Most Traffic on Weekends Before Christmas, New Year’s Day
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Dec. 16, 2024) – We all want to travel home for the winter holidays, but SoCal residents fighting traffic to get there will need a Christmas miracle.
The Automobile Club of Southern California predicts roughly 9.9 million SoCal residents will take trips this month during the busy winter holiday season. Expect the worst traffic on the weekends before Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, AAA says.
The holiday traffic is expected to rise roughly 3.5 percent this year beginning this Saturday, Dec. 21st, according to AAA.
“Getting home safely is more important than arriving at a certain time,” said Attorney James Johnson, adding that experts say driving 80 mph instead of 75 mph over 100 miles saves just 5 minutes. “Risking safety is never worth the risk.”
Whether you are driving across town, across the state, or flying somewhere, expect the roads and airports to be packed and give yourself extra time to get there, AAA suggests.
Experts suggest drivers take breaks on long trips every 2 hours or 100 miles. If you can’t switch drivers, take time out to park at a safe location and take a power nap for 20 to 30 minutes. Also, avoid driving at night and eating big meals that might make you drowsy.
Most people taking time off, will drive, as opposed to flying, to their destinations. Some 8.7 million people hitting the road here in SoCal alone. Another 310,000 will take a bus, a train, or a cruise ship and 899,000 will fly.
Across the nation, AAA says 119.3 million people are expected to travel at the end of the year.
Johnson Attorneys Group is a personal injury law firm serving clients who are injured in California due to a negligent motorist. If you would like to contribute any information or have legal questions, please call 1-(855) 703-4186 as soon as possible. Our personal injury law firm is a proud, longtime supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
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