Gas prices over holiday don't have AAA worried

Marty Stout has a plan for traveling this Thanksgiving holiday: Leave early, look for low gas prices, and check on traffic conditions.

Stout, a product-development engineer for BD Medical, travels about 45 minutes each day from his home in South Weber to his job in Sandy. He calls himself an experienced commuter who reviews traffic reports before heading to work.

It's just second nature to plan ahead for a family trip, said Stout, who's driving to Price this holiday with his wife, Staci, and four kids.

"What we always do, really anytime, but especially when we're preparing for a trip, is keep an eye on where gas prices are the lowest," Stout said. "One of the things we also do is commute at a time when we don't expect any congestion. You get better gas mileage and a shorter length of commute."

Unlike the summer holidays, when gas prices are traditionally higher, AAA does not anticipate that gas prices will be an issue this holiday. On Monday, the average price of gas in Utah was about $2.32 a gallon, according to AAA. The national average was about $2.23.

While gas prices in Utah are about 12 cents higher than last year, the cost of gas in the state has fallen dramatically in the past three months. In August, AAA recorded gas prices in Utah around $2.99 per gallon.

The drop in prices from August could be contributing to an increase in the number of people traveling this holiday. More than 240,000 Utahns are expected to drive 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving, according to AAA. Another 43,000 will travel by plane, and about 15,000 will travel by train, bus or cruise ship.

In total, that's a 2.5 percent increase in the number of people traveling this year over last year, which "translates into traffic jams and congested airports for holiday travelers," said Rolayne Fairclough, spokeswoman for AAA of Utah.

Bethany Eller, spokeswoman for the Utah Department of Transportation, said Monday that she would encourage motorists to leave early for their trips and avoid driving at times when a lot of people are on the road.

"If they stagger (drive) times, they'll be able to avoid all the cars that are on the road," Eller said.

UDOT does not anticipate any road closures this holiday. People headed through Weber County on I-15 could experience minor delays because of a two-year reconstruction project on the freeway, but otherwise, the roads will be clear, Eller said. Motorists can access up-to-date traffic information at www.commuterlink.utah.gov.

Like UDOT, officials with the Utah Highway Patrol are also encouraging motorists to drive smart this holiday and prepare for their trip by getting enough sleep and buckling up seat belts. Holidays are notorious for big accidents and fatalities on the road, UHP trooper Jeff Nigbur said.

"One of the big things we see is when a family is driving, they often don't buckle up because they're tired," Nigbur said. "Then the driver falls asleep, rolls the vehicle, and you'll have multiple ejections and sometimes multiple fatalities."

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