Thanksgiving Travel: Road Safety Tips Backed by Data

Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating, sharing meals, and, more than ever, hitting the road to reunite with loved ones. With millions of Americans expected to travel by car over the holiday weekend, it’s important to consider road safety.

At Verra Mobility, we analyzed data from hundreds of communities across the U.S. to understand driving patterns during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (Wednesday through Sunday).

The good news? We’re seeing signs of improvement, with red light and speed violations at their lowest point in four years.

Red-Light Running

Red-light violations tend to spike just before the holiday begins. In 2024, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving saw the highest number of red-light violations, with most incidents occurring between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.

While over 45,000 violations were recorded, this marks the lowest number of red-light violations during Thanksgiving weekend since 2020. That’s a positive sign of improved driver behavior.

Speeding

Speeding remains a top concern, especially as travelers return home. In 2024, Sunday recorded the highest number of speeding violations, with most occurring between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

More than 130,000 speeding violations were captured over the weekend, but the average number of violations per site has been slowly declining since 2021.

Safety First: What You Can Do

With millions of Americans expected to travel by car this year, staying safe on the road is crucial. Here are some key takeaways:

• Be aware of increased distractions during the holidays, especially on the Wednesday before and the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
• Put down your phone, avoid eating while driving, and focus on the road.
• Speeding contributes to one-third of all traffic deaths, so it’s important to remember that arriving safely is more important than arriving quickly.

Make this Thanksgiving a time for happy memories, not tragedy, by driving safely.

Want to learn more about our safety solutions? Visit our solutions page to see how your community can benefit from automated safety enforcement.