COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio lawmakers may increase the speed limit from 55 to 60 mph on all state routes and county roads, but two-lane roads could potentially get up to 65 mph.

Unless stated otherwise, highways in the state have a speed limit of 55 mph. Robert Dennison thinks most people see that as a suggestion.

"Most people are going those high speeds anyway," Dennison said.

Ohio lawmakers have proposed raising the speed limit from 55 to 60 mph for all highways outside of a municipal corporation, which would be county roads and state routes. This applies to each qualifying road that doesn't already have a different statutory limit.

The bill also gives authority to ODOT to raise the speed on two-lane state routes to 65 following an engineering study.

"It will reduce the number of tickets, but insurance rates are going to go up," Dennison said.

Since people are already going five to ten miles per hour over the speed limit already, getting an additional five is going to increase all speeds, he added.

Is a 5 mph increase a big deal? AAA says yes

A 2021 study by AAA found that even an additional five miles per hour has a dramatic increase in the risk of severe injury or death, going from a 60% risk at 50 mph to 80% at 55 mph.

Pro Driving School's training manager Mary Kaye Speckhart believes this will increase.

"You have to pay attention the faster you go," she said. "Speed kills. Most crashes happen because of being too close... [people] have to increase their following distance."

News 5 reached out to AAA to see if they had studied the impact of 60 mph, but it didn't. However, Legislative Affairs Director at AAA East Central Theresa Podguski confirmed Speckhart's concern.

"We know that higher speed limits cancel out the benefits of vehicle safety improvements," Podguski said. "We can't stress enough how big of an impact speed plays in a crash."

The faster a driver is going before a crash, the less likely it is that they'll be able to get down to a survivable speed, even if they have a chance to break before impact, she added.

Good and bad

The legislation has good qualities, Dennison said, understanding that raising the speed limit will get people to their destinations faster.

"It may get you there a second faster than somebody else, but sometimes is it really worth that second?" Speckhart asked. "A life is worth more than getting somewhere faster."

The Senate transportation team told News 5 that townships and counties will have the ability to lower the speed limit.

With all of these changes, Speckhart wondered who is going to pay for the brand-new street signs all over the state.

The Ohio Department of Transportation could incur additional costs for replacing/updating signs on applicable highways, the Legislative Service Commission said.

ODOT's primary funding sources are federal and state gas taxes — so it's likely drivers will be paying for the signs.

The bill will continue to be heard next week.

Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.

Prices at the pump continue to skyrocket and break records in some cities across the country. Experts say several factors are to blame, including the rising tensions in Russia and Ukraine.

“I think these prices are ridiculous,” said Joel Gordillo while getting gas Tuesday, paying more than $5 a gallon for premium gas. “I mean, look at this, this is too much.”

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for a gallon of gas was $3.53 on Tuesday.

At a gas station in San Diego, a gallon of regular was $4.99 Tuesday; all other options were more than $5.

“I’m just waiting for them to drop down, hopefully soon; the struggle is real, you know, a lot of people can’t pay these gas prices right now,” said Ernesto Tapia, who was gassing up his car.

Unfortunately, some experts don’t think the prices will be going down any time soon.

“February of last year, oil was at about $61 a barrel,” said Marie Montgomery, a spokesperson for AAA of Southern California. She said that number was $96 a barrel on Tuesday. She said since Friday, wholesale gas prices in Southern California have spiked.

Montgomery said three major factors have contributed to the increase in gas prices, one of the most significant- rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

“For California specifically, we don’t get any oil or gasoline from Russia, but of course, the tensions are rising oil prices worldwide, and we have to pay those oil prices, so that’s the main issue we’re seeing,” said Montgomery.

Russia is one of the world’s leading oil producers, and if leaders choose to withhold that oil, we’ll likely continue to feel it at the pump.

Montgomery says other reasons we’re seeing high prices are inflation on a national and state level and the state’s early switch to a summer blend of gasoline, which is more expensive to produce than the winter blend.

