Beware The Bank Holiday Traffic Jams

With the August Bank Holiday approaching fast, motorists are being warned to prepare for long traffic jams during the big holiday get away.

Over half of all Brits are planning to make a journey this Bank Holiday, so many motorists are likely to be caught up in traffic jams.

Esure car insurance has discovered that 52% of us are planning a trip and 79% of those will travel by car. Road works, the threatened strike by airport staff, Eurostar and Tube disruptions, and bus replacement services by train operators are all likely to make things difficult during the weekend break.

In an attempt to beat the traffic jams, 25% of those responding to the esure survey said that they will be traveling on Friday, even if it means taking a day off work in order to do so.

The bad news for motorists is that based on previous Bank Holiday hold-ups, esure estimates that motorists will face an average delay of one hour and 24 minutes with 12 per cent potentially sitting in jams that may exceed three hours.

With these problems in mind, Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure car insurance, is advising that:

“Motorists should check their vehicle before setting off and travel with plenty of water, snacks, a map and a mobile phone in case of breakdowns. Planning ahead by travelling off-peak and choosing a route that avoids popular tourist hotspots is a great way to beat the queues and spend more of your weekend on holiday.

“Although driving at night or early in the morning can be an effective way to avoid the traffic, this can also be a Russian Roulette with tiredness.”