Holiday travel: When is the best, worst time to hit the road this weekend?
PHILADELPHIA - AAA expects a record number of people to hit the road this holiday season, with nearly 120 million Americans planning to travel at least 50 miles by car.
The travel agency, with help from INRIX, forecasted the congestion this holiday weekend and shared their best and worst times to brave the traffic.
Travel congestion in the Philadelphia-area is expected to peak on Sunday afternoon when parts of I-95 could be 40% more crowded than normal.
"We’re anticipating record-breaking travel numbers the weekend before and the weekend after the holiday," AAA Vice President Stacey Barber said.
Best days and times to travel before Christmas
The best day to travel before Christmas is on Christmas Eve, but travelers looking to get to their destinations sooner will want to time out their journey.
AAA says anytime before 11 a.m. on Friday should provide stress-free travel conditions before roads begin to clog up between 1 p.m. through 8 p.m.
A wider window of clear roads should be available to drivers on Saturday when AAA says the best time to leave is anytime before 2 p.m.
That window slightly shrinks on Sunday when data suggests that drivers should hit the road before noon, ahead of a late-afternoon rush of holiday traffic.
Ditto for Monday when the travel agency says drivers should enjoy clear conditions anytime before 11 a.m.
Worst day to travel before Christmas
AAA says the worst day to travel will be the Sunday before Christmas, when delays and congestion are expected to peak.
"Drivers should expect delays in and around major metro areas, with Sunday expected to be the nation’s worst day to travel," Bob Pishue from INRIX said.
AAA says travel on Sunday will be the worst between 3-6 p.m. It's recommended that driver who are planning to leave on Sunday should do so before noon.
"Our advice is to avoid traveling during peak commuting hours during the week," Pishue said.
Holiday travel safety tips
AAA is urging drivers to use caution while navigating roads with a record number of travelers.
Experts say drivers should watch their speed to avoid "tragedy," adding that driving 80 MPH instead of 75 MPH over 100 miles only saves 5 minutes.
It's also recommended that drivers should only get behind the wheel when they've gotten enough sleep and are prepared for a long trip.
"Driving on 4-5 hours of sleep is as dangerous as driving with a 0.08 BAC," AAA says.
It's also suggested that drivers take breaks every two hours, or switch drivers if possible.