From the Bank Holiday weekend, through the M5, some of the UK’s most congestion-prone motorways will be flowing. The mass exodus has no other predictable outcome, with millions of people hitting the road and experiencing enormous delays. Keep reading to learn when to avoid motorways for the sake of less time spent—hopefully—without stress.

The M5 motorway, running from the Midlands to the South West of England, looks set to become a Bank Holiday weekend traffic nightmare. That makes it the second busiest Bank Holiday weekend since the year 2015, with the RAC forecasting that today, Saturday, is likely to be the busiest day with about 3.6 million journeys by car.

Delays Expected on M5

Travelers along the M5 should be warned that they could face hold-ups when leaving during this time. The worst of the congestion is expected to occur on the southbound carriageway between junction 15 and junction 23 in the southwest and northbound between junction 25 and junction 15 on Bank Holiday Monday as people go back home. Traffic specialists in Inrix—predict two patches of the motorway are going to be particularly bad: between Junction 4 and Junction 1 near Birmingham, and between Junction 22 and Junction 20 near Bristol.

Best Time To Travel

Motorists are being warned to avoid the roads between 12 pm and 5 pm on Saturday, and between 11 am and 1 pm on Sunday, when traffic is expected to reach its peak. If possible, try not to travel during these times to avoid the worst of the delays.

Not Just the M5

It’s not only the M5 that will be heaving this weekend. Other major routes, such as the M1 through the East Midlands and the M25 around London, are also expected to come under pressure, as is the M8 through Glasgow. So if you are traveling through any of those areas this weekend, it might pay to plan ahead and allow plenty of extra time.

Friday’s Chaos

It wasn’t an easy Friday for motorists on the M5, as 21 miles of congestion caused delays of over one hour. The volume of traffic was so huge, with many people getting stuck in long queues. Unfortunately, the situation is unlikely to improve much at the weekend.

Saturday Morning Delays

By Saturday morning, the M5 Southbound had already started experiencing delays with one lane closed for emergency repairs between Junction 19 for Portishead and Junction 20 for Clevedon. The queueing traffic in this area meant that drivers had long waits and it is expected to get worse as the day goes on.

Keeping you posted

This weekend, anyone planning a trip should keep current on what’s happening with traffic. Before leaving, it is a good idea to make sure you don’t get stuck in one by looking up traffic reports first. Many find apps or websites updated with real-time traffic especially helpful. That way, one routes a journey to be avoided within peak hours and conditions.

If you don’t want to get caught in a traffic congestion nightmare, you should plan alternative routes and modes of transport. For instance, by train if you are going to a place well-linked to the rail. Alternatively, think of going at some other time: early morning or late at night, when the roads will be much empty.

Be Prepared

Still, if there’s a pressing need to travel during peak hours, then delayed journeys have to be planned for. Make sure you have enough fuel, some snacks, and water in case you get stuck in the jam for a very long time. It can also be good to have some kind of entertainment with you, like music or even audiobooks, to kill your time.

Safety First

Remember always that while driving, your safety is considered the most important. It you come across thick traffic, do not be impatient. Do not ever try to struggle your way out of heavy traffic by performing dangerous stunts, since these increase your risk of getting into an accident. If you feel tired, take regular intervals to prevent fatigue from setting in.

As always, the weekend of the Bank Holiday is a very busy one on the roads. This year is no exception. Particularly hard hit will be the M5, with all the signs pointing to extensive delays over the weekend. If you plan your journey and avoid these busiest times, you will make it a bit better. Heading to the South West or elsewhere, ensure you keep in mind the wise route travel.