The Best Times to Travel for Turkey This Thanksgiving

JACKSON, Mich. –– The last months of the year can be some of the best thanks to festive holiday traditions, but traveling during those times can be pretty hectic, especially on Thanksgiving. But don't let fear of Thanksgiving gridlock keep you from overindulging on turkey. 

After monitoring Thanksgiving traffic conditions for two years, Google released a few travel tips last year to help drivers avoid congestion on the road. If you're one of the 46.3 million Americans planning a pilgrimage this November, take a look at what Google considers to be the best times to travel for turkey this Thanksgiving.

• First and foremost, avoid making travel plans for Wednesday. Google's data states that this is the worst day for travel before Thanksgiving, specifically from 3–5 p.m. If this is the only day you're able to head out of town, we suggest leaving earlier or later in the day.

• Traveling on Thursday is highly suggested since Thanksgiving tends to be the day of the week with the least amount of traffic. Most families sit down for dinner between 12 and 2 p.m., so this is a great time to hit the road.

• Many Thanksgiving travelers wrongly assume they can dodge traffic by heading back home on Saturday. But traffic can be up to 40% worse on Saturday than on any other day you make the trek home. Relax, have another helping of mashed potatoes, and stay an extra day before driving home.

Avoid starting or ending your holiday on a bad note thanks to heavy traffic. Plan ahead for Turkey Day this year, and consider traveling according to Google's data on the best times to travel for turkey this Thanksgiving. If you have a long road trip ahead of you, make sure your vehicle is up-to-date on routine maintenance with help from your Spring Arbor area Ford Dealer, and check out our fall car care tips here. 

Seymour Ford Lincoln is located at 2601 Seymour Road in Jackson, Michigan 49201. We will work hard to ensure you never leave our dealership unsatisfied! Visit us at at SeymourFord.com and SeymourLincoln.net or give us a call at (517) 787-9500.

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