Desert Travelers Skip Town On Holiday Weekend

Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching, and travelers are getting away for the holiday.

Most people behind the wheel are sober, but local law enforcement said drivers can expect to be thrown in jail if you are driving impaired.

Nearly 2 million people will chose to fly for Thanksgiving, which is an increase from last year.

More than 40 million people are expected to travel on the roads for the holiday, which is a 12 percent jump from 2009, according to AAA.

Traffic along Interstate 10 was surprisingly smooth all Wednesday long.

There were no major back-ups reported or delays, officials said.

Whether heading east to New York or west to Los Angeles, people are skipping town.

“I have been patted down in Paris,” said Garnet Craven, who was flying out of Palm Springs to Atlanta. “I’ve done the body scan too. I don’t like that either, but its just one of the things we have to live with now.”

The controversy over body scanners and pat-downs doesn’t really affect Palm Springs International Airport since it only has metal detectors.

Olivia Perez was visiting the desert, but she is flying back to Dallas.

She had to travel by air.

“Whatever people can do to make it safer,” she said. “I don’t have a problem with it.”

But Brianna Spratt and the rest of her family said they chose to drive.

“Actually, we planned on leaving at 8 a.m. but (blame) slowpoke here,” she said.

Luckily, traffic was steady in the afternoon, which made Spratt’s drive from Long Beach to Prescott smooth.

However, the trip from Los Angeles to Arizona is a long drive.

“What we recommend people is: Every two hours you travel, get out and take a 10-minute break,” said Officer Donavan Rice, with California Highway Patrol. “Wake up. Get a cup of coffee,” and then get back on the road.

Whatever you do though — don’t drink and drive.

If you do see an impaired driver, “Report them,” said Ruben Ramirez, who is driving with his family to Arizona. “Be cautious. Be aware of your surroundings. Drive slow. Drive careful.”

You’ll also want to buckle up, authorities said.

More than 150 law enforcement agencies throughout the state will help California Highway Patrol enforce it’s “Click it or Ticket” campaign.

Drivers caught without a seat belt face hefty fines.

“It’s the first thing you should do before you even turn on your vehicle is put your seat belt on,” said Alexia Locklear, who is staying in Palm Desert for the holiday.

“As an officer, when we work the road, the seat belt ticket to me is the most important ticket you can write because you are taking care of that person and saving that person’s life,” said Donavan.

CHP will also be in a period of maximum enforcement through Sunday night.

All available officers will be monitoring the roadways for impaired drivers.

Last year, during Thanksgiving weekend, there were 12 reported collisions, one person was injured and 13 DUI arrests were made in the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire, according to CHP.

“There’s so many alternatives, whether its call a friend or a cab or there’s shuttles,” said Locklear.

That’s if you chose to drive.

If you fly — be patient.

Body scans take 20 seconds. But the pat down can take two minutes.

“This morning I made a decision before I left the house that if I was subjected to one or the other, I would want the full body pat-down,” said Richard Hall, who lives in Vancouver. “The scanner reveals too much.”

Cal Trans has placed a moratorium on road closures through Monday to keep traffic moving along.

DUI checkpoints are also scheduled throughout the Coachella Valley and Inland Empire.