AAA Texas says 8.3 million people across the state are planning road trips around Christmas. AAA Texas says two percent more people are planning to drive at least 50 miles than last year.
Hard freeze and wind chill watches cover much of the state. To prevent drivers from getting stuck in cold weather, AAA Texas urges people to first ensure their car's routine maintenance is up to date.
"Hopefully, you've taken steps to prepare your vehicle and mitigate the risk of a breakdown," says AAA Texas' Daniel Armbruster. "But even if you take all those steps, anything can happen."
Armbruster says people should keep an emergency kit in their cars during the winter.
"That's going to have, of course, your first aid kit, which you should always have, but also water bottles, non-perishable food for you, your pets, your passengers," he says.
Armbruster says tow trucks often respond within less than an hour, but during winter weather, the number of calls increases, so wait times can increase. In case you get stuck for several hours, Armbruster urges people to keep enough blankets and jackets in the car for every person and pet.
"Anything to keep you warm because if your vehicle's not working, you're not going to have heat," he says. "That can be very dangerous after just ten or 20 minutes of being out in the cold."
In addition to 8.3 million people driving in Texas, AAA estimates 377,000 will fly and 237,000 will take a cruise, train or bus trip from December 23 through January 2. The total of 8.9 million travelers is three percent more than last year but seven percent less than 2019.
Across the country, AAA says 102 million will drive, 7 million will fly and 3.6 million will use another type of transportation.
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