It is going to be a busy weekend on the roads.  The Easter holiday weekend is a time for family, for escaping the daily grind, or for making that first springtime daytrip out.

As a result, the AA are predicting that a huge 56% of UK motorists will hit the roads this weekend.  Last year, the figure stood far lower at 32%, so be prepared for even worse congestion if you were caught out then.

The survey polled more than 17,000 motorists on their plans for the Easter weekend.  They found that the most popular reason for getting in the car over the Easter weekend was day trips (44% of participants cited this), whilst 31% said they were planning a weekend away.

The findings were similar nationwide, although there were a few notable differences.  Northern Irish drivers are most likely to be heading off in their cars over the weekend, with 65% planning a break away, whilst Scottish drivers are the most likely to be making a weekend of it and going away for an overnight stay.

UK tourism has been on the increase due to financial strains reducing our holiday budgets, and the Eater weekend is set to follow this trend.  However, foreign travel will still peak this weekend, with 39% of those surveyed planning to head off to foreign shores.

All this holidaymaking, sadly, makes for tricky travelling conditions.  This year in particular, planned national rail strikes will pull travellers from the railways back onto the roads.

Steward Topp, a patrol driver for the AA, advises that “It’s very tempting just to jump in the car and head off but it really does pay to spend a few minutes checking your car and making sure you have everything you need for the journey.”

There are a number of preparations you can do which should help you get to your Easter destination in good time and without too much stress.

Before you head off, take the time to plan out your route and make sure you are fully covered with up to date car insurance.  Look out for hotspot areas, for example major airports or busy towns which are likely to be traffic-heavy.  Live travel updates are available on websites, local radio stations and television.  To make the most of this information plan out a few alternatives to your primary route and mark them down.  Make sure your passenger knows your plan too.

The heaviest period of travel is expected to be Thursday and Friday between 11am-3pm, and then the return on Tuesday as everyone heads back to work.  If at all possible, try to avoid driving at these times.  Setting off that slight bit earlier could save you lots of time and frustration.  If your journey is particularly long, why not add another destination to your weekend itinerary, and stop off somewhere en-route midday whilst the worst of the traffic clogs up the roads?

Occasionally despite all your best planning, and the advice of traffic watch services, busy roads are unavoidable.  This can be a real dampener on the start of your weekend break.  In order to minimise the pain, make sure you’ve allowed good time for your journey, and factored in contingency for hold-ups.  To keep everyone happy, stock up your car with refreshments, games, CDs and anything else you might need to get your holiday started early.

Have a great Easter weekend, and a safe and clear journey to wherever you are travelling.