The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with Wednesday and Sunday afternoons and evenings being the most heavily traveled times state and nationwide.

During the Thanksgiving weekend – defined by the Missouri State Highway Patrol as Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. through Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m. – drivers should expect more traffic and the possibility of delays.

Regardless of traffic patterns, safety should remain a priority. Over the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday, nine people were killed and 4,823 were injured in 1,342 traffic crashes.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol urges those who are traveling to not speed or drive aggressively or impaired, make sure their vehicles are in good condition, obey all traffic laws and be sure everyone in their vehicle is wearing a seat belt or secured in the appropriate child safety seat for their size and age.

The Missouri Department of Transportation “Traveler Information Map” provides up-to-date information such as road closures, delays, construction zones and alternative routes. You can download the app for free to your smart device, or it can be accessed online.