As is the case every year, Memorial Day 2018 promises to be a special day. First, Monday May 28 involves solemn reflection about the millions of U.S. veterans who have been lost in combat over the years. Second, Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer. And lots of people travel. In turn, travel safety is vital.
Reflections on Memorial Day 2018
According to John S Kiernan for WalletHub.com:
“Memorial Day is more than just a day off from work or school, an excellent occasion for a backyard barbeque, or a chance to travel. Those things do speak to the holiday’s true spirit. But above all else, Memorial Day honors Americans who have died in service to their country. This holiday is not one for somber reflection, however. We instead choose to celebrate by enjoying the many freedoms that American servicemen and women have perished protecting.”
“That includes fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, trial by jury, and protection against cruel and unusual punishment. It also extends to relative trivialities such as the ability to save up to 90% with Memorial Day weekend sales or ride roaring Harley motorcycles through the nation’s capital. And yes, 60% of us do indeed barbeque each Memorial Day weekend, while millions of people take a trip. After all, Memorial Day’s place on the calendar has made it the unofficial start of summer for many.”
Check out Memorial Day by the numbers in the following infographic from WalletHub.com.
AAA’s Travel Forecast for Memorial Day 2018
Annually, the American Automobile Association (AAA) forecasts and tracks Americans’ Memorial Day travel plans. Here are the AAA’s 2018 predictions:
“Over 41.5 million Americans will travel Memorial Day weekend. That is nearly 5 percent above last year. And the most in more than a dozen years. Thus, there will be nearly 2 million more people taking planes, trains, cars, and other transportation. As a result, INRIX, an analytics firm, expects travel delays on major roads could be up to three times longer than normal. The busiest days are Thursday and Friday (May 24-25) as commuters mix with holiday travelers. ‘The highest gas prices since 2014 won’t keep travelers home,’ said Bill Sutherland of the AAA. ‘A strong economy and growing consumer confidence give Americans the motivation to kick off what we expect to be a busy summer travel season.’”
