Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Last year, over 70 million people drove 50 miles or more to celebrate the holiday. This year, with the uncertainty of flight cancellations, 60% of travelers are rethinking their plans. With more drivers on the move, a historically high-risk travel week may become even riskier. 

CMT’s latest road risk analysis looks at distracted driving and speeding on Thanksgiving from 2022 to 2024, comparing Thanksgiving to the Thursdays before and after the holiday. For an extended analysis, we looked at the Wednesday before and Friday after the holiday. The analysis draws on driving behavior data from over 60 million trips.

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, about the length of a football field.

Distraction jumps 10.8% on Thanksgiving

Distracted driving jumps 10.8% on Thanksgiving compared to surrounding Thursdays — from 1 minute and 53 seconds per driving hour to 2 minutes and 6 seconds. The surge aligns with drivers heading to holiday gatherings. Distraction is over 20% higher between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., peaking at 11:00 a.m. 

Distraction dips in the early afternoon as drivers sit down for dinner, but still remains 10.2% above average. From 4:00 to 5:00 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 spikes 68%

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 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., time spent speeding remains 104% above average. In the afternoon, speeding spikes again, jumping to 167% above average from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.. Elevated speeding persists into the evening, remaining over 20% higher from 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Risky driving up on Thanksgiving Eve and Black Friday

Many long-distance travelers drive before or after Thanksgiving Day. To see how risky driving patterns shift, CMT analyzed distraction and speeding on the Wednesday before and Friday after the holiday, comparing them to typical weekdays. Risky driving behaviors increase on both Wednesday and Friday, 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. The uptick may seem small, but certain hours tell a different story. At 5:00 p.m., distraction jumps 10.1% — when drivers may be starting their Thanksgiving break.

Friday shows a larger increase. Distraction is 5.5% higher overall, reaching 2 minutes and 8 seconds per driving hour from 2 minutes and 1 second. Distraction spikes from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., likely as drivers return home from overnight trips or go Black Friday shopping.

Speeding surges on both the Wednesday and Friday around Thanksgiving. Compared to normal weekdays, speeding increases 27% on Wednesday and 32% on Friday.

As drivers shift into holiday mode on Wednesday, they’re not only distracted but also in a hurry to reach their destinations. On Wednesday, speeding peaks after work hours at 5:00 p.m., jumping 63%. Speeding remains 37% higher up until to 8:00 p.m. As travelers head home on Friday afternoon, speeding climbs up 65% between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.

Arriving home safely is something to be thankful for

With widespread flight cancellations, road risk could surge even higher during Thanksgiving week. As more travelers take to the roads, elevated distraction and speeding highlight the need for greater focus behind the wheel.