For now, there appears to be no end in sight, but Montgomery said there are things to consider when trying to save money at the pump.

“It’s more important now than ever to aggressively shop around for the cheapest prices. You can still find many stations out there that are competitive, not great prices, but well below the average,” said Montgomery.

Montgomery said the AAA mobile app will show users the lowest gas prices nearby. “Virtually shop around; make sure you’re not paying that average price,” she said.

This story was first reported by Mimi Elkalla at KGTV in San Diego, California.

CINCINNATI — As the coldest weather of the new year makes its way to the Cincinnati area, plumbers and AAA expect to get dozens of calls about frozen pipes and cars that won't start.

Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to avoid a big repair bill.

Protect your pipes

Rick Robinson of HELP Heating and Plumbing says the biggest issue they see every winter are frozen water pipes, which then burst when the water thaws.

So he says check for any water pipes that may be prone to freezing, such as those leading to a bathroom or kitchen sink against an outside window.

Sink near an outdoor wall? He suggests:

• Leave cabinet doors open, to let heat in underneath the sink.
• Leave a small stream of water running overnight.
• Stuff towels into any crack letting cold in, such as under kitchen cabinets or from the back door.

Better to pay an extra dollar on your water bill this month than have to pay $300 for a plumbing repair.

In addition, it is a good idea to shut off the water to outdoor hoses (from the shutoff inside the house), and disconnect the hose.

Protect your car

Once you feel comfortable about your pipes and the water in your house, it’s then time to look at your car.

AAA/Sumerel Tire & Service in Newport says the biggest issue they see are not dead batteries, but low tire pressure, which then causes driving problems.

So you may want to:

• Check your tire pressure, and add air if it is already getting low.
• Check the antifreeze level in the radiator – if it’s too low, you won't get enough heat.
• Don’t go out on a cold night without jumper cables and something to stay warm, in case the battery dies.
• If your battery is more than 4 years old, it might be worth having a shop check the voltage. Four and 5 year old batteries typically die on the first bitter cold morning of the winter

That way your car starts fine, and you don't waste your money.
Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps").

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HEBRON, Ky. — Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport was close to pre-pandemic levels Wednesday as people packed their bags and visited their loved ones this Thanksgiving.

Chandra McDonald and her family flew into the Tri-State from Katy, Texas to spend the holiday with their extended family.

“We're excited,” McDonald said. “ It's gonna be great to spend time with family — last Thanksgiving was a little sad."

McDonald said the trip is her family's first in a long time thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Last year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we didn't really travel much anywhere,” McDonald said. “So this year, this is kind of the first time that we've gone for the holidays.”

Her family is not the only one getting back into the swing of things. Emily Gabelman flew in from Chicago, saying this year has been totally different.

“I did come here last year, but we were all so anxious about it,” Gabelman said. “You know, we quarantined beforehand and everything, but there was a lot of back and forth. We questioned if we should cancel it or do it over Zoom. This year, all of us are vaccinated — most of us, I think, actually had our booster as well. So this year is more relaxed for sure.”

AAA predicts 53.4 million people are traveling for the holiday, up 13% from 2020 but about 3% less than 2019. It’s a special time that’s bringing reunions and a sense of normalcy for some families.

“Seeing everyone being all together. It's gonna be awesome,” McDonald said.

RELATED: Price Hill Thanksgiving Parade back on after volunteer shortage: 'I love our community'
RELATED: Families rush to get COVID-19 tests before Thanksgiving gatherings

Walt Disney World Resort is ringing in its 50th anniversary Friday, as families vacation to the park and think ahead to holiday travel plans. 

"I'm very excited for the 50th," said Doris Stanley. 

Stanley is a self-proclaimed Disney enthusiast. She and her son are regulars at the park. Now the local family planned to visit for the celebration once more. 

