LUDLOW, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – With less than 48 hours left until Christmas, millions of people across the country are in the midst of traveling to their holiday destinations.
According to AAA, the majority of them will be by car.
Western Mass News spoke with travelers throughout the day Monday.
The temperatures may have been freezing, but with Christmas approaching and Hanukkah just two days away, that didn’t stop people from driving to their destinations.
So, what’s the worst time to travel now?
AAA says the five-hour period between 1pm and 6pm Monday was expected to be the worst time to travel.
The good news is that after that, they say they expect little impact to traffic on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
In total, 107 million people are expected to drive across the country, representing an increase of 2.5 million compared to last year.
Now, Western Mass News has checked out Ludlow Square, a rest area on both sides of the Mass Pike.
We’ve met drivers on the East Side who tell us they make sure they get where they need to be before the holiday rush kicks into high gear.
One of these drivers goes to Concord in eastern Massachusetts to be with family and extended family.
She told Western Mass News she wasn’t concerned about any potential traffic.
“It’s not a long trip. We’ll be fine, we’ll talk all the way,” Montserrat Archibald explained.
Nothing like having a good conversation to pass the time.
Once Christmas is over, AAA says you’ll want to hit the roads earlier in the day.
They say the busiest times to return from your holiday destinations will be during the afternoon and early evening over the five days after Christmas.
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