NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you're driving for the holidays in Tennessee, AAA reports you'll be on the road with an estimated 2.6 million people.
"Interstates will be more congested the weekend before Christmas as travelers hit the road on Saturday and Sunday ahead of the holiday," explained spokesperson Megan Cooper.
"We find that those afternoon time frames are when regular rush hour traffic tends to mix with holiday traffic of those leaving out of town, so our best advice is to avoid that time altogether," she added.
Looking ahead, Friday, the day after Christmas, is also expected to be pretty busy.
It's not all doom and gloom. Cooper also said while you might spend plenty of time behind the wheel, you won't be spending as much money.
"Right now, Tennesseans are seeing the cheapest gas prices in four years," she noted, saying the price tag is lower than this time last year and is likely to stay low the rest of the month.
While you're saving money, you can also save yourself stress by making sure your car is up to speed. AAA gets several calls for battery issues, tire issues, and lockouts this time of year.
"If it's been a while since you've had routine maintenance on your vehicle, now is really the time to check," said Cooper. "So make sure you're up to date on your oil changes, go ahead and check some of those basic things like your tires, your headlights, your windshield wipers."
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
Here’s a beautiful story of how one mother turned her grief journey into a gathering of gratitude… and organ donation awareness.
Robb Coles highlights a special event organized by Cari Hollis – whose 26-year old son Austin died two years ago. Austin agreed to be an organ donor – and that single gesture saved multiple lives.
Cari reached out to as many recipients she could find – several of whom traveled to Nashville for an emotional celebration in Austin’s honor. One woman – whose life was saved by receiving Austin’s lungs – put it simply: “He’s my angel”.
- Rhori Johnston
