Thanksgiving is almost upon us and soon millions of Americans will be flooding America's highways, airports and train stations to getto Grandmother's house. But do know what the most popular means of transportation is for Thanksgiving travel? If you said flying, you're wrong.  It's driving. That's right, according to Mike Pina from AAA, 85% of Americans travel to their Thanksgiving destination via car. Surprised by this number? You shouldn't be. Pina notes that many people opt for car travel versus other forms of transportation because it is more affordable and convenient when traveling with a group or to a shorter destination, such as Cleveland to Chicago.

Preparing for Thanksgiving Travel
When traveling to your Thanksgiving destination, give yourself plenty of time to get to where you are going. AAA recommends that people leave as early as possible on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, to beat the evening rush hour traffic. If you're not able to leave early on Wednesday, then consider leaving after rush hour has ended. "Instead of hitting the roads right after work, go home, have dinner and relax for a little bit. This will help you refresh and refuel before you head out on your big trip," states David Roush, CEO of Insurance.com, the leading online auto insurance agency in the country. "Giving yourself some time to unwind before you head out on the road will help diffuse any potential road rage or aggressions brought on by holiday traveling or stress."

Planning for your Thanksgiving Trip
With the rising cost of gas prices and the cost of holiday shopping, Thanksgiving travel can take a toll on your pocketbook. To help you budget, AAA offers a Fuel Cost Calculator that allows you to estimate the fuel cost of your trip. You just simply enter your starting destination, ending destination, and your vehicle make, year and model. Based on that information, AAA will provide you with how many miles you will be traveling, how many gallons of gas it will take to get you there and how much you can plan on spending in fuel costs. AAA breaks this information down into two categories: one-way trip and two-way trip. So if you are traveling with another individual or a group, you can split up the cost of gas accordingly. 

Roundtrip Travel vs. Extended Thanksgiving Stays
According to the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), America on the Go, about half of holiday travelers make same-day trips without spending the night for Thanksgiving. Only about thirty-five percent of travelers stay overnight during the Thanksgiving weekend, with most stays averaging one to three nights. During the Christmas/New Year's holidays, that average increases to almost four nights.

Thanksgiving Travel Safety
With so many American's traveling roundtrip on Thanksgiving Day, travel safety is a great concern for many. So to help keep you and your loved one's safe, Insurance.com, the nation's leading online car insurance agency, offers some Thanksgiving Day Travel Tips to help ensure a safe holiday trip:

• Pack an emergency road kit incase of a break down or accident. Make sure to include a flashlight, shovel, first aid kit, flares, disposable camera, pen and paper.
• Make sure to have a copy of your auto insurance card in your glove box and/or wallet/purse.
• Don't forget to pack your cell phone and car charger - you never know if you are going to get caught in traffic.
• Buckle up and watch your speed! Law enforcement will be out in full force during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, so make sure to take your time getting to your destination and be sure to buckle up - it can help save your life!
• Fuel up, not fill up. During the holidays people tend to overeat, causing many to become sleepy. If you have a big trip home, make sure to give your food plenty of time to digest and fill up your travel mug with some coffee. If you know you will be traveling late, try putting a peppermint or cinnamon air freshener in your car. Studies suggest that the smell of peppermint or cinnamon may help keep drivers stay alert while traveling. 

Thanksgiving Travel Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts 2005, November is one of the highest months for car crash severity. In the NHTSA's study, November had 550,000 total crashes, 3,416 resulting in fatality and 141,000 resulting in injury - something to think about as you head to your Thanksgiving destination.

While it is important to practice good driving habits and follow the speed limit, you can't always control the behaviors of the cars around you. With that being said, you will want to take extra precaution while driving in the states of California and Arizona this Thanksgiving. That's because the NHTSA found that California had the highest Speeding-Related Fatalities by Road Type and Speed Limit - with 203 fatalities on Interstates of 55 miles-per-hour or greater, followed by Texas with 162 fatalities and Arizona with 109 fatalities. For Non-Interstate Speeding-Related Fatalities by Road Type and Speed Limit, California scored the highest again with 344 fatalities, followed by Illinois with 199 fatalities and Missouri with 197 fatalities.

And if you are driving to or in the states of Massachusetts or Vermont, you'll be happy to know that Massachusetts and Vermont have had a 49% decrease in road fatalities from 1975 to 2005. In addition to the 49% decrease in road fatalities, Vermont has experienced a 78% decline in their fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles from 1975 to 2005, and Massachusetts has experienced a 71% decline.

Auto Insurance
However, no matter where you are traveling to this Thanksgiving, make sure that your auto insurance is up-to-date and offers the coverage and options you need and want in a car insurance carrier. If you're in need of auto insurance, or are thinking about switching auto insurance carriers, visit Insurance.com's auto insurance comparison application. Here, you will be able to evaluate multiple rates from best-in-class car insurance providers, helping you save time and money on your auto insurance.