According to AAA Texas, approximately 9.4 million Texans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home from December 20th through January 1st. Nearly 93% of these travelers (8.7 million Texans) will be driving to their holiday destinations, with the bulk of the travel likely to be December 21-22, and according to transportation data company INRIX, travelers returning home could cause their own traffic congestion on December26th. If you are one of these Texas travelers taking to the roadways for the holidays, it’s important that you give yourself extra time to reach your destination.
INRIX also says that you can expect minimal traffic on December 24-25 and December 31-January 1. Here is a list of the worst and best times to travel (assuming minimal congestion December 24-25 and December 31-January 1) from communityimpact.com.
Monday, December 22
WORST: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM; BEST: after 9:00 PM
Tuesday, December 23
WORST: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM; BEST: before 11:00 AM
Friday, December 26
WORST 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM; BEST: before 11:00 AM
Saturday, December 27
WORST: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM; BEST: before 11:00 AM
Sunday, December 28
WORST: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM; BEST: before 11:00 AM
Monday, December 29
WORST: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM; BEST: before 10:00 AM
Tuesday, December 30
WORST: 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM; BEST: before 10:00 AM
If you can, try to adjust your travel days and times to make navigating the roads a little easier.
Though this type of holiday traffic isn’t great news, there is good news at the pump for all of us. According to AAA, Texas drivers will likely pay less for gas this holiday season. As of December 18th, the average price for one gallon of unleaded gas is around $2.51—with some stations offering prices as low as $2;00 a gallon or less. This is down from $2.65 at this time last year. This makes 2025 the cheapest December at the pump since 2020.
Here at Accident & Injury Chiropractic, we hope you enjoy the holidays—including the drive—safely. And remember, if you need us, we’re here for you!