Holiday season traffic peaks distributed over several days

The peak hours of road traffic this holiday season will be distributed over an exceptionally long period due to the holidays falling on business days. The ITM Finland Traffic Management Centre, Traficom, National Police Board of Finland, the Ministry of the Interior Department for Rescue Services, the Emergency Response Centre Agency and the Finnish Road Safety Council would like to remind everyone involved in road traffic this holiday season to be prepared for congested roads, adjust their driving habits and make the necessary preparations for their journey. As in previous years, the traffic conditions of the holiday traffic are monitored more thoroughly. Efforts are made to ensure the safety of traffic 24/7.

The holiday season can be seen in the volume of traffic as distinct peaks. This Christmas, the volume of traffic starts increasing already on Friday, 20 December and continues until Monday, 23 December. The highest volume of traffic caused by outward journeys is predicted for this weekend, when it is expected to increase by a third in comparison with a normal weekend. Correspondingly, the busiest days of return traffic are Thursday, 26 December and Friday, 27 December, whereas the traffic volume of that weekend is expected to be close to normal.

“The fact that Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day all fall on business days encourages people to have a longer holiday. In road traffic, this can be seen as more evenly distributed peak hours as people have more departure and return dates to choose from than usually. Nevertheless, it is advisable to prepare for occasional traffic jams and low average speeds when planning your trip,” says Head of Unit Mika Jaatinen of the ITM Finland Traffic Management Centre.

Drive safely and pay attention to defensive driving

The Police will monitor the safety of traffic as usual. Particular attention will be paid to drunk driving, speeding, fineable offences in traffic, how vehicles are loaded, the usage of mobile phones while driving and the usage of seatbelts. The Police would also like to remind everyone of the importance of defensive driving in order to provide drivers with sufficient time and space to act in in case of surprising events or bad weather.

“You can get to your destination safely by driving calmly and without hurry and maintaining the distance between vehicles required by the current conditions. Drivers also need to be sober and well-rested before departure. You should use your mobile phone and browse social media only during breaks,” says Chief Superintendent Heikki Kallio of the National Police Board. 

Reserve adequate time for your journey and make the necessary preparations in advance

It is advisable to prepare for your journey well in advance. Pay close attention to the rapidly changing weather conditions. You can check the current weather information and warnings at ilmatieteenlaitos.fi. More information about congestion and roadworks can be found on the Traffic Management Finland website at liikennetilanne.tmfg.fi and the Liikennetilanne mobile app. You should also ensure that your car is in optimal condition. At least check the car’s lights, wipers, liquids and tyre pressure.

“A variety of nasty surprises on the road can be avoided with simple preparations. Ensure that the wipers are in good condition and that the windshield washer fluid is designed for freezing temperatures. Plan your route in advance, expect the weather conditions to slow you down and reserve adequate time for breaks,” says Senior Expert Jussi Pohjonen from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

The Finnish Road Safety Council also highlights the importance of appropriate preparations. Sleeping well before the day of departure ensures that the driver is alert and loading the car carefully improves safety and makes travelling more comfortable. 

“Alert drivers can focus better in busy traffic. It is a good idea to plan some stops along the way in advance and to reserve adequate time for loading the car and taking breaks. Loose items in the passenger compartment may move in case of sudden braking and cause a lot of damage. Dedicate the passenger compartment to passengers and put all gifts and treats in the trunk. If you have furry friends accompanying you over the holidays, please remember to keep your pets in place in the car with safety harnesses or appropriate carriages,” says Training Instructor Toni Vuoristo from the Finnish Road Safety Council.

Act correctly in accidents

Safety authorities are prepared to help and save human lives in case of accidents 24/7 on every day of the year.
“In case of an accident, it is important for all drivers to ensure that emergency vehicles can access the site of accident without being obstructed. You should also lower your speed when passing an accident site in order to avoid compromising the safety of rescue workers. There have been far too many narrowly averted incidents in which rescue workers or the police have been in danger of being run over lately,” says Senior Officer Alpo Nikula from the Ministry of the Interior Department for Rescue Services.

The Emergency Response Centre Agency would also like to remind everyone of their duty to rescue and to use the 112Suomi mobile application.

“Our key message for the holiday traffic is “Don’t drive past”. The purpose of this message is to remind people that everyone is obligated to stop and help those in need in the event of an accident. If the authorities have already arrived on the scene, you must follow their instructions. You should use the 112Suomi mobile app to call 112 in order to pinpoint the location of the accident site accurately and quickly and to receive help as quickly as possible,” says Chief of Command and Control Centre Jyrki Heinonen from the Emergency Response Centre Agency.
 
HOLIDAY SEASON TRAFFIC FORECASTS OF ITM FINLAND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTRE
This year, the busiest hours of the holiday season traffic are distributed over a longer period than usual. The busiest days for outward journeys are Fri, 20 Dec, Sat, 21 Dec and Mon, 23 Dec. The highest volume of return traffic is expected on Thu, 26 Dec and Fri, 27 Dec.

• On Fri, 20 Dec, there is expected to be approximately 10% more traffic than usual, with peaks set in the afternoon. Heavy traffic is predicted on highways 3, 4 and 9 on the routes between Helsinki and Tampere, Helsinki and Lahti and Tampere and Orivesi, respectively. During peak hours, the average speed of traffic may be decreased by 10 km/h and, on highway 9, up to 20 km/h, which may lead to local congestion.
• On the weekend of 21 and 22 Dec, there is expected to be approximately 20–30% more traffic than on a regular winter weekend. However, the volume of traffic is considerably lower than on a regular business day, when the impact of commuting can be seen. On Saturday, high traffic volumes can be expected on highway 4 north of Lahti. There might be local congestion in traffic this weekend, and the average speed may be decreased by 10 km/h during peak hours. 
• The traffic volumes on Mon 23 Dec are approximately 10% higher than on a regular Monday, with peaks set in the afternoon. The highest volumes of traffic are expected on highway 4 between Helsinki and Jyväskylä and on highway 5 towards Mikkeli. In addition, heavy traffic is expected on highway 6 in the Kouvola area and on highway 3 on the route between Helsinki, Tampere and Hämeenkyrö. There might be local congestions in traffic, and the average speed may be decreased by 10 km/h during peak hours.
• Thu 26 Dec is the busiest day for return traffic, and the traffic volumes are expected to increase in the morning. The highest traffic volumes are set to take place on the southbound lanes of highways 3, 4 and 7. There might be local congestion in traffic, and the average speed may be decreased by 10 km/h during peak hours. There are distinct differences between the highways, however, and, for example, on highway 9, the average speed between Tampere and Orivesi may be decreased by up to 20 km/h.
• The traffic volumes of Fri, 27 Dec are similar to the volumes of Thursday, partly due to commuting. The volumes of return traffic are expected to be particularly high on highways 4 and 9 south of Jyväskylä and between Orivesi and Tampere, respectively. There might be local congestion in traffic, and the average speed may be decreased by 10 km/h during peak hours.
• The traffic volumes of the weekend of 28 and 29 Dec are expected to be similar to the volumes of a regular weekend. There may be local congestion during peak hours, however.

Please note that weather conditions and any possible accidents may have an effect on the accuracy of these forecasts and the flow of traffic.