Traffic experts at the AA have revealed the exact dates on which motorists should avoid travelling over Christmas this year.
Christmas could prove particularly busy in 2023 for many travellers, the organisation has warned.
Britons will get a coveted four-day holiday over the period this year, thanks to December 25 falling on a Monday.
But, while perfect for those hoping for more time with their families, it will likely give rise to some chaos in the preceding days.
People travelling to see their loved ones will likely leave the roads blocked, the AA has said, with hazardous weather worsening the situation.
The organisation has said that, given Christmas falls on a Monday, most people will travel on Friday, December 22, and Saturday, December 23.
Those two days are best left avoided, Edmund King, president of the AA said, and people braving the roads should take care, he said.
He said: “While Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23, look set to be the busiest travelling days, the unsettled weather forecast could lead to additional delays, so drivers should drive to the conditions and slow down where necessary.
“New Year’s Day will be the quietest day on the roads, which is probably a good thing, especially if drivers have been partying the previous evening.”
Christmas Eve is usually the busiest travel day of the Christmas year, with roughly 20 million people making the trip to see their families between December 19 and 24 every year.
But in 2023, the AA said it expects nearly double that many people to travel in just two days.
The organisation estimates that 16.1 million cars will take to the roads on December 22, followed by an additional 16.4 million on December 23.
The AA has also predicted which traffic arteries will come under the most pressure during those two days.
The M5, which runs between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, the M5 and the M6 near Birmingham are among the motorways expected to be the busiest this year.
The M4, which connects London and South Wales, the M1 from Luton, and the M62 and M60, are other motorways the AA has said would likely also bear a significant portion of the Christmas traffic.
