Distracted driving, speeding expected to surge this holiday week
The week of Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, and distracted driving on the holiday jumps 10.8% compared to surrounding Thursdays, according to Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT).
Last year, CMT says more than 70 million people drove 50 miles or more to celebrate Thanksgiving. And this year, 60% of travelers are rethinking their plans amid the uncertainty of flight cancellations.
“With widespread flight cancellations, road risk could surge even higher during Thanksgiving week,” CMT said in a press release. “As more travelers take to the roads, elevated distraction and speeding highlight the need for greater focus behind the wheel.”
CMT’s latest road risk analysis examines distracted driving and speeding on Thanksgiving from 2022 to 2024, comparing Thanksgiving to the Thursdays before and after the holiday. The Wednesday before and Friday after the holiday were also analyzed since many long-distance travelers drive before or after Thanksgiving Day.
CMT defines screen interaction distraction as tapping on the phone screen while driving over 9 mph, and speeding as traveling 9.3 mph over the speed limit for at least 300 feet, or about the length of a football field.
Distracted driving jumps from 1 minute and 53 seconds per driving hour on surrounding Thursdays to 2 minutes and 6 seconds on Thanksgiving. The surge aligns with drivers heading to holiday gatherings, with distraction reaching over 20% higher between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., and peaking at 11:00 a.m., CMT said.
Distraction dips in the early afternoon as drivers sit down for dinner, but remains 10.2% above average. From 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., distraction rises again to 17.1% above normal levels, reaching 2 minutes and 15 seconds per driving hour. After 7:00 p.m., the surge in distraction tapers off for the rest of the night.
Speeding jumps even higher than distraction on Thanksgiving — up 68% compared to typical Thursdays — and is up every hour of the day. Like distraction, speeding starts early. Time spent speeding is 187% higher at 7:00 a.m.
Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., time spent speeding remains 104% above average. In the afternoon, speeding spikes again, jumping to 167% above average from 3 to 5 p.m. Elevated speeding persists into the evening, remaining over 20% higher from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Risky driving behaviors increase on the Wednesday before and the Friday after Thanksgiving, with speeding showing the biggest surge.
On Wednesday, overall distraction is up 2.1%, from 1 minute and 57 seconds to 1 minute and 59 seconds per driving hour. At 5 p.m., distraction jumps 10.1% — when drivers may be starting their Thanksgiving break, CMT said.
Friday shows a larger increase. Distraction is 5.5% higher overall, from 2 minutes and 1 second per driving hour to 2 minutes and 8 seconds. Distraction spikes between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., likely as drivers return home from overnight trips or go Black Friday shopping, CMT said.
Speeding surges on Wednesday and Friday of Thanksgiving week. Compared to normal weekdays, speeding increases 27% on Wednesday and 32% on Friday.
On Wednesday, drivers are not only distracted but also in a hurry to reach their destinations. Speeding peaks after work hours at 5 p.m., jumping 63%. Speeding remains 37% higher until 8 p.m. On Friday afternoon, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., speeding climbs 65%.
Allstate has also reported that phone use, speeding, and hard braking jump 10% or more during Thanksgiving week.
Roadside service events surge on the Monday before Thanksgiving, and claims data show cities like Honolulu and Madison see steep safety drops, according to an Allstate press release.
Based on trips made by 2 million customers, as tracked by Allstate’s safe driving program, Drivewise, phone use increases by 10% on Tuesday night and Sunday evening. It increases by 10% as drivers head out for and return home from holiday plans, the release states.
Speeding peaks on Sunday morning, up 11% as drivers travel home from the long weekend. Hard braking surges midday Thursday, up 13%, likely from last-minute errands and local congestion, the release states.
According to Allstate’s data, the least congested times to travel are between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. and late nights between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Morning rush hours between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m., especially on Thursday and Friday, are among the safest, according to Allstate.
The most congested times to travel are between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
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