The California Department of Transportation advises motorists to be extra cautious as a record number of Southern California residents are expected to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Caltrans’ priority is safety and health. As Californians head into the busy holiday travel season, Caltrans urges motorists in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to drive carefully to ensure the safety of yourself and others.

Before traveling, check the latest road conditions on Caltrans QuickMap, at Quickmap.dot.ca.gov.

The department will suspend planned construction activities that may create delays for motorists, with exceptions for emergency work, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 6 a.m. through Sunday, Dec. 1 at midnight.

In case of serious incidents, the California Highway Patrol will direct Caltrans to close lanes or highways to protect the public. Caltrans may post updates on Twitter/X at @CaltransDist7.

The National Weather Service Los Angeles warns of possible wet weather this week with generally light rain through Wednesday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Motorists should be extra cautious when driving on wet and slippery roads.

Holiday Driving Tips:

— Check Quickmap.dot.ca.gov for road conditions and rest stops

— Check your windshield wipers, lights, tires and vehicle battery before leaving

— Drive at a safe speed and distance with regard to fellow motorists

— Allow extra time to reach your destination

— Don’t drink and drive. Avoid distractions like texting

— Have a phone charger with you

Approximately 6.6 million Southern California residents are expected to travel, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

According to the Auto Club, the estimated 6.6 million Southern Californian travelers is a 2.8 percent increase from last year’s record travel number and a 3.5 percent increase from the pre-pandemic Thanksgiving holiday. About 5.7 million Southern Californians are expected to travel by car, while 676,000 will fly and 182,000 will be taking a bus, train or cruise.

Nationally, AAA is predicting the Thanksgiving holiday to be the busiest on record, with nearly 80 million people expected to travel.

AAA defines the holiday travel period as the seven days from Tuesday, Nov.26, through Monday, Dec. 2. In previous years, the travel period was five days from Wednesday through Sunday.

Citing figures from the transportation analytics firm INRIX, the Auto Club reported that the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 27, will be the busiest time on Southern California freeways. Northbound Interstate 5 between Los Angeles and Bakersfield will be particularly busy, with the drive expected to take about four hours, or roughly double the usual travel time, according to INRIX.