Millions of Ohioans expected to hit the road this holiday; how one man is making sure he stays safe

DAYTON — Close to two million Ohioans will be behind the wheel trying to get to their Thanksgiving gatherings this holiday.

For some, it will be their first time, but others have been making trips for the holiday for years.

One of those people is Nate Benway of Dayton.

Benway has been making the trip from Dayton to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania since he was a teenager.

“I’m comfortable with the drive at this point,” he said.

>> Traveling for Thanksgiving? AAA weighs in on when’s the best time

The trip takes him about four hours, but he said he will do what he needs to, to see his family.

Benway takes steps to make sure he stays safe.

“I have some wrenches. I have an emergency air pump for my tire,” he said.

>>Thanksgiving peak day for cooking fires; ways to stay safe

He said his parents taught him to have safety gear, inspect his car and drive carefully from a young age.

“It took me a while to actually learn that I might need some of those things at some point,” he said.

Benway’s parent’s advice is echoed by AAA.

“Get your car checked out, make sure you have an emergency roadside kit with you as well,” Kara Hitchens with AAA said.

But it’s all worth it to Benway so he gets to Pittsburg safely and grabs a plate of pumpkin pie with his family.

He said he left early in the afternoon to try his best to beat the traffic.

©2022 Cox Media Group