Heavy rain and dense traffic can increase the risk of accidents and blockades, which is why it is important to travel well in advance, the warning says. On Saturday, large amounts of rain are expected in several parts of the country, at the same time as many will pack the car and go on holiday. But Saturday morning has neither rain nor holidaymakers had a major impact on traffic yet, according to the watchman at the Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet), Kenneth Jensen.
“We expect that there will be the most cars on the roads between 11 am and 2 pm when people start driving to various holiday destinations. There is a bit of a queue at the Danish-German border, which is currently about half an hour, and we expect that it could increase during the day as more cars hit the roads. The rain can also affect traffic and increase the risk of congestion and minor accidents. Therefore, drivers should be extra vigilant when driving out today,” says Kenneth Jensen.
He urges motorists to drive in good time and to familiarize themselves with their route before departure. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to have an alternative route ready in case accidents or blockades make the original route impassable.
“Maintain a safe distance on the roads, as wet roadways increase braking distances. With more cars on the roads, it is crucial to keep a safe distance, leave in advance, and turn on the lights. When it’s dark and wet, it can be difficult to see each other, so turn on the lights and help each other along the way,” says Kenneth Jensen.
The Danish Meteorological Institute has downgraded the amount of rain expected over Denmark on Saturday. However, local cloudbursts may still occur in several places, with up to 35 millimeters of rain falling in large parts of the country, including North Zealand (Nordsjælland) and North Jutland (Nordjylland).
According to the Danish Road Directorate, traffic will be particularly concentrated on the major highways that stretch across the country in a westerly direction. This applies especially to the Funen Motorway (Fynske Motorvej), the Triangle Region on the E45 heading towards the German border, and at the holiday home areas on the Jutlandic west coast and in North Zealand (Nordsjælland).