AAA is projecting the highest travel volume in ten years for this Memorial Day weekend.
The organization predicts that 102,918 Delaware residents will travel over Memorial Day, representing a 4.7 percent increase over last year. 90 percent will travel by car - up 5.3 percent from a year ago,
AAA spokesman Jim Lardear attributes the increase to the last few winters being so tough and gas prices being so low right now.
"Delawareans are going to be saving about a dollar a gallon compared to the same holiday period last year. And that puts money right back into the family budget. Right back into the discretionary spending category," says Lardear.
But the higher volume of roadway traffic also means motorists should plan ahead before taking a trip.
Lardear has this advice for motorists planning road trips this weekend.
"Have their car looked over by a trusted mechanic. Some of the things that we know we’re going to be responding to especially in greater numbers, because people are going to be traveling, are things like flat tires and dead batteries. And those are things that your mechanic can look at or you can even take a look at yourself," he says.
DelDOT toll plaza counts last year showed Friday as the busiest day on both I-95 and Route 1, followed by Monday. On both days in 2014, over 100 thousand vehicles went through the I-95 Plaza in Newark.
AAA advises checking routes ahead of time and visiting a mechanic for a simple tune up to avoid any roadside breakdowns.