INDOT: Be safe, plan ahead, and drive sober for holiday travel

“Motorists should expect increased traffic and potential delays as early as this weekend for holiday travel,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist. “While the weather looks favorable, we still encourage drivers to plan ahead, practice patience, and allow for extra travel time. We want everyone to reach their holiday destinations safely.”

AAA expects the busiest travel days to be Saturday, December 20, and the weekend after Christmas, from Friday, December 26, through Sunday, December 28, with heavier traffic between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. on those days. Traffic restrictions related to maintenance or construction should be minimal outside of longer-term projects. Visit 511in.org or download the INDOT TrafficWise app on your mobile device to see current closures and restrictions, view traffic cameras, and plan your route.

While just under seven percent of Indiana drivers don’t wear their seatbelts, they account for 45% of passenger car fatalities, and texting while driving increases the risk of a crash by 50%. Buckling up and putting the phone down are two simple actions drivers and their passengers can take 100% of the time, not just during holiday travels, to prevent crashes – or survive if one occurs.

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, a timely reminder to never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. From 2019-2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 4,900 people died in drunk-driving crashes during the month of December. It is never safe to drink and drive. Make a plan to use a rideshare, designate a sober driver, or use public transit so everyone makes it home safely.

The Hoosier Helper Safety Service Patrol, sponsored by GEICO, will be active this holiday season. The purpose of the program is to help keep interstates safe, provide traffic control and minor medical care at crash sites, and offer limited roadside assistance like changing a tire.