"I have a 7-year-old son and it's really wonderful to watch him experience it. So you kind of get to experience it again through the eyes of a child," Stanley said. "We love going and it feels like we're home." 

From home to destinations, travel experts say thinking ahead is a must.

"We're expecting it to be incredibly busy. We're expecting about 2-2.5 times as many travelers as went through TSA checkpoints in 2020," said Adit Damodaran, an economist at Hopper.

Hopper's Holiday Travel Guide report says the number of people screened through TSA increased to about 80 percent of 2019 levels this summer and has tapered off at about 77 percent. It recommends booking holiday flights before Halloween.

"So definitely beach destinations seem quite popular but if you look at the ones that have trended up the most since 2019 in search popularity it seems like ski resorts might also be very popular here," said Damodaran.

The report finds the most booked destination for Thanksgiving and Christmas is Orlando. 

"Will the theme parks continue their sort of destination dominance this holiday season? It's likely but we just don't know yet," said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross. 

Newsy turned to AAA to learn more. 

"We can't say with any certainty how many are going to be traveling but we can assume folks will be traveling and probably the vast majority of those folks will be traveling by car," said Gross.

Their survey found more than half of Americans are planning a vacation before the end of next year, with around one-third of travelers saying they're more likely to buy travel insurance for trips between now and the end of 2022. AAA recommends looking for policies that have a 'cancel at any time option' for more flexibility. The curveball is still COVID.

"Prepare and pack your patience number one," Gross said."Go to the websites and see what kinds of restrictions are in place see if there are opportunities to go at those off-hours when they might be a little less crowded."

The rules vary from place to place with cleaning and other measures. 

In Florida, SeaWorld Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort encourage face coverings indoors, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland require them inside, while Universal Studios Hollywood mandates them outside, too.

"We're just cautious. We socially distance we wear our mask and we just try to do our part," said Rachelle Murphy.

Murphy planned to travel from Alabama to Disney with her son and family. 

"I'm really excited to experience that with him. So I'm most excited to do that with him and to always have those memories to be able to talk to him about it," said Murphy. 

Memories to hold on to for people near and far.

This story was first reported by Haley Bull on Newsy.com.

CNN —

Related video above: People on the move this Memorial Day weekend

Travel is up, COVID-19 cases are down and vaccines have been put in many arms.

The coronavirus pandemic isn't over, but Memorial Day weekend is set to look more like it did before the virus upended life more than a year ago.

Americans Saturday were experiencing their first holiday weekend since the CDC changed its masking guidance on May 13 -- that fully vaccinated people don't need to wear masks indoors, and they don't have to keep their distance from others.

Mask mandates melted away. As of Friday, California, Hawaii, New Mexico were the only states with mask mandates for everyone.

People are increasingly on the move. AAA estimated that more than 37 million people in the U.S. will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day weekend -- 13% down from 2019, but 60% above last year.

And the U.S. set a pandemic-era record number of passengers traveling through U.S. airports in a single day -- 1.96 million -- on Friday, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

President Joe Biden on Friday praised what vaccination progress has been made, expressing a sense of hope ahead of the unofficial start of summer.

"We're not just saving lives. We're getting our lives back, " Biden said during remarks at Sportrock Climbing Center in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday.

Vaccines have helped make a gradual return to normalcy possible.

More than 166 million people in the U.S. -- 50.1% of the population -- have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of early Friday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cases have fallen since a short rise in mid-April: The country has averaged more than 21,600 COVID-19 cases a day over the past week -- 69% below the spring 2021 peak of more than 71,200 on April 14, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Last year, public health specialist Dr. Saju Mathew was worried about case spikes that followed holiday travel and congregating.

"This year I am not as worried. What a difference these vaccines have made," Mathew, a primary care physician in Atlanta, told CNN on Saturday.

But with mask mandates evaporating -- and maybe with unvaccinated people dropping their masks against CDC guidance -- the unvaccinated "have become more of a threat to each other," he said.

