Thousands travel home from holiday break
“I went down to visit my parents in Rio Grande for Thanksgiving,” said Lauren Schwartzman from Oakland, CA.
After all the turkey, family and shopping for many it was time to head back home.
“We were hoping to leave earlier to avoid some of the traffic but it took time to pack,” said Gabriella Teodorescu who headed back to Big Sur, CA.
Transportation studies predict 46 million people will travel from November 25 th -29 th .
“Sometimes people drive recklessly and I don’t want to get into an accident,” said Schwartzman.
On the 11th annual observance of Driver Safety Sunday motorists were reminded to err on the side of caution while behind the wheel.
“I didn’t leave last night because I didn’t want drunk drivers around so I’m hoping that’s not going to be an issue today,” said Teodorescu.
Experts say eating a Thanksgiving feast combined with not enough sleep before beginning the drive back home may not only mean falling asleep behind the wheel but also impair judgement.
“Sometimes when you’re tired, you won’t notice and you’ll get a little drowsy,” said Serafin Castillo of Salinas.
Gasbuddy.com says every year thousands of people die in preventable motor vehicle accidents caused by drowsy driving.
Taking a nap or drinking coffee can help boost alertness.
“Caffeine yea, coffee or coke,” said Schwartzman.
Salinas Donut and Rollick’s Specialty Coffee says they’ve been busy all week.
“I came in here real quick just to get some donuts,” said Castillo.
The shops have been brewing lots of caffeine infused beverages and shelling out sweets to drivers wanting to fuel up before hitting the road.
“Getting a lot of people coming in and just getting drinks lots of drinks and heading out,” said Rollick’s manager Steven Hall. “We’ve definitely been selling a lot more sweets. Our cookies have just been flying off the shelf.”
For those who still need to make the journey home motorists are also advised to avoid distractions and give large trucks plenty of room.
“Don’t get frustrated, it’s just going to make things worse,” Teodorescu. Just smile right through it.”
