Dec. 26 Is One The Nation’s Worst Travel Days, Experts Say. The Weather Is Not Helping.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The days after Christmas are predicted to be the worst travel days of the year, according to AAA.

The auto club website predicts that drivers could experience double the drive times on Thursday and Friday as travelers head home from their holiday destinations and gift recipients hit the stores to use gift cards and return presents.

In Utah, the roads were relatively clear Thursday morning. However, that changed as the day wore on.

Drivers in Weber and Box Elder counties were especially hit hard as they dealt with wet roads and falling snow.

Three different crashes tied up traffic on northbound I-15 in Riverdale near the I-84 interchange during the late morning hours. Several cars ended up in the median and side of the road.

In California and Nevada, interstates had to be shut down as snow brought traffic to a stand-still. 

According to AAA, peak road congestion is likely to occur in the afternoon and early evening.

An estimated 115 million Americans will be traveling through Jan. 1, which is a 4% increase over last year. It’s also the highest number of travelers on the roads and in the skies in 20 years.

As the traffic increases on Utah’s freeways, AAA suggests drivers go out of their way not to make the situation worse.

“Never cause another driver to change their speed or direction,” according to the site’s holiday travel forecast. “That means not forcing another driver to use their brakes, or turn the steering wheel in response to something you have done.”

The site also reminds drivers to be tolerant and forgiving, urging people to remember that “the other driver may just be having a really bad day.”

And in the case of road rage, AAA warns not to make eye contact with offending drivers, don’t make gestures, and maintain space around your vehicle.

In extreme cases, contact 911 rather than doing something rash on Utah’s roads that could lead to damage, injuries or death.

The roads aren’t the only precarious places in the days after the holiday. It’s also a busy time to take to the skies.

At the Salt Lake International Airport, security lines were moving along at a fair pace Thursday, but weather was causing departure delays for those heading to Colorado or Los Angeles. Some inbound flights were also delayed out of Southern California due to high winds.

“Holiday cheer is at an all-time high this year, with unemployment at historically low levels, and noted improvements in both disposable income and household net worth,” said Paula Twidale, vice president of AAA Travel. “Travelers should be getting used to crowded highways and airports, as this marks the eighth straight year of new record-high travel volumes for the year-end holidays.”