DALLAS — Health experts is warning families against holiday travel because of coronavirus concerns. But if you do plan to hit the road, the CDC, AAA and U.S. Travel Association urge you to do so as safely as possible.
Holiday air travel is expected to drop about 48% this year, but road trips are only expected to fall about 4%, which means an estimated 48 million people will travel on highways and interstates, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
In a press meeting with reporters, association president Roger Dow urged road-tripping families not to take the virus lightly.
“I think that’s extremely important,” Dow said. "If you travel, you must travel safely."
On Thursday, the CDC advised against traveling, saying whether by air or by car, travel of any kind increases your risk of COVID-19 exposure.
Dr. Michal Parkinson, who was also on the U.S. Travel Association’s press call, said people will take road trips despite the warnings, and educating them is the next best step.
“A federal agency like the CDC to say that we generally don’t advise traveling but then a whole list of things that you should or must do, I think gives you more leverage to be able to work with the traveling public,” said Parkinson.
On top of wearing masks and practicing social distancing when outside of the car on a road trip, AAA urges travelers to pack extra water and snacks in the car to cut down on unnecessary stops.
Travelers should avoid busy gas stations and rest stops whenever possible, and call ahead to any hotels where you might be staying to ask about local policies, protocols and safety measures.
“I think you’ve got to be super smart about where you stop when you’re on the road,” said Dow.
AAA also has an interactive map that shows users which states and counties have gathering restrictions, mask and quarantine requirements and business closures. The tool can be useful in letting you know what to expect at your destination but also in any other communities you’ll pass on the way.
“There’s great inconsistency from city to city, state to state, and that’s one of the challenges we have,” Dow said.
Click here for more information from AAA about road trip safety around the holidays.
