AAA predicts traffic will “be a doozy!”
The American Automobile Association (AAA) – long known for its accuracy in predicting holiday traffic volumes – has projected a 7% increase in travel volumes for the upcoming holiday weekend compared to last year. The majority of Americans traveling over Memorial Day weekend will drive. Just think of it: 37.1 million holiday drivers on the road, competing with ICSA members and other truckers and clogging up traffic everywhere, but most definitely in major metro areas like Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Tampa and other large cities.
AAA also projects that travel times will double in those areas compared to normal traffic flows. Even worse, experience shows that far too many of these drivers will have been drinking, making for even more dangerous driving conditions. So when should you plan to be on the road to avoid traffic jams?
Traffic planners say the heaviest holiday-weekend road traffic is expected on Friday, May 26 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. But the afternoons of Thursday, May 25; Monday, May 29; and Tuesday, May 30 are also going to be high volume, with plenty of potential for congestion and traffic snarls. The best days to travel – whether in a car or driving a truck with a delivery deadline – are Saturday and Sunday.
Lastly, National Safety Council statistics show that the average number of highway deaths over the past six Memorial Day weekends was 398 – a number that would likely have been higher had it not been for reduced travel during the pandemic years. Predictions are running as high as 450 deaths this holiday. Make sure you and/or your drivers aren’t among them. Stay safe out there.
In March, ICSA’s executive director Shawn Nelson was privileged to attend the annual conference for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). Truckload 2026 was packed with information that ICSA is committed to bringing back to its members.
Safety is a priority not just because it prevents accidents; it also helps make a carrier profitable. Every smart decision behind the wheel can save lives and reduces costs.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a Final Rule, effective March 16, 2026, on non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses – CDLs held by foreign-domiciled truck drivers operating in the U.S.