The best and worst times to drive in Australia over Christmas and New Year’s

Alright folks, we’re less than one week out from the big dance! Right now, almost every car trip comes with a Mariah Carey soundtrack, a parade of giant snowmen and the not-so-fun chaos of Christmas traffic. One of the downsides of the silly season is that our already busy roads become even more clogged. If you’re hitting the highway for a family reunion, a seaside escape or a Boxing Day shopping spree, we’ve got the insider tips to help you beat the traffic jams this Christmas and New Year’s in Australia.

According to Santa’s little helpers at Novated Lease Australia, the Christmas chaos officially revs up on Friday, December 20. To dodge the worst of it, you’ll want to get behind the wheel early, before 10am, or wait until after 7pm, as traffic is predicted to peak daily between these times from December 20 through to Christmas Eve on December 24.

The roads will be even busier on Christmas Day, with Aussies advised to hit the road before 9am or after 7pm. You’ll want to avoid driving between 11am and 2pm when people are travelling to their festive feasts, and again from 5pm to 7pm as they roll home in a food coma.

Boxing Day is shaping up to be the most chaotic traffic day of them all, with Aussies advised to get the wheels turning before 7am if they want to steer clear of bumper-to-bumper traffic en route to seafood lunches or snagging bargains at the sales. Expect peak congestion on December 26 to kick off early from 8am to 2pm, and ramp up again between 4pm to 7pm.

From December 27 to 30, you’ll want to dodge the roads between 8am and 10am or 2pm and 5pm. It goes without saying that on New Year’s Eve, you’ll want to avoid driving anywhere near city centres and prime firework viewing spots after 4pm, especially between 12.30am and 2.30am when everyone’s heading home. Let’s be real – there are far better ways to kick off the New Year than sitting in a traffic jam!

Finally, on New Year’s Day, it’s best to stay off the roads between 2pm and 6pm when Aussies begin heading home from their holiday getaways. For obvious reasons, the morning is typically quieter – just keep this in mind the night before. Happy holidays, everyone!