Busy holiday travel day puts millions of drivers on the road across Southwest Florida

One of the busiest travel days of the year is underway, as millions of Americans hit the road to wrap up the long holiday weekend. Many of those drivers have their sights set on Southwest Florida.

AAA estimates more than 109 million Americans are traveling by car this holiday season, making road trips the most popular way to travel. That number is up two percent from last year, as lower gas prices and flexibility continue to draw travelers away from flying.

From interstates to back roads, drivers packed roadways across Southwest Florida throughout the day.

For some travelers, the journey was a long one. Rita Templeton drove more than 15 hours from Kentucky, breaking up the trip to make it more manageable.

“We traveled to Atlanta, on the south side of Atlanta, spent the night and finished it up on Christmas Day,” Templeton said.

Despite busy roads in some areas, Templeton said the drive went smoothly.

“Traffic's been great. Of course, a few places were congested, and the cops were out galore. But that's okay. It's a holiday,” she said.

For Templeton, the long drive was worth it to spend time with family in Southwest Florida.

“My grandson lives here, and we wanted to host Christmas this year, so we all came in, and that's where we've been,” she said.

Other travelers made an even longer trek south. Rob Cregg and his family drove from Michigan to the Englewood area to spend the holidays.

“We came down last week, Sunday, for Christmas and New Year's, and we're going to be traveling back probably just after the new year,” Cregg said.

Cregg said choosing to drive instead of flying made the trip easier, despite a few delays along the way.

“The roads have been good. Traffic has really been good — a great experience so far,” he said.

AAA says lower gas prices are helping fuel the surge in road trips. For the first time in four years, the national average cost of gas has dropped below $3 a gallon, making long-distance drives more appealing for families heading to warm-weather destinations like Florida.

“I love Florida,” Templeton added. “Who doesn't love Florida?”

AAA also reminds drivers to stay safe during the busy holiday travel period by avoiding impaired driving, planning ahead, and slowing down and moving over for stopped emergency and service vehicles.