More than 12 million cars will be taking to the roads this Christmas, but with bank holidays falling on weekdays this year, traffic should be fairly even throughout the Christmas week, peaking on Christmas Day when some 4.6 million cars will be using major routes.

The next busiest day will be Christmas Eve, with 4 million cars taking drivers home just in time for a festive break.


With a further spell of unsettled weather expected to sweep in time for the annual Christmas road rush, the RAC is urging drivers to plan ahead and make sure their vehicle is in top condition for those all-important journeys to see family and friends.



RAC national operations manager Matt Dallaway said: ‘December has seen the UK’s weather take on a distinctly unsettled and for some of us wintry flavour, and the signs are that this could continue through the week when many of us will be taking to the roads.



‘So the message is for drivers to plan for their journeys ahead of time, and make sure their vehicles are properly winterproof – just some quick, simple checks such as oil, coolant and washer fluid levels, and the condition of tyres and wiper blades can be enough to ensure they stay moving.



‘When setting out on journeys, we would recommend motorists check the weather forecast, and make sure they have supplies packed as well as a fully-charged mobile at hand in case an unexpected breakdown does happen.

‘Checking the car might not be high on the list of Christmas jobs to get done before 25 December, but a small amount of time spent now could save several hours on the hard shoulder later on.’