"All the more reason I hope the unvaccinated crowd will get that incentive to get vaccinated," Mathew said.

The CDC on Thursday predicted that daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths will fall over the next four weeks. The CDC ensemble forecasts concluded that there will be a total of 596,000 to 606,000 COVID-19 deaths by June 19.

As of Friday, COVID-19 has killed at least 593,364 people and infected more than 33 million in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins.

Most seniors are vaccinated

The improved outlook is boosted by continuing efforts by states to get people vaccinated. Already, 10 states have reached the Biden administration's goal of vaccinating 70% of adults by July 4 with at least one dose.

Also, nearly three-quarters of seniors are now fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.

On Friday, Biden said despite the growing light at the end of the tunnel, "We're not done yet."

"We have to reach those who are not vaccinated and make it as easy as possible for them to get protected," he said.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order prohibiting schools and school districts from requiring students and workers to wear a face covering while on campus.

The new order, effective Monday, also eliminates rules for restaurants, bars, conventions, child care facilities, live performance venues and other organizations. Previous executive orders eliminated regulations for camps and sporting events, according to a press release.

"As hospitalizations, cases, deaths, and percent positive tests all continue to decline -- and with vaccinations on the rise -- Georgians deserve to fully return to normal," Kemp said in the release. "With safe and effective vaccines widely available and the public well-aware of all COVID-19 mitigation measures, mandates from state and local governments are no longer needed."

Vaccine disparities continue in America's vulnerable communities

The slow return to normalcy is made possible by vaccines, and those who choose to take them. But there is a segment of the U.S. population that is not getting vaccinated as quickly, and it's not all by choice.

Socially vulnerable counties in America are experiencing lower vaccination rates, according to CDC data published Friday.

A CNN analysis of the federal data found counties that are lagging behind the overall COVID-19 vaccination rate tend to be poorer and less educated, with less access to computers and the internet.

This digital and economic divide contributes to disparities in health care access generally, experts say, and access to COVID-19 vaccines is no exception.

"With too many things in health, we focus on the individual behavior without looking at the systems that either make it easy or not for someone to practice that healthy behavior," Dr. Richard Besser, president and chief executive officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told CNN.

The CDC used a social vulnerability index, which assesses counties based on 15 factors in four categories: socioeconomic status, household composition, race and ethnicity, and housing type and transportation. More vulnerable counties have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but those same communities have also lagged in vaccination rates.

"Health behaviors (like getting a COVID-19 vaccine) are, in part, a personal choice," Besser said. "But one of the things that's often said is that the choices we make depend on the choices that we have. For someone who doesn't have internet access, there's not much choice there in being able to go online and schedule your appointment."

Another health crisis?

As the nation inches toward the possible end of the pandemic, another health crisis looms.

It's time to address the loneliness epidemic, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said Friday.

"At the heart of all of this is a bigger, deeper question that we have an opportunity to address right now -- which affects our mental health ... which is a question of what kind of society do we want to design after this pandemic ends?" Murthy said during a federal health meeting.

Loneliness can lead to anxiety and depression as well as sleep disturbances, dementia and shorter lifespans, Murthy said.

Not to mention the toll that racism and xenophobia can have on one's mental health, chipping away at people's self-worth and making "them feel like outsiders," he said.

"It contributes to a sense of isolation," Murthy noted.

CHICAGO — Travel should see a massive rebound this Memorial Day weekend. By some estimates, an increase of 60% from last year’s record low. With increases in vaccinations, relaxed mask mandates, and many people ready for "revenge travel," Americans are expected to take to the air and roads with a vengeance.

“We're going to spend more money, maybe take more trips or stay longer,” said Jeanette McGee with AAA.

Updated CDC guidelines say fully vaccinated people taking proper precautions can travel domestically at low risk.

“It's not completely back to normal yet, and I think for a lot of people, they will want to stay a little closer to home or travel to areas that they have a lot of comfort with for a while,” said Melanie Lieberman, senior travel editor with the travel and lifestyle media platform The Points Guy.

