Survey shows travelers plan to ignore CDC Thanksgiving suggestions; millions expected to hit the roads

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The norm leading up to Thanksgiving is packed freeways with traffic as far as the eye can see. But what will the roads look like during the pandemic?

A new travel forecast has just been released; and while city officials as well as the CDC want people to stay home, it appears many people will be ignoring those suggestions.

AAA's most recent travel forecast for the Thanksgiving holiday found more than 3.8 million people in Southern California are expected to travel this year. That's a roughly 13% decline compared to last year.

Most of those will do so by car, and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving will remain the busiest day on the roads.

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"We expect more holiday drivers than over the recent summer holidays during COVID-19. Drivers in major urban areas will experience increased delays at popular bottlenecks; up to 80% above normal pandemic congestion levels," said Doug Shupe of the Auto Club of Southern California.

More than 50 million people are expected to travel across the U.S. even as the pandemic hits record levels.

"If you are hosting gatherings in your house, or attending parties that are more than rules permit; if you're acting like the virus doesn't exist, you may be spreading the virus. You may be taking people's lives," said Mayor Eric Garcetti.