SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - If you’re hitting the roads this Memorial Day weekend, you’re not alone. AAA is predicting that drivers hitting the roads will set a record high this year. Western Mass News has been tracking the latest traffic conditions all evening for us, she now joins us live in studio after catching up with drivers about what they endured.

We stopped by the Ludlow rest stop on Thursday and spoke with drivers who say conditions on the roads weren’t nearly as bad as they were anticipating, “get on the road there’s nobody here go,” said traveler Tony Rao.

AAA predicted that 39.1 million drivers will hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend between Thursday, May 21st, and Monday, May 25th. Experts said the busiest time to travel has already passed us with the heaviest predicted congestion on the roads ending at 6 p.m. Friday.

While Friday afternoon was predicted as one of the busy times for holiday travel, drivers we spoke with said conditions really didn’t seem too bad, “we definitely thought it was going to be worse, so excited that it’s not,” said Helen Schaefer, who’s traveling to Maine.

“Definitely last year it took us like 7 hours so I thought there would be a lot more already,” said Hannah Dueker.

This holiday weekend, drivers are also paying more at the pump. The average price in Massachusetts sits at $4.49 a gallon as of Friday, compared to last year where it sat at $3.19.

“Traffic has been good, a little frustration at the gas pumps and other than that lines have been okay,” Rao said.

With a record number of drivers expected this Memorial Day weekend, experts are reminding folks to slow down, move over and drive sober. They also encourage drivers to make sure your car is road ready before traveling. AAA said they’ve responded to over 300,000 thousand roadside assistance calls last year, helping drivers with things like flat tires, dead batteries, and empty fuel tanks.

Local drivers offered advice for folks also making that Memorial Day weekend commute. If you are hitting the roads this weekend experts say the lightest traffic day is expected to be this Sunday. Despite the ongoing war with Iran, gas prices in the Bay State have held steady for a week, at just under $4.50 a gallon.

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