Despite near-record high gas prices, more holiday travelers are expected on Georgia roads this year than last. AAA says over 1.1 million Georgians will travel 50 miles or more by car this week as gas prices hover nearly a dollar above what they were in 2006. Garrett Townsend, a spokesman for AAA South, says high gas prices rarely deter families from their holiday traditions. “We certainly have favorable weather with this time of year and a lot of people plan family trips, going down to Florida and visiting the amusement parks there. So, lots of favorable conditions in the Southeast region,” Townsend says. AAA forecasts a two percent increase in the number of Thanksgiving drivers in the Southeast this year -- the greatest increase for any U.S. region. Officials say the heaviest traffic on Georgia’s roadways will be Tuesday through Wednesday and then on Sunday, as people return home.
