--- description: Road rage, clogged highways, traffic tickets, oh my! Is it too late to cancel your Memorial Day weekend road trip? Memorial Day weekend is here,... title: This Is Going to Be the Worst Road Trip Weekend Ever image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt766a099726bedf63/698690b9d0b6f2604b3046be/traffic-memorial-day-2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This Is Going to Be the Worst Road Trip Weekend Ever by [Brad Tuttle](/author/brad-tuttle/) ## Brad Tuttle Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 22, 2014 5:02 PM CUT  Travelers wait to check their luggage curbside at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 23, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Orbitz names LAX as busiest airport for 2011 Thanksgiving travel. Travelers wait to check their luggage curbside at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 23, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Orbitz names LAX as busiest airport for 2011 Thanksgiving travel.Kevork Djansezian—Getty Images by [Brad Tuttle](/author/brad-tuttle/) ## Brad Tuttle Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 22, 2014 5:02 PM CUT Road rage, clogged highways, traffic tickets, oh my! Is it too late to cancel your Memorial Day weekend road trip? Memorial Day weekend is here, and naturally, you want to hit the road to celebrate. Unfortunately, so do 30-odd million other people, many of who could use a refresher of high school driver’s ed. The fact that they’re out on the roads in full force is one of the factors making for an unpleasant, potentially dangerous holiday weekend. Among the reasons it might be best to just stay home and use a kiddie pool filled from the hose as your “beach” over Memorial Day weekend: **Traffic Tickets** Across the country, state and local police are involved in a broad initiative to pull over and ticket drivers during the kickoff to the summer road trip season. Some 10,000 law enforcement officers in [Arkansas](http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/d/story/click-it-or-ticket-memorial-day-weekend/25276/waG6Vqouxkq%5F8XeV49jg4A "undefined"), [Kentucky](http://www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/KSP-boosts-enforcement-during-nationwide-Click-It-or-Ticket-campaign-259888771.html "undefined"), and dozens of other states—including [572 agencies in Michigan](http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/05/detroit%5Fmotorists%5Fbeware%5Fclick.html "undefined") alone—are participating in the national [“Click It or Ticket” campaign](http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2014/'Click-It-or-Ticket'-Campaign-Reminds-Motorists-to-Buckle-Up-on-Every-Trip "undefined"). It’s underway from May 19 to June 1, and there’s obviously a special focus on the big holiday weekend. Officially, the point is to remind drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts. But officers pulling over drivers and working in special seatbelt enforcement zones will also be on the lookout for other violations, including but not limited to distracted or impaired drivers. In peak [destinations such as Miami Beach](http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2014/05/traffic%5Floop%5Fhuge%5Fpolice%5Fprese.php "undefined"), officers will be using DUI checkpoints and automated license plate readers to help them find lawbreakers. All in all, your chances of getting ticketed this weekend are higher than usual, and that should serve as a reminder to act safely and properly behind the wheel—ideally not just for this weekend, but forever. **More Accidents** Memorial Day isn’t merely the start of vacation season. It also marks the kickoff to the period known as the [100 deadliest days for teen drivers](http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2014/05/memorial%5Fday%5Fmarks%5Fstart%5Fof%5F100%5Fdealiest%5Fdays%5Ffor%5Fteen%5Fdrivers%5Fsafety%5Fgroup.html "undefined") in New Jersey, and presumably elsewhere as well. Generally speaking, there are 13% more traffic deaths over Memorial Day compared to a typical non-holiday weekend, making it the second [most dangerous holiday in America](http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/12/20/the-most-dangerous-holidays-in-america/ "undefined"), after the Fourth of July. Oh, and you might want to avoid boating this weekend too, or at least be extra careful about it. According to data cited by [_USA Today_](http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/05/22/boating-accidents/9427783/ "undefined"), the rate of boating-related claims filed to insurance companies the week after Memorial Day is three times as high as it ordinarily is. **Awful Traffic** No surprise here. The Memorial Day holiday represents one of the biggest weekends of the year for hitting the road. According to [AAA](http://newsroom.aaa.com/tag/memorial-day-travel-forecast/ "undefined"), 36.1 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the weekend, and 88% (31.8 million) will use the automobile as their form of transportation. The total is 2.6% higher than the average over the past 10 years, and it’s the second-highest Memorial Day traveler tally measured since 2000. **Road Rage** Given all of the above, it’s also no surprise that road rage incidents are more likely to take place over busy holiday weekends. A new [Road Rage Report from Expedia](http://viewfinder.expedia.com/news/2014-road-rage-report?brandcid=social.vf.Sarah%20Gavin.Features.bfd535a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150 "undefined") surveyed drivers about the most infuriating behaviors on the road, and the top five drivers you want to steer clear of—and you certainly don’t want to be—are the Texter (put the damn phone away), the Tailgater (you know that jerk), the Multi-tasker (who draws extra hate if texting in addition to applying makeup or eating), the Drifter (stay to your own lane, pal), and the Crawler (some of us are trying to actually get somewhere). Also, if possible, stay away from New York City; it’s most frequently named as home of the “least courteous/most rage-inducing drivers” in the country. ### See 15 Mouthwatering BBQ Photos  Smoked pork hot link with collard greens and mac and cheese at Jim 'N Nicks Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Fried chicken at Husk in Charleston, S.C., named "Best New Restaurant in America" by Bon Appétit in 2011. Andrew Hetherington  Catfish with a selection of sides (including large lima beans, fresh green beans, collard greens, boiled cabbage, fresh mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts) from the daily cafeteria menu at Niki's West in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta infamously serves only 24 burgers a night, at around 10 pm. Get there early; they almost always sell out. Andrew Hetherington  James Beard award-winning chef Sean Brock holding house-cured meat at McCrady's in Charleston, S.C. Andrew Hetherington  Whole pig ready to be butchered at Husk in Charleston, S.C. Andrew Hetherington  Smoked pork ribs with watermelon pickle at Cochon in New Orleans Andrew Hetherington  Menu display at Gus's Hot Dogs in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  Hot dog on the griddle at Gus's in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  The finished product at Gus's in Birmingham, Ala. Andrew Hetherington  All 24 burgers on the griddle at the same time at Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta. Andrew Hetherington  House-cured meat at Star Provisions in Atlanta. Andrew Hetherington  Bread for sandwiches and hamburgers at the soda fountain in Add Drug in Athens, Ga. The store is well known for the best-value lunch in town. Andrew Hetherington  Crawfish boil on the banks of the Mississippi in New Orleans with chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon restaurant. The crawfish are cooked with lemons, garlic, and salt, then tossed with Old Bay and Cajun spices before being dumped on a plastic table for eating. Andrew Hetherington  Lemon meringue pie at Niki's West in Birmingham, Ala. 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