SAN ANTONIO – Texans on Wednesday began hitting the road for their Thanksgiving destinations.
AAA expects 3.9 million Texans to travel 50 miles or more for this Thanksgiving, a 4.3 percent increase over 2015 and the highest since 2007.
Alex Garza and his family from San Antonio started their holiday trek at the crack of dawn, when traffic was light.
Garza, his wife, and one of their sons took off at 4:25 a.m. for Arlington, where they will visit with Garza's 20-year-old son, who plays college baseball.
Garza said he wants to catch his son before he heads off to work and before the ice melts in a cooler.
Stopping at Buc-ee's off Interstate 35 in New Braunfels, Garza bought a cooler there to thaw the turkey while they're traveling.
"It would be frozen hard," Garza said of his reason not to purchase a turkey in Arlington. "This is already thawed out a little bit."
Low gasoline prices are fueling Texans to hit the road by car and pickup.
Sidney Armentor filled up his pickup truck for his trip to his mother's house in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Armentor loves the fact that gas prices are below $2 in Texas.
"I'm loving it," he said about affordable gas.
AAA said consumers nationwide saved $28 billion on gasoline this year, compared to last Thanksgiving.
The Texas Department of Public Safety called on drivers to travel safely.
"The Thanksgiving weekend invariably means increased traffic on roadways, and DPS is reminding Texans that we all have a responsibility to help make the roads safe for everyone," DPS Director Steven McCraw said. "Our troopers will be on the lookout for dangerous drivers who disregard the law. At the same time, we urge drivers to use extra caution while traveling and to always drive sober."
During the Thanksgiving weekend in 2015, DPS troopers issued 28,835 traffic citations and warnings for a variety of violations, including speeding, no insurance and seat belt/child safety seat usage.
DPS patrols also resulted in 219 driving while intoxicated arrests, 127 fugitive arrests and 94 felony arrests during the same time period.
DPS offered the following tips for safe travel:
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Don't drink and drive. Designate a driver or take a cab.
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Slow down -- especially in bad weather, construction areas and heavy traffic.
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Eliminate distractions, including the use of mobile devices.
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Buckle up everyone in the vehicle -- it's the law.
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Slow down or move over for police, fire, EMS and Texas Department of Transportation vehicles and tow trucks that are stopped on the side of the road with emergency lights activated -- it's the law. Show the same courtesy to fellow drivers stopped along the road if it is safe to do so.
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Don't drive fatigued. Get plenty of rest before trips or take breaks as needed.
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Drive defensively, as holiday travel may present additional challenges.
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Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained before your trip begins.