AAA: Record number of holiday travelers expected to close out 2024

Dec. 29—WILKES-BARRE — AAA projects 119.3 million people will have traveled 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period from Saturday, Dec. 21 to Wednesday, Jan. 1.

This year’s domestic travel projection narrowly surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by 64,000 travelers.

AAA expected an additional 3 million travelers this holiday season compared to last year.

“This is the time of year when life-long memories are made with loved ones, and travel plays a big role in that,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “This year, with Christmas Day falling on a Wednesday, we anticipated record-breaking travel numbers the weekend before and the weekend after the holiday.”

Year-end travelers by mode

—By Car: Nearly 90% of holiday travelers drive to their destinations, making it the most popular way to travel.

— 107 million people were expected to travel by car, and while that number is 2.5 million higher than last year, it’s shy of 2019’s record of 108 million.

Many travelers, particularly families with young children, prefer the flexibility and lower cost that road trips provide.

This holiday season, gas prices are lower than last year, when the national average was around $3.12 in the last two weeks of 2023. Gas demand in December goes down as the weather gets colder, more people work remotely, and holiday shoppers purchase their gifts online versus in person.

—By air: AAA expects air travel to set a new record this holiday season with 7.85 million passengers. That number surpasses the previous record of 7.5 million air travelers last year.

AAA booking data shows flights are 4% more expensive this holiday season compared to last year. The average domestic ticket is $830. International flights are 13% more expensive, averaging $1,630 a ticket.

—By other modes: The number of Americans traveling by bus, train, and cruise this holiday season is up nearly 10% compared to last year. AAA expects 4.47 million people will travel by other modes.

That number is the highest it’s been in 20 years. Domestic cruise bookings are up 37% compared to last holiday season. Cruising is popular this time of year as many families enjoy celebrating the holidays aboard a ship full of activities and food.

AAA’s road trip safety tips

With an additional 2.5 million travelers expected on the roads during this year-end holiday travel period, AAA urges drivers to prioritize safety with the following tips:

—Follow posted speed limits: While it’s tempting to speed to save time, the facts don’t support it. Even minor increases in speed can make crashes deadly.

— Driving 80 mph instead of 75 mph over 100 miles saves only 5 minutes, hardly worth the risk. Speeding may feel faster. but often leads to tragedy.

— Drive only when alert and refreshed: Driving on 4-5 hours of sleep is as dangerous as driving with a 0.08 BAC (legal intoxication). Less than 4 hours of sleep? The risk doubles.

— Travel during hours you’re normally awake and avoid overnight drives.

— Steer clear of heavy meals, drowsy medications, and alcohol.

— For long trips, take breaks every 2 hours or 100 miles. Use these breaks to switch drivers if possible, or park at a safe location and nap for 20-30 minutes to recharge.

—Slow down, move over: A roadside worker is killed every other week in the U.S. To help prevent these tragedies, AAA asks drives to “Slow Down, Move Over.”

— When you see an emergency responder on the side of the road assisting a stranded driver, reduce your speed.

— If possible, change lanes to give those crews room to do their jobs safely.

— All 50 states and the District of Columbia have Move Over laws in place.

PSP reports 495 crashes, 138 DUI arrests Over Christmas holiday

The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) has released its crash and enforcement report for the 2024 Christmas travel period.

From Dec. 24-26, PSP investigated 495 crashes, resulting in one death and 81 injuries. Impaired driving was a factor in 27 of these crashes.

During those three days, troopers arrested 138 individuals for driving under the influence and issued the following citations:

—720 for speeding.

—72 for failing to wear a seat belt.

—19 for not securing children in safety seats.

More information on the 2024 Christmas holiday crash and enforcement, broken down by troop, is available online. These statistics cover only those incidents investigated by the state police and do not include incidents to which other law enforcement agencies responded.

With New Year’s Eve celebrations coming up, state police will once again be on the lookout for impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. PSP reminds people to plan to have a safe ride home, especially if your holiday plans involve alcohol.

For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit — psp.pa.gov.

PA launches licensure program for telehealth-only drug and alcohol treatment providers

The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) this week announced the creation of a new licensure program to obtain a telehealth-only license that allows substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers to obtain a telehealth-only license — expanding access to more Pennsylvanians and meeting them where they are.

The program is open and accepting applications.

Prior to this program, only drug and alcohol facilities with a physical location in Pennsylvania could apply to DDAP for a license to operate. This new type of license does not require a physical location in order for a treatment provider to administer services.

Licensed treatment providers that have a physical office site in Pennsylvania do not need to apply for any additional or different license to serve people who choose telehealth services.

“I am proud to announce that DDAP is expanding access to treatment by issuing licensure for telehealth-only providers, making services available to more Pennsylvania residents and expanding opportunity for those who want to help their neighbors struggling with SUD,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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