Google wants to help people get safely home for Thanksgiving by avoiding traffic jams and congestion with its new Google Maps traffic information in-map information.

In some countries, Thanksgiving is a family-oriented holiday, and since many people live further part, this means it’s also a massive traffic holiday. It is expected that 46.3 million Americans are will drive 50 miles or more during this long holiday weekend, according to travel agency and car lobbying group AAA. That would be a 4.2 percent increase over last year.

The good news for Thanksgiving is that people will travel a lot and you will find lots and lots of discounts everywhere. The bad news is that a lot more people will be on the road and you are likely to get stuck in traffic. Thanksgiving is the worst day for traffic in most areas of the US, as most people leave work early to plan their holidays.

But fear not, because Google has a solution. The search giant released Google Maps traffic information for cities around the country to help you navigate the chaos on the roads. It uses data from the Monday before Thanksgiving to the Sunday after from the last two holiday seasons to help you plot the least troublesome course.

As per the Google analysis from traffic information from 21 U.S. cities, traffic in Philadelphia, Austin and Washington, DC experienced the largest increase during the week of Thanksgiving holiday, while Providence, Boston and Denver experienced congestion but not too severe. The worst traffic day of the whole Thanksgiving week is Wednesday. For Honolulu, Providence, and San Francisco, the heaviest traffic comes on Saturday, while in Boston, the worst day is Tuesday.

Big data has the solution

Using big data analysis of 21 cities across the U.S. and analyzing the data for both 2012 & 2013, Google found that you can beat the worst of the traffic if you leave before 2 P.M. or after 7 P.M. When it comes to driving back home, Sunday beats cheap handgun from a traffic perspective. Throughout the country, the worst time to travel falls between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

For those looking to beat even the lightest traffic, make sure you stay off the road between 12:00pm and 2:00pm on Thanksgiving Day. Black Friday doesn’t draw huge road traffic, so it is safer to travel that day. Traffic patterns also show that you’re better off driving home from the holiday weekend on Sunday rather than Saturday.

“You should spend your holidays with friends and family–not behind the wheel of a car,” Aaron Nelson, Google Maps product manager, said in a statement. “To save you from traffic headaches this Thanksgiving, we’re giving you a look at Turkey Day traffic and trends, powered by Google Maps.”

The top three places people search for on Google Maps the day before Thanksgiving are “ham shop,” “pie shop,” and “liquor store.” The top two Google Maps search trends on Black Friday are “Christmas tree farm” and “festival.”  The Museum of Natural History is among the top destinations searched for in Google Maps on the day before Thanksgiving. Malls and electronic stores are among the most searched on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.

Additionally, data from Google Maps affirms that it’s best to run all your Thanksgiving shopping ahead of time and make sure you stock up on all your edible items to avoid fighting holiday traffic.

This notification is considered very useful, and help you plan a vacation during the holiday season. Google’s use of big data technique and small guide will help many people simplify the traveling process and enjoy the weekend more.

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