AAA projects nearly 43 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more away from home this Memorial Day weekend. That is 1.5 million more travelers than last year taking to the roads, skies, rails and water, creating the second-highest travel volume on record since AAA began tracking holiday travel volumes dating back to 2000, trailing only the bar set in 2005.
In Virginia, more than a million (1,193,137) will travel for the holiday weekend, a 3.6% increase in travelers compared to last year and most (89%) will drive to celebrate the extended weekend.
“The unofficial start of the summer season is here and Virginians are ready to kick off the Memorial Day weekend with a trip,” said Tammy Arnette, Senior Public Affairs Specialist for AAA. “Solid job growth, rising income and strong consumer spending patterns are contributing to the near-record numbers of travelers this year for the holiday.”
The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, May 23 to Monday, May 27.
As of Monday, May 20, 2019, gas prices were averaging $2.85 per gallon, seven cents less than this same time last year. In Virginia, drivers are paying some of the lowest gas prices nationwide, as Virginia is the 11th-lowest in the country to buy gasoline.
“Gas prices are getting cheaper for the majority of motorists due to more stable crude oil prices in the past few months,” said Arnette. “Today, motorists can find gas for $2.75 or less at nearly half of all gas stations in the country.”
With so many drivers hitting the roads for the holiday, AAA, Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Transportation, The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and Hanover Fire Department are reminding everyone to focus on the task of driving and put safety first.
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Chris Graham
