MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
OK. On a happier note, the holiday season is here, which, of course, is the holiday travel season. Steve, you thinking about going anywhere?
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Well, I've already been out to see some family, and I just want to tell you, you know, when you think about, like, holiday traffic, have I ever told you, Michel, how much I love being stuck in traffic on the interstate?
MARTIN: No. You haven't.
INSKEEP: That's because I don't love that.
MARTIN: (Laughter).
INSKEEP: Well, it's a dad joke that I tell my kids (laughter).
MARTIN: You, sir - OK, you got me. You got me there. You set me up. OK. All right. Well, if you travel, you may face even more traffic because this is expected to be an especially tough year. And one reason for that is that Christmas and New Year's fall on Wednesdays.
AIXA DIAZ: There's no set one day that's going to be the busiest at the airports or the worst on the roads, but it's going to be those two weekends for sure.
MARTIN: That's Aixa Diaz with AAA.
DIAZ: Not only are we matching pre-pandemic numbers, which were already higher than normal to begin with, but we are exceeding it.
INSKEEP: OK. So if you're traveling, how you supposed to deal with that?
MARTIN: Aixa Diaz says, if you're traveling by car, the most important thing is to be prepared. Check the weather forecast along your route. She says AAA responded to 1 million car accidents last holiday season.
INSKEEP: Wow. OK. So what else can you do to prepare?
MARTIN: OK. Well, this might sound crazy for some people who just want to get there, but - looking at you, husbands everywhere.
INSKEEP: (Laughter).
MARTIN: But another tip Diaz has is to take breaks every couple of hours.
DIAZ: If you have other drivers in the vehicle who can help you, switch drivers. That way you're staying alert and you're not going to be drowsy behind the wheel.
INSKEEP: Good advice for driving. What about flying?
MARTIN: Diaz says you might want to pack a little lighter than you normally do.
DIAZ: Don't check a bag. Have a carry-on with you. With so many people flying, inevitably there will be problems. There's going to be delays. There might even be some cancellations. If you have your bag with you, it just makes it easier.
INSKEEP: Oh, my gosh. I never check a bag if I can possibly avoid it.
MARTIN: Never. Here's some other advice - have a great holiday season. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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