It’s official: Thanksgiving traffic will be a little worse than normal this year. TripAdvisor conducted a survey of 2,500 people and found that 60 percent of Thanksgiving travelers will be trekking by road this year, which is up three percent from last year.

Travelers who plan to drive will also be driving farther than normal as well; 60 percent will be driving more than 200 miles (or about three and a half hours), which is a nine percent increase from last year.

The most popular destinations will be New York City, Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco, and Chicago—in that order.

Why the spike? It could be due to the record low gas prices. AAA reports that the national average at the moment is $2.91 a gallon, while this time last year that same figure was $3.18.

At any rate, at least we can find some solace in that no day of the Thanksgiving week will be drastically more unpleasant than another. On Monday, 24 percent plan to leave, 25 percent on Wednesday, and 22 percent on Thursday. For the return, 22 percent will make the trek home on Saturday, 29 percent on Sunday, and 25 percent after Sunday.

Be careful throughout the weekend as well, because 88 percent of respondents are planning on shopping at some point throughout the weekend. Over 60 percent of shoppers plan to shop on Black Friday, so you can expect a lot of determined shoppers to be monopolizing the roads. If you want to avoid the crowds and beat Thanksgiving traffic, here are some tips:

1. Have a Back-Up Route

Relying on one trajectory, especially a popular one, is risky. We all know there will be accidents and possibly tumultuous weather. Keep a second route in mind, maybe one that involves side streets instead of highways or freeways that might be a bit longer in mileage, but will make your drive faster. That way, you’re less likely to get flustered or feel trapped if you encounter a few miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic.

2. Use Traffic Apps

We definitely don’t recommend fiddling with your phone while driving, but if you set your phone up to navigate to a certain destination, some apps will automatically reroute you and save you the headache of pulling over to find a new one. For just maps and routes, try Google Maps. For maps and routes, plus minute-by-minute user reports (e.g. the app will tell you, “accident ahead,” or “police stopped ahead”), and information on nearby gas stations and food stops, try Waze. For traffic reports, try Sigalert. Whatever you do, don’t use your phone while driving.

3. Don’t Leave During Peak Hours

We know you want to get to your destination, but waiting out the traffic for a few hours could save you some irritation. Furthermore, leaving right after work might not be the greatest idea anyway, because you’re probably going to be a bit fatigued. Studies have recently found that driving while tired is as dangerous as driving drunk (if not worse). Take a quick nap after work while everyone is sitting in traffic. You’ll be well rested and have an easier drive.

4. Drive the Morning of Thanksgiving

Even leaving early Thanksgiving morning will be better than making your drive on Wednesday. Some people may be on the road around noon to arrive just in time for the meal, but if you leave early in the morning, you might beat some of this travel and experience a tolerable—dare we say even pleasant—drive.

5. Return on Friday

We know you want to spend as much time with your family as possible, but leaving on Sunday in the afternoon is always hellacious. If you cut your trip short, you could save yourself quite a bit of pain, but that’s only if you’re willing to trade family time for a breezier drive. If you don’t want to cut the weekend short and have a flexible work schedule on Monday, leave after the weekend has ended.

For more information about Thanksgiving travel this year, check out:

• Your Complete Guide for Thanksgiving Travel 2014
• Despite Rising Airfares, You Can Still Save on Plane Tickets
• H0tels With Package Deals: Thanksgiving Dinner Included

By Brittany Malooly for PeterGreenberg.com