According to AAA, 34 million Americans are planning Memorial Day road trips, with another 2.5 million expected to travel by air.

“There are a lot of people traveling, so, you know, those COVID roads, where there were open roads and not so much traffic, that's not so much the case anymore,” McGee said.

The top five road trip destinations this holiday weekend:

1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Orlando, Florida
3. Myrtle Beach, Florida
4. Denver, Colorado
5. Nashville, Tennessee

Pent-up demand also means vacationing will be expensive. Flight prices have been climbing since April.

“This is a popular time for people to travel anyway,” said Lieberman. "Families are reconnecting. There are a lot of factors converging, and all of this is compounded by the fact that there’s still reduced inventory.”

Low inventory and high demand for rental cars could leave some scrambling for a ride. Rental car pricing in places like Arizona, Hawaii, and Florida has spiked by 300%.

“As much as $134 a day, if not more,” said McGee. “So, definitely best to plan ahead when you're looking at rentals.”

Experts say there will be a pain at the pump as well.

“Gas prices are the most expensive we've seen since 2014, and they're not going to get cheaper anytime soon,” said McGee.

For those hoping to avoid crowds, travel experts suggest reconsidering travel to some of the most popular vacation destinations.

“It's important to use a travel agent, someone you can ask questions to understand what's open, what restrictions are in place just again, so you can enjoy that vacation, especially if you're planning an international trip,” said McGee.

It’s important to remember the pandemic is not over yet and case increases could change things at your final destination.

“It's also a really good time to think about getting a travel insurance policy, even if that's something you didn't do before the pandemic. It's a great way to protect your travel investment,” said Lieberman.

Experts say successful summer travel will be found where planning ahead meets flexibility.

BOSTON —

A Massachusetts couple says the rental car they booked for their honeymoon tripled in price despite having a reservation, a sky-high price increase that was due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Much of the world has changed since Ben Gerardi and Megan Landroche got engaged in 2019. The couple already dealt with postponing their wedding from August 2020 to this past weekend. But with a rescheduled wedding date and a honeymoon in Hawaii, they were hoping for a smoother road ahead.

Gerardi and Landroche initially planned to spend six days in Maui and reserved a convertible rental car through their travel agent, AAA Northeast, for $445. But a few months ago, they added a day on the island and then asked AAA if it was possible to extend their car rental by one day.

That's when they hit a pretty big bump in the road. They say their agent canceled their reserved car to look for new rental car rates, something they did not authorize.

"We did not authorize our agent to remove the rental car booking from the Maui portion of the trip," Gerardi said. "She went ahead and canceled and then looked for new cars."

When they followed-up to finalize details, they learned for the first time that they no longer had a rental car.

"We kind of were like 'Hey, just update us on the car, send us a package,' and we never heard back," Gerardi said. "That was because they were scrambling to find a car."

"Your car's off the itinerary right now," Landroche said they were told. "So we're a week away from our honeymoon and don't have a car rental anymore."

As the pandemic brought travel to a standstill last year, rental car companies sold off thousands of vehicles to raise cash. By some estimates, they sold as much as a third of the nation's rental car fleet, which won't be replenished until next year. That's led to shortages in some markets and revved up prices big time.

The couple were told it would cost them $1,300 to reserve the same car in Maui that they had lined up before.

"It's just crazy to think back knowing we had this convertible car for the full week for a third of the price," Landroche said.

When the couple reached out to sister station WCVB, they contacted AAA Northeast. AAA immediately resolved the problem and since it was the company's mistake, the couple says they were given $950 toward the new, more expensive rental, which makes their out-of-pocket cost the same as that of their original car.

People who are considering a trip that requires a rental car are encouraged look up prices and availability first before booking anything else. Often, rental car reservations are an afterthought to planning a trip, but it might pay to prioritize them now, at least for the rest of this year.