AAA Releases Memorial Day Travel Predictions

AAA Travel expects there will be a significant number of Georgians planning to travel this Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The Memorial Day holiday travel period is the five-day period between Thursday, May 25, and Monday, May 29.

According to AAA’s 2023 Memorial Day Travel Forecast, 1.3 million Georgians will journey 50 miles or more.

That’s 86,000 more than last year and 13,000 more than before the pandemic, in 2019.

Georgia air travel numbers are set to reach a new record high. An estimated 1.2 million Georgians will drive, which is 70,000 more than last year.

Meanwhile, 114,000 are forecast to fly, which is 12,000 more passengers than last year’s holiday.

And as you heard many of those traveling will be driving.

Montrae Waiters is the spokeswoman for AAA-The Auto Club Group and says it’s important to perform basic safety checks before you get on the road; especially if you are planning a vacation trip.

Waiters recommends drivers address five key areas to help their vehicle safely survive high summer temperatures.

First, make sure your battery is in good working order, and then keep your engine cool by having your car’s cooling system flushed regularly.

But one of the most important checks you can do on your vehicle before hitting the road is to check those tires.

Finally, Waiters recommends always keeping an emergency kit in the car in case you do find yourself stranded on the side of the road.

Waiters adds that if you see a disabled vehicle on the roadside while traveling, be courteous and Move Over.

AAA says this year Friday, May 26 will be the busiest day on the roads, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights.

The best times to travel by car, during the holiday weekend, will be in the morning or evening after 6 p.m.

The lightest traffic days will be Saturday and Sunday.