Comma with though in the middle of a sentence

[Muhammad Yusaf]

Is a comma required around a subordinate clause beginning with though in the middle of the sentence; for example, in the following sentence:

The trip seemed to be lasting forever, though he was enjoying it, because the driver didn't know where he was going.

 

[emsr2d2]

In my opinion, the first comma is OK but the second should be removed. "... he was enjoying it because the driver didn't know where he was going" does not need to be broken up by a comma.

I have assumed that "the driver didn't know where he was going" is the reason for "he was enjoying it". However, if "the driver didn't know where he was going" is actually the reason that "The trip seemed to be lasting forever" then I would rearrange the sentence completely.

Although he was enjoying it, the trip seemed to be lasting forever because the driver didn't know where he was going.

 

[konungursvia]

My view is that both are necessary (as far as commas can ever be 'necessary,' see the modern novel for English with few commas) because the pair make a parenthetic aside in the middle of the sentence: The trip seemed to be lasting forever because the driver didn't know where he was going.