Tampa Tops List for Worst Holiday Traffic in the U.S., Florida Cities Dominate Rankings

Tampa holds the title as the worst spot in America when it comes to holiday traffic. ConsumerAffairs released a report that examined congestion length, how much people drive each day, fatal wrecks on clear days, and deadly crashes caused by weather.

Congestion worsened by 36% between the third and fourth quarters of 2024. That's the second-largest jump nationwide. Drivers add 24% more miles compared with other parts of the year.

Congestion lasts 4 hours and 24 minutes during the holidays in Tampa. Drivers cover 27.6 miles per day on average, which places the area fourth across the nation.

Fatal wrecks on clear days occur at 21 per 1 million residents. Only two other cities see higher rates. Weather-related deadly crashes happen at 4.7 per 1 million residents.

More than half of Americans will hit the road or take flights between Thanksgiving and early January. This represents the biggest share in recent years, and experts predict this season will surpass previous records.

Last year, 107 million people drove during the holidays — 90% of all travelers. That figure came close to 2019's peak of 108 million.

Birmingham, Alabama, claims second place. St. Louis, Missouri, takes third, while Cleveland, Ohio, sits at fourth. Phoenix, Arizona, completes the top five.

Two other locations within the state appear in the top 20. Orlando landed at No. 15. Miami sits at No. 16.

Motorists here "may not be the nicest folks" when traffic slows to a crawl, according to researchers. The state appears in the top 10 worst places for road rage based on another ConsumerAffairs report.

Thanksgiving arrives in less than two weeks. Christmas follows over a month later. Shoppers and travelers are gearing up as the busiest season on roadways approaches.