Millions of drivers expected to hit roads this Memorial Day weekend nationally, in Delaware

Isabel Hughes, Delaware News Journal
Updated ·4 min read

Planning for a weekend getaway this Memorial Day holiday?

You’ll probably want to leave a little extra time to get to your destination.

AAA predicts that nearly 44 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more, an estimated 4% increase over last year. Of those travelers, about 125,000 are expected to come from Delaware.

The national and Delaware estimates would make this Memorial Day weekend the second busiest since AAA began tracking the holiday’s travel volume in 2000. The busiest year was 2005, when 44 million people traveled.

“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. “We’re projecting an additional 1 million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.”

Traffic approaches the toll booths on the Delaware Memorial Bridge on the first day of one-way tolls in this photo taken on October 1, 1992.
Traffic approaches the toll booths on the Delaware Memorial Bridge on the first day of one-way tolls in this photo taken on October 1, 1992.

Motorists are expected to make up the overwhelming majority of travelers, with AAA predicting 38.4 million people on the roads – the most recorded for the late-May holiday.

Just more than 3.5 million people are expected to travel by air and about 1.9 million are expected to take other modes of transport.

The breakdown is similar for Delaware.

Of the 125,000 First State residents expected to travel, more than 111,000 are estimated to drive, 10,300 expected to fly and about 3,000 others predicted to voyage by train, bus or ship.

Drivers be cautious: Memorial Day weekend one of the most dangerous

It may come as a surprise that Memorial Day is one of the most dangerous holiday periods to drive, but both national and local data reflect this.

In Delaware in 2021, five people were killed and 101 injured in 345 Memorial Day weekend crashes, according to Delaware State Police’s annual traffic report. In 2022, three people were killed and 101 injured in 306 wrecks during the holiday.

Last year, no one was killed during the 96-hour holiday weekend, though 91 people were injured in 295 crashes. The decrease in injuries and crashes mirrors last year’s annual numbers, which saw a 10% decrease in fatal crashes and a 17% reduction in the number of people killed compared to 2022.

According to Jerry, a car insurance savings app, Memorial Day weekend in Delaware is the deadliest in the nation on a per capita basis.

The study, which analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Census Bureau, also found that Delaware had the most speeding and drug-related fatal crashes over the holiday weekend on a per capita basis.

It ranked fourth in the list of states with the most alcohol-related fatalities.

So far this year, fatal crashes are down 26% compared with the same time last year, according to data provided by the Delaware Department of Transportation on Monday.

Looking from New Jersey as traffic makes its way across the two spans on the Delaware Memorial Bridge in this photo taken on April 4, 1977.
Looking from New Jersey as traffic makes its way across the two spans on the Delaware Memorial Bridge in this photo taken on April 4, 1977.

Still, at least a half-dozen people have been killed so far this month, which DelDOT spokesperson C.R. McLeod said “correlates with nicer weather.”

With crashes usually higher during the summer months, DelDOT and Delaware State Police remind drivers to buckle up; slow down; plan their drives in advance; allow extra time for traffic delays; and be especially cautious of pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists.

Police also remind drivers to never drive under the influence.

Best and worst times to drive this weekend

Given drivers will make up the majority of travelers this weekend, transportation data company INRIX says to expect delays, especially during certain peak times.

The worst times to drive will be between noon and 6 p.m. Thursday, noon and 7 p.m. Friday, 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday.

The best times to travel are outside those time periods, though the company still expects the roads to be congested Monday morning and Sunday night.

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Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, said travel times are expected to be up to 90% longer than normal in some places.

The I-95 corridor between Philadelphia and Baltimore is estimated to be particularly backed up on Friday morning, with travel times potentially 43% longer.

As of Tuesday, gas prices were still slightly higher than at the same time last year, though they continue to drop both in Delaware and nationally.

Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Memorial Day weekend travel: What to know, how to prepare