Traffic, Gas Prices Up This Thanksgiving

The number of travelers hitting the road for Thanksgiving is expected to increase dramatically this holiday, according to data from GasBuddy.

The smartphone app's annual holiday travel survey projects 20 percent more people will drive for Thanksgiving in 2017 compared to last year.

Those additional drivers can expect to pay more at the pump than in previous years also. GasBuddy expects the national average gas price on Thanksgiving Day ($2.53 per gallon) to be the highest since 2014.

The silver lining is that the average price will still be nearly a dollar short of 2012's peak high ($3.44 per gallon).

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Holiday travelers will also drive farther this year, with GasBuddy projecting a four percent increase in travelers driving for 10 or more hours this year compared to 2016.

"This year has been unique at the pumps. Gas prices spent much of the time in the weeks approaching Thanksgiving by rising when typically they would be on a sizeable downward trend," said GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis, Patrick DeHaan in a statement. "On average, Americans are paying nearly 40 cents a gallon more than last year, which means collectively we’re spending $800 million more on fuel over the Thanksgiving travel period. Drivers should pay close attention to prices to avoid overpaying."

GasBuddy found that price will be the determining factor for a majority of drivers seeking out a gas station this Thanksgiving. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of respondents said cost is their top consideration, followed by food selection (22 percent) and brand loyalty (19 percent).

Location (16 percent) and cleanliness (11 percent) are also important factors.

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The top reason to make a pit stop over Thanksgiving is to take a bathroom break, according to GasBuddy's research. Fueling up and stretching out legs are the second- and third-most common reasons, respectively.

Last week, AAA projected 48.7 million Americans will travel for Thanksgiving this year, the highest number since 2007. Nine out of 10 U.S. travelers are expected to drive to their destination.

In addition to using GasBuddy, travelers are encouraged to watch out for state lines and avoid gas stations near the highway when fueling up for Thanksgiving as differing state taxes can result in drastically different prices.

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