Rough start for drivers in Colorado Springs

As many drivers found out for themselves, road conditions weren’t ideal Tuesday morning.

“I experienced a lot of sliding, but I took my time going down the roads, I didn’t drive too fast,” said Tristan Smith, a chilly driver on Tuesday morning.

To make things worse, a bad accident shut down lanes at Powers and Milton E Proby in Colorado Springs.

“It’s cold, windy, chilly. The roads, well, they suck. They might get better later when it warms up, but right now they suck, especially the side roads,” said Smith.

Oh, and did we mention holiday travelers?

91 percent of travelers are hitting the road this holiday season, according to AAA.

What’s driving them? Gas prices are at their lowest in five years.

“Actually I prefer to drive, but I don’t want to spend two days getting to my destination,” said Bruce Richards, a passenger at the Colorado Springs Airport.

About 6 percent are taking to the sky this season.

On Monday, 166,000 people are expected to go through Denver International Airport.

“If the worst happens, we have a little room to catch another flight if we have to,” said Richards, who’s hoping to make his connection at DIA.

“It’s nice here, empty, no lines. We have a relaxing start, even if it doesn’t get relaxing later,” said Richards.

AAA has been tracking data since 2001, and this year is the highest volume of travelers it has ever seen.