Data from the economic research and consulting firm IHS Global Insight indicates 42.5 million American drivers will travel at least 50 miles from their homes this Thanksgiving weekend, Businessweek reports.

That is 4 percent more drivers than last year, according to the source, which the report attributed partly to pent-up demand that has built as Americans refrained from travelling earlier in the year over holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Analysts do not predict a return to previous levels of holiday travel, which has been down since a decade low for Thanksgiving 2008. Instead, they anticipate a slow increase due to improving economic fundamentals and the desire to see family and friends, which may have been restrained recently in favor of frugality.

The number of travellers using automobiles and planes is expected to increase, researchers indicate. With higher traffic on the roads and people eager to reach their destinations, wise drivers will stay aware of and focused on the road and their surroundings for safety. Aside from the safety risks and making it more difficult to enjoy holidays, crashes can also lead to higher auto insurance rates.