ALEA launches safety campaign as Memorial Day holiday weekend travel predictions soar

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - This weekend, Memorial Day weekend, is known as the unofficial kickoff to the summer season and the summer travel season. Tens of millions of Americans are expected to travel; this weekend could come close to pre-pandemic travel levels.

Airports nationwide are bracing for the biggest travel days they’ve seen in nearly two decades. AAA predicts this Memorial Day weekend will see the strongest air travel numbers since 2005. The TSA expects 10 million people to travel through airports, 2.6 million of them on Friday alone! That’s up about 11% from 2022.

Most Americans, though, are driving this weekend with 37 million people expected to hit the road going 50 miles or more miles from home.

This upcoming weekend will also mark the official start of the the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s “Summer of Safety” Campaign in an effort to share various safety tips regarding roadway and boating safety through the 101 days of summer, ending with the Labor Day weekend.

“Summer is a wonderful time to plan family vacations, travel and enjoy the waterways. Unfortunately, it can also be filled with hazards and has proven to be one of the most dangerous times of the year,” said ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor. “Each year, we develop safety campaigns and participate in high-visibility enforcement details to educate the public and enforce the state’s laws to make it safer for all citizens and visitors. Safety is our top priority, and this holiday weekend will be no different as we are proud to participate and conduct a variety of initiatives, details and safety events in the days leading up to Memorial Day to reduce crashes on both the highways and waterways in order to save lives.”

The official Memorial Day travel period begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 26, and concludes at midnight Monday, May 29.

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