1.

Ninety-one percent of travelers or 85.8 million people are expected to travel by automobile, an increase of 0.9% from last year. while almost 30% of all Americans will take a trip this holiday, with more than one in four taking a road trip.

“While economic growth has stagnated and consumer confidence has fallen Americans will not be Scrooges when it comes to traveling this year,” said AAA CEO Marshall L. Doney.

Ad Loading...

Only once in the past decade has there been a change in travel volume greater than five and that was a decline in 2007 as the recession was just getting started, according to AAA.

“Of all the travel holidays, the year-end holiday season remains the least volatile as Americans will not let economic conditions dictate their travel plans to celebrate the holidays,” said Doney.

AAA says with the holidays also comes a greater number of drivers getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol

According to the latest data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety one in five of all licensed drivers, that drink at least occasionally, reported having driven when they thought their alcohol level might have been close to or possibly over, the legal limit in the past year. T

The survey also reveals that 96% of drivers consider impaired driving to be unacceptable with 50% reporting that drunk drivers are a bigger problem today versus three years ago.  

More Drivers

Man seated in front of computer with inset of insights generated for a truck driver

Netradyne Intelligence Uses New AI Agents to Automate Response to In-Cab Camera Data

The company called the next-generation in-cab camera safety platform "a fundamental shift from systems that report on what happened to systems that actively drive what should happen next."

Read More →
Illustration of hourglass and trucks backed up to a dock
DriversJune 15, 2026

Why Truck Detention Keeps Costing Fleets Time and Money

A 2024 ATRI study found detention affects nearly 40% of truckload stops and costs the industry more than $15 billion annually. Despite the toll on drivers, fleets, and supply chains, the problem remains stubbornly persistent.

Read More →
Artist rendering of dealership with trucks and trailers parked outside
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseJune 2, 2026

Prime Inc. to Open $7.9M Flagship Used-Truck Dealership

A new driver-focused facility to sell Prime Inc's used trucks and trailers will be the first purpose-built location in the company's history.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Thumbnail for podcast episode
Safety & ComplianceMay 28, 2026

Short Takes: Inside K&B’s Truck Safety Tech

Listen to learn how K&B Transportation uses cellphone-blocking technology, speed management systems, weather geofencing, bridge avoidance tools, and more to improve driver safety.

Read More →
Nussbaum driver pay.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 27, 2026

Nussbaum Expands Driver Compensation with Pay Raises, Profit Sharing

Nussbaum Transportation said its latest compensation package could push first-year driver earnings above $90,000 in key hiring markets.

Read More →
Lance Evans, Director of Safety at K&B Transportation.
Safety & ComplianceMay 13, 2026

Listen: Inside Modern Fleet Safety: AI, Cameras & Speed Control at K&B Transportation

Fleet safety is evolving fast—and technology is at the center of it. Learn how a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Maverick Transportation Freightliner Cascadia.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 12, 2026

Maverick Announces 2026 Driver Pay Raises

New raises for Maverick Transportation drivers will take effect on May 31, 2026.

Read More →
Alleged Ohio toll evasion truck.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseMay 5, 2026

Illinois Trucker Indicted for Nearly $22,000 in Ohio Turnpike Toll Evasion

Authorities say an Illinois trucker avoided paying tolls for two years, and now faces felony charges, possible prison time, and forfeiture of his Freightliner tractor.

Read More →
Illustration with trojan horse and lock with inside of cargo container in background
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 23, 2026

New Trojan Driver Cargo Theft Scam Bypasses Carrier Vetting Systems

Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Female truck driver.
Driversby News/Media ReleaseApril 21, 2026

WIM, Trucker Path Name Top 3 Women-Friendly Truck Stops

ATA’s Women In Motion Council and Trucker Path highlight three truck stops that meet all seven safety-focused criteria and rank highest among female drivers.

Read More →