ORLANDO, Fla. — It’s going to be a busy Memorial Day weekend, and between the grand opening of Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe and the start of summer break next week, Central Floridians can prepare for a lot more traffic on the road.
People need to be prepared because, according to AAA, every year more travelers are hitting the road.
AAA spokesperson Andre El Khouri said this year, AAA is expecting 2.6 million travelers in Florida alone, and of those 2.6 million, almost 2.3 million are going to use their cars.
In total, El Khouri said approximately 45 million people will travel this weekend across the United States And of those 45 million, 40 million will use their cars.
A lot of them will be heading to Central Florida, he said.
“We expect Central Florida is going to be very congested," El Khouri said. "Orlando is one of the main destinations for this Memorial Day weekend, so we’re going to have a lot of cars, especially in the Orlando area, close to the parks.”
El Khouri advises drivers to take these precautions:
- Leave early to avoid congestion
- Add extra travel time
- Check your tires/battery, especially for electronic vehicles
- Respect speed limits while on the highway
AAA is also activating its Tow To Go program for Memorial Day weekend as a way to get drunk drivers off the road.
From Friday to Monday, those who may find themselves too impaired to drive can get a free ride from AAA to a safe location that is within 10 miles.
And drivers might want to fill up their vehicles.
Right now, Florida’s average gas price is substantially lower this year — $3.12 per gallon compared to last year, which stood at $3.55.
Air travel is expected to be busy, too.
Orlando International Airport officials said they are expecting a 2% increase in passenger traffic compared with last year.
During the Memorial Day travel period from Thursday, May 22 to Tuesday, May 27, 980,945 people are expected to pass through the airport.