Based on a recent online survey, AAA says it expects 411,000 Oklahomans to travel 50 miles or more from home over the long Labor Day weekend, the most since 2008. The survey’s results indicate 95.6 percent of travelers will drive to holiday destinations and 4.4 percent will fly. Nearly 27 percent of those surveyed said the price of gasoline influenced their decision to travel.
Although Oklahoma’s gas price average has risen more than 20 cents since the first of August, today’s price – $2.xx – is still 20 cents below the price average recorded on Sept. 1, 2015, according to GasPrices.AAA.com.
Nationwide, 35.5 million Americans traveled over Labor Day in 2015 and AAA says 2016 Labor Day travel figures promise to be even higher. With so many holiday motorists on the road, AAA says it’s more important than ever to improve your margin of safety by driving smart and driving defensively.
“Labor Day is a high risk holiday for motorists,” said Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. “Three things contribute to the danger: it’s the last gasp of summer – we’re trying to make the most of it and that means we tend to take chances we wouldn’t ordinarily take, we’re in a party frame of mind and alcohol is often present, and warm temperatures sap our strength and make us sleepy. So we have distracted drivers, drivers who have been drinking, and drowsy drivers.”
For those Oklahomans who plan on drinking alcohol at holiday parties, AAA Oklahoma encourages use of ride-sharing services, taxi cabs, designated drivers and AAA’s Tipsy Tow. A free community service program open to all Oklahomans, Tipsy Tow provides a free ride home for any driver who feels unsafe behind the wheel after drinking and that driver’s vehicle also gets a free tow home. To access Tipsy Tow, call (800) AAA-HELP in metro Oklahoma City, metro Tulsa, Ardmore, Bartlesville, Enid, Shawnee, Tahlequah, Muskogee and Lawton.
For the first time in nine years, U.S. fatalities could exceed 40,000 this year. The National Safety Council estimates traffic deaths were nine percent higher during the first six months of this year compared with the first six months of 2015. The Federal Highway Administration reports Americans drove 1.58 trillion miles during the first six months of 2016, an increase of 3.3 percent over last year, thanks in large part to lower gasoline prices.
AAA Oklahoma encourages motorists to always buckle up and to make sure all passengers of all ages are also properly restrained. In 2015 in Oklahoma, none of those killed over Labor Day in traffic crashes were wearing a safety belt.
