With the longer Easter bank holiday weekend almost upon us, motorists are being urged to take three important precautions before hitting the roads. It’s predicted that over 20 million journeys will be made over the Easter holidays.
The warning comes from UK holiday park provider Away Resorts, which has highlighted precautions road trippers can take to make journeys smoother and stress-free.
Last Easter, Inrix’s data predicted over 14 million journeys were to be made over the Easter bank holiday weekend alone, but this could be significantly higher for 2025, says Nathan Roots, General Manager at Away Resorts:
“If 14 million trips were made just over the Easter weekend in 2024, this figure for the 2025 Easter bank holiday is likely to be upwards of 20 million. The forecast is that April temperatures will be above average this weekend, which, quite rightly, will increase the number of people wanting to go out and enjoy the weather and visit family and friends. With more of us on the road making the most of the long-awaited sunny days, here are some small steps you can take to make your journey as seamless as possible…”
Away Resorts has issued a three-step plan to help groups make Easter road trips:
- Optimise loading luggage to avoid a £1000 fine
Packing a weekend or week’s worth of staycation contents into the car means a combination of suitcases and holdalls, family sporting equipment, games, pushchairs, and loose items like snacks and toiletries are squeezed in together. If these are packed too high and obstruct mirrors and the complete vision of the road, the driver could be compromising road safety, and be issued with three penalty points and a £1000 fine.
Using roof boxes, coordinating packing lists with other passengers, and making sure you only bring things you truly need will avoid the car being overloaded and cramped. Nathan advises: “It’s a good idea to research your destination to check out the local shop distance, or if your holiday park, home, or location already provides board games and towels, for example, so that you don’t add unnecessary luggage to the road trip.”
- Divide road trip responsibilities to ease stress.
Spreading the road trip responsibilities can reduce the stress and pressure that could otherwise fall on one person alone. Giving each passenger a task to prepare for the car journey can make it more exciting and a group effort, and avoid feeling overwhelmed or tense before the getaway has even started.
“I’m not suggesting toddlers do all the family road trip packing!” says Nathan, but he encourages age-appropriate ‘getting ready’ jobs: “…it could mean the younger children agree on one board game to bring, the teenager has a say in the road trip playlist or car snacks, and one of the adults plans the route and journey, while another loads the car. By breaking up the road trip preparations, the stress load also reduces and can make a potentially stressful car journey a fun, group experience.”
- Pack in advance to avoid service station premiums and queues
Forgetting essential items usually results in turning around to nip home, or stopping at motorway services and paying a premium for basic items like shampoo or a phone charger. During a busier period like the Easter holidays, this can add to the driving time, traffic jams and parking peaks, and even cost more in fuel.
“Packing from a list and in advance can reduce the likelihood of forgetting essentials and reduce stress, meaning you can focus instead on being excited for your upcoming trip. Check out our road trip checklist for an easier packing experience and to be prepared for an Easter car journey,” suggests Nathan.
To help people fully prepare for Easter and any type of UK getaway, Away Resorts has released its Road trip checklist. It can be accessed and downloaded for free for road trippers looking to overcome the mental hurdle of packing and preparing that we all face before a long car journey.
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash.
