The rain showers forecasted for Thursday are expected to make the annual trip to Thanksgiving dinner treacherous for thousands of area residents.

About 255,100 local residents are expected to drive to their Thanksgiving locations Thursday morning, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. Most trips will be between 50 and 99 miles.

The National Weather Service is predicting a 40 percent chance of showers during the day and a 10 percent chance of rain during the evening.

Wet weather also is expected Sunday, when most long-range travelers will return from their annual feasts.

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“I think it could generate everything from fender-benders to serious crashes,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend. “Anytime you have inclement weather, it has an impact on the roadways. Given that a lot of people will be on the road Thursday it could also cause delays in getting to your destination on time for dinner.”

The slick roads increase the chances police agencies will have to deal with accidents this weekend. In Virginia, the state police are planning to be out in force as the commonwealth seeks to improve driver behavior and stem a rising fatality rate. Through Tuesday, 910 people have been killed in accidents on the state’s roads, compared with 851 a year ago.

During last year’s Thanksgiving weekend, Virginia troopers said 15 people died on the state’s roads.

During the 2006 holiday weekend, troopers responded to 1,160 accidents, 214 of which involved

injuries.

“We are committed to making everyone’s Thanksgiving a safe one on our highways,” said Col. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police.

Ronald Freeland, head of the Maryland Transit Authority, is advising motorists to avoid stressful traffic jams this weekend by traveling at off-peak hours.

The authority, which operates the state’s highway toll plazas, expects 390,000 vehicles to cross the Chesapeake Bay and 648,000 vehicles to pass through the Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore over the weekend.

“With millions of citizens traveling this weekend,” Freeland said, “it’s imperative to plan trips wisely.”

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com