Things to keep in mind if you have Memorial Day travel plans
According to AAA East Central, the region is expecting to see increased traffic on roads next Thursday and Friday (May 22-23), and Director of Public Affairs Jim Garrity stated that traffic will also pick up the following Sunday and Monday (May 25-26), as people begin making their way back home.
'If you're gonna be one of the more than 45 million people who are traveling for Memorial Day, it would [be] behoove of you to try to avoid some of that traffic,' said Garrity. 'Especially if you're going around any major metro area, any major city.'
Garrity told 12 News that some of the main calls AAA East Central receives are for dead batteries, flat tires, as well as towing at the side of the road for sometimes preventable issues. With that being said, Garrity recommends getting your car looked at, adding that now's a good time of the year to address all of the damage that winter does to vehicles.
He recommended getting salt from underneath your car, as well as getting your oil and car battery checked. 'Especially in this area, if your battery's older than two or three years, get your battery tested, get your oil checked, get your fluids topped off before you hit the road,' he added.
According to Garrity, AAA is currently prepared to rescue a couple hundred thousand people nationwide over Memorial Day weekend. He also told 12 News that AAA is expecting to see a record amount of people hitting the roads this year.
'Get out early. Give yourself plenty of time because giving yourself that extra hour out the door–worst case scenario, you get to where you wanted to get exactly on time,' said Garrity. 'Best case scenario, you might get there a little early.'
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Garrity added that by allotting yourself that extra time, you're saving yourself from stress that could lead to dangerous choices on the road. He stated that this stress can lead to behaviors such as road rage, tailgating, speeding, obscene gestures on the road, etc.
Travelers who are heading north towards Pittsburgh or heading south towards Charleston should expect to see increased traffic around Memorial Day.
'You could expect to see traffic the closer you get to where there's more people, but with a record amount of people heading out over the Memorial Day weekend, expect that you're gonna run into traffic no matter where you are so that you do give yourself that extra time,' Garrity stated.
He added that even if you're traveling locally, there's still a good chance that you could run into traffic. 'There's gonna be a lot of people on the road […] Take the last couple Memorial Days, add more people,' said Garrity. 'That's what you can expect on the road, according to our AAA research.'
For anyone who's planning to travel by car during Memorial Day weekend, it's recommended to pack items for everyone that's going to be in the car, taking into account anything they may need if you end up in the car for a long time. Garrity recommends bringing non-perishable food items, bottles of water, entertainment for children, phone chargers and your AAA card, as well as some mechanical items that can help get your car back on the road or to the nearest repair shop.
Over Memorial Day weekend, Garrity added that there will be an influx of things like police, firefighters, EMS, construction workers and tow truck drivers. He stated that no matter where you are in America, it's important to be mindful of the Move Over law, adding that all 50 states have some version of it.
'They wanna go home to see their families and they wanna go home to celebrate Memorial Day with them,' Garrity added. He shared with 12 News that a good rule of thumb is when coming across someone working roadside or who's stranded, move over and if you can't, slow down at least.
'AAA research is crystal clear that speed can be the difference between life and death,' said Garrity. 'Way too often at AAA, we see preventable crashes where people die because maybe someone wasn't paying attention behind the wheel and they didn't move over when they should've.'
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