Thanksgiving Driving Sees Speeding Spike, Allstate Finds

Allstate's analysis of 44 million holiday trips identifies the riskiest times on the road during the Thanksgiving period.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Car Types

Thanksgiving Driving Sees Speeding Spike, Allstate Finds

Live Poll

Would you change your Thanksgiving travel timing to avoid dangerous driving periods?

Allstate's Thanksgiving Driver Report, drawing on more than 44 million trips from last year's holiday collected through its Drivewise feature, found trips rose 40% between 9 PM Wednesday and 3 AM Thursday. AAA projects about 73 million people will drive a significant distance to reach Thanksgiving dinner.

Why it matters

The findings highlight when holiday road travel carries elevated risk, as high-speed driving and multiple risky behaviors concentrated in specific windows. Drivers planning Thanksgiving trips face a heavier road environment during these periods.

Allstate's Drivewise data found about one in five Thanksgiving Day trips involved multiple risky behaviors, with more than 90% of those combining speeding and cellphone use. The report does not link these behaviors to specific crash outcomes.

The players

Allstate

Allstate is a major American insurance company that publishes driver-behavior research through its Drivewise telematics program.

AAA

AAA, the American Automobile Association, is a national motorist advocacy and travel services organization that publishes annual holiday travel forecasts.

The details

Allstate analyzed trip data to identify driving trends, risky behaviors and optimal travel times around the holiday. The biggest speeding spike occurred between 6 AM and 9 AM on Thanksgiving morning, while roughly half as many drivers were on the road on Black Friday morning as on a typical Friday.

Last Thanksgiving week: trips rose 40% between 9 PM Wednesday and 3 AM Thursday.
Thanksgiving Day, 6 AM to 9 AM: the largest speeding spike of the window.
Black Friday morning: high-speed driving rose more than 80%.
Monday after Thanksgiving: Allstate Roadside logged its second-busiest day of the year, with 52% more service calls.

Roadmap

Allstate's annual Thanksgiving Driver Report series uses Drivewise telematics to track holiday driving behavior year over year. The latest analysis extends that series by pairing trip volume with speed and phone-use data to show when risk concentrates across the holiday period.

Drivers planning Thanksgiving trips can avoid the 6 AM to 9 AM window on Thanksgiving morning, when speeding spikes most. Keeping phones out of reach during long drives addresses the behavior tied to most multi-risk trips.

The takeaway

Leaving outside the Thanksgiving morning speeding window and keeping phones away from the wheel can reduce holiday driving risk. Planning departures around the quieter Black Friday morning may also ease road exposure.