12 December 2024
A record 23.7 million drivers** are expected to hit the roads on Friday 20th December, prompting The AA to issue several amber traffic warnings ahead of the Christmas Getaway. Friday 20th is predicted to be the busiest day on the roads over the Christmas period, according to analysis by The AA Routeplanner. This is the highest since records began at The AA in 2010.
The slightly better news is that most drivers are staying local this Christmas and travelling less than 50 miles according to the new AA survey*.
Whilst Friday 20th December is expected to be the busiest day on the roads, around three fifths of drivers (58%) will be keeping it local and travelling less than 50 miles, 7% expect to travel up to 100 miles, with just 1% expecting to drive over 400 miles.
The second busiest days are expected to be Saturday 21st and Monday 23rd December, with 67% (22.7 million) of drivers out and about. Due to the volume of congestion predicted for these days, amber warnings have been issued for these dates.
| Fri 20th Dec | Sat 21st Dec | Sun 22nd Dec | Mon 23rd Dec | Xmas Eve | |
| 0-50 miles | 58% | 57% | 55% | 57% | 54% |
| 51-100 miles | 7% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| 101-150 miles | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| 151-200 miles | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| 201-250 miles | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| 251+ miles | 1% | - | - | - | - |
| Not driving | 15% | 17% | 20% | 18% | 23% |
| Don't know | 15% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 13% |
| Millions on roads | 23.7 | 22.7 | 21.3 | 22.7 |
21.6 |
"The Ghost of Christmas Past shows that each year, avoidable breakdowns snowball into miles of queues on the roads."
Some of the hotspots to look out for are likely to include the M25; the M6 around the Birmingham area and further north towards the North West. The M4 out of London towards Bristol and further out towards South Wales is also likely to be very busy.
Traffic Hotpots
Friday
Saturday
Monday
Christmas falling on a Wednesday may help to spread festive journeys - but it also means more days of traffic as the getaway from work on Friday is followed by last minute shopping traffic on Saturday and visits to friends and family on Sunday.
Unsurprisingly, the quietest days on the roads will be Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day when less people are planning on travelling.
The most common reason for travelling this festive period is visiting family and friends with around three-quarters driving home for Christmas and giving this as a reason for their trip. Nearly half of drivers will be heading out shopping.
If you’re doing some last-minute Christmas shopping, many retailers will be happy to let you leave your items to collect later, rather than make repeated trips back to your car – thieves love Christmas and thefts of items from cars also rises in December.
A fifth (21%) of drivers told us that they will be working at some point over the festive period.
The Christmas period has a busy sporting calendar, but only 7% of respondents say they will be driving to a sporting event.
Dreaming of a White Christmas?
As most of the country will have suffered some form of wintery weather this year with the arrival of Storm Bert and the mid-November snow flurries, it’s important to be prepared for adverse driving conditions. Whilst some of us will be dreaming of a white Christmas, dashing through the snow can cause a headache on the roads, especially with the increased traffic being predicted in the run up to the big day. The AA has lots of useful information for drivers if we experience snow or stormy conditions.
The current Met Office predictions are for an unsettled festive period with some wetter and windier weather, although snow can’t be ruled out on higher ground. Temperatures are expected to be the seasonal norm.
If the worst should happen, and your car breaks down, our patrols can get to you quicker by knowing your exact location. This can be done by reporting your breakdown on The AA App, which can pinpoint your location. Additionally, you can use the what3words app, which splits the country into 3m2 sections, giving each section a unique set of three words.
Make sure you pack the essentials for your trip including extra warm and waterproof layers, food, water, a torch, fully-charged mobile and an atlas or sat-nav in case of any unexpected diversions. If you’re travelling with children, take plenty of things to keep them entertained.
Christmas Day breakdowns
Although it’s by far the quietest day of the year for car breakdowns, AA patrols across the country will be working on Christmas Day to rescue those in trouble. In 2023, they came to the aid of over 2,400 members on Christmas Day.
Rail Disruption
The HS2 works in West London are expected to lead to increased traffic on the roads over the festival period.
Paddington Station will be closed between December 27 and 29. This means the Heathrow Express is unable to run between Paddington and the airport.
There will be no direct services between Crewe and Liverpool, and a reduced service between Crewe and Manchester, from December 28 until January 3.
There are also major works taking place between Bedford and London St. Pancras between Saturday 21st and Sunday 29th December, meaning disruption for passengers traveling into the capital.
Chris Wood, AA Patrol of the Year, said: “The Ghost of Christmas Past shows that each year, avoidable breakdowns snowball into miles of queues on the roads. Drivers can maintain the Christmas cheer by performing basic checks on their car before any journey. This includes topping up the windscreen wash and anti-freeze, checking your lights and adjusting tyre pressures for a full load if necessary.
“With people driving fewer miles, it means there will be more localised congestion as record numbers head out on the roads this festive period. The best way to ensure hassle-free journeys is to plan them well.
“Check the traffic reports before you leave and try to travel when it’s quieter if you can, or consider taking a different route to beat the jams.”
* Yonder received 11,306 responses from AA members to its online poll between the 12th to 19th November 2024 Yonder is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
**Vehicle licensing statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) table VEH0101
About the AA Route Planner Traffic Warnings:
Green – No warnings issued. Traffic at expected levels with minimal congestion and incidents.
Amber – Warnings issued to prepare drivers for forecast congestion.
Red – Warnings issued to alert drivers to live incidents.