By Reagan Payne

Thanksgiving is coming up quickly, but not all the relatives are coming in. AAA estimates air travel will be down by half this holiday; that’s not stopping it altogether, though. Automobile travel will only drop a modest 4% in the wake of the current global pandemic.

It’s more important now than ever to be cautious on the roads and ensure everyone and everything arrives at their respective locations safely. Without 75-foot-long, 80,000-pound trailers accompanying drivers on the interstates this holiday, none of us could get what we need.

The trucking industry will deliver 46 million turkeys (an estimated 1.4 billion pounds), 214 million pounds of potatoes, 50 million pounds of sweet potatoes, 19 million pumpkin pies and 80 million pounds of cranberries for Thanksgiving dinners around the country alone.

Whether it be keeping the grocery shelves stocked or getting a next-day delivery to your door, 3.5 million professional truck drivers hit the road daily. These drivers play a key role in keeping our economy running this holiday season and every season.

Being cautious on the road is an excellent general rule, but how can those just traveling for the holidays take extra measures to help? U.S. Xpress digital fleet Variant professional truck driver Caron Comas sheds some light on the best traveling practices through her 17 years experience on the road.

“It’s important that the average driver give trucks plenty of space on the road,” Comas says. “People can forget that we’re generally handling 75 feet of tractor and trailer, which can weigh 80,000 pounds. We can’t stop on a dime like automobiles, so increase distance when merging in front of trucks and avoid slamming on your brakes.”

Safety Steps

First and foremost: be prepared. While cooking the side dishes and packing the cutest sweaters, it can be easy to forget your car’s essential needs. Before the holiday traveling begins, have a technician check your tire pressure and important fluids: namely, your oil. On the off chance even this cannot prevent catastrophe, be overly prepared with blankets, a flashlight, first aid kit, etc.

Drivers of all machines should also take care of themselves. Be full on a healthy meal and plenty of water before you even hit the road. Pack snacks and make sure your travel team does not get hangry.

To avoid any extra holiday stress, plan your route carefully. Check out any big cities you might run through and account for that extra traffic time. Nonperishable snacks are best, especially when considering planning ahead for the worst. You will never regret being too prepared.

Finally, and likely the most obvious, don’t trail those big trailers. Forty tons of truck cannot stop on a dime like your average minivan. It takes a fully-loaded tractor-trailer the length of a football field plus both end zones to make a complete stop. Stay far behind these machines and if you cannot see the rear-view mirrors, they cannot see you. Pass on the left where the truck's blind spot is much smaller.

With all this in mind, you and your loved ones are ahead of the curve. Professional drivers are thankful for anything to make their drives easier; you and your family can do a small part to keep the economy running, too.

"It is important to put safety first while driving on the highways to ensure everyone can make it to the dinner table," FedEx Ground driver Gary Martin said. "As a family man and a professional truck driver, I am one of the last drivers on the road, delivering all the trimmings necessary for Thanksgiving. I hope my fellow motorists will consider safety as they travel to their Thanksgiving destinations."

Reagan Payne is a staff writer for Wright Media. She can be reached at rpayne@wrightmediacorp.com