Oklahomans Join Millions Of Americans Traveling Over Thanksgiving

Before feasting on turkey and spending time with family, millions of Americans will first hit the roads and skies.

And 2019 is shaping up to be a busier year than usual.

"The economy is very good; gas is relatively inexpensive; disposable income is up, and people love still the American road trip," said Mark Madeja, spokesperson for AAA.

Madeja says nearly 50 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles to get to their destinations next week. That’s the largest number of travelers since 2005.

And with more cars on the road, Madeja says the danger goes up as well.

"With this kind of traffic volume, you're going to be sharing the roads with an unprecedented number of people,” said Madeja. “Safety and caution are absolutely the byword."

Drivers in Oklahoma also have a new state law to look out for.

Senate Bill 89, which went into effect a few weeks ago, now requires drivers in the Sooner state to move over lanes when approaching all stationary vehicles.

And if no additional lane exists, drivers must slow down or risk getting a ticket.

Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado says deputies will be on the lookout for drivers not following the law.

And that's a good thing, because AAA expects more than 2,400 calls for roadside assistance across the Sooner state this holiday weekend.

"If everybody will just follow the rules of the road and maintain their patience, we're going to look at a record low number of fatalities," said Regalado.