2021 Holiday Travel Forecast

Remember when the day before Thanksgiving and the Sunday following Turkey Day were the busiest travel days of the entire year? Well, all of that has changed. With so many people now working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schedules have suddenly become much more flexible, allowing travelers to come and go more freely and work from just about anywhere.

In fact, Priceline is reporting that the busiest travel day of the year has already passed! It was Monday, November 15, which was two full weeks ahead of Thanksgiving! Why? Because why not spend some extra time with family when you can simply log on for work at a relative’s house or a hotel? (Priceline also predicted that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving would be the second-busiest travel day of the year.)

As for Christmas, Priceline believes that December 22 will be the busiest of the yuletide season. So, what does all of this mean for you?

Travel Will Reach Pre-Pandemic Levels

Last year, holiday travel was nearly cut in half for obvious reasons, with 1.1 million travelers traveling by air the day before Thanksgiving of 2020 and 1.2 million flying the day before Christmas Eve. In 2019, however, the numbers were approximately 2 million and 1.9 million, respectively. The 2021 numbers are forecasted to reach close to 2019 levels, which means busier airports, train stations, and highways this fall and winter.

That said, there are still travel concerns–primarily due to COVID; however, those concerns have not been enough to discourage people from booking trips (especially to warm and sunny locales). In many cases, people cover themselves (and their bank accounts) by purchasing travel insurance–particularly policies that include some type of COVID coverage.

More Travel Can Mean More Accidents

A sad reality of the holiday season is that the more people who are out and about (especially on the road), the more accidents are likely to occur. A combination of factors–including increased drunk driving, fatigue, more younger and inexperienced drivers on the road, messy winter weather conditions, and distracted driving–contribute to the disturbing increase of accidents between Thanksgiving time and New Year’s.

According to reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the months of November, December, and January show at least 25% more traffic fatalities than the other months of the year, with December seeing the most car accidents.

What to Do In the Event of an Accident

If you or a loved one is involved in an accident (whether on the road, in an airport, on a plane, on a train), there are a few guidelines you should follow.

Seek medical attention. This is important, no matter how minor you think an injury might be. Whether you need to go to an ER in an ambulance, have paramedics treat you at the site of the accident, and visit a medical doctor as soon as possible. It is vital that you get yourself evaluated and treated. And be sure to keep detailed records and paperwork of your visits and treatments, both at the time of the accident as well as any follow-up appointments–this will be important later.
Gather evidence if possible. If you’re able to, take pictures of the scene (if not, see if someone else can) and get eyewitness accounts of the accident so it can be established who was at fault.
Contact a personal injury lawyer. If someone else’s negligence caused the accident, it’s essential to contact an attorney you can trust, one who has your best interests in mind.