AAA predicts record number of holiday travelers

The lowest prices at the pump since May 2009 may lead to a record number of people on the roads for the holidays, AAA Idaho said.

AAA said Tuesday Idaho’s average gas prices was $2.37, down 67 cents since Thanksgiving. Click here for current gas prices in your area.

“The Grinch is gone for now, and the glut of crude oil and of refined gas have combined to push prices to levels we haven’t seen in a long time,” said AAA Idaho spokesman Dave Carlson.

AAA predicts 98.6 million Americans will be traveling in the U.S. this holiday, up 4 percent over last year. One in three Idahoans, or 516,000, are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home.

Also contributing to the large number of travelers is the length of the holiday period – Wednesday to Jan. 4. The length of the holiday period is based on when the holidays fall, relative to how near a weekend it falls, AAA said, adding that the holiday period of 13 days “plays strongly” in the amount of people traveling.

Drivers should be prepared for winter weather. Click here for the First Alert forecast.