Road traffic during the Midsummer weekend: Check road traffic forecasts and tips for safe Midsummer traffic
Midsummer traffic will start towards the end of the week. Fintraffic, the police, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom), the Finnish Road Safety Council, the Emergency Response Centre Agency, the Ministry of the Interior Department for Rescue Services and the Finnish Meteorological Institute wish you a safe Midsummer on the road. Drivers should remember to anticipate, only drive when they are in a good condition and take their time during this Midsummer as well.
According to Fintraffic’s road traffic management forecasts, outbound Midsummer traffic will be at its busiest the day before Midsummer Eve (Thu 22 June). Outbound traffic is still expected to be busy on the morning of Midsummer Eve (Fri 23 June), but significantly less so than on the previous day. Return traffic, on the other hand, will peak on Midsummer Sunday (Sun 25 June).
Allow enough time for travel and be considerate of others
In terms of traffic, Midsummer is the busiest time of the year. As usual, the police will be monitoring the driving habits and driving conditions of drivers during Midsummer traffic. They will also carry out traditional breath tests throughout the Midsummer period.
“A good driving condition is the key to a successful Midsummer journey. Congestion is expected, which means that drivers will need to keep a cool head. Overtaking during traffic jams has no benefits, but it can cause serious situations and, at worst, serious collisions”, Chief Superintendent Heikki Ihalainen from the Finnish Police summarises the situation.
Fintraffic's road traffic management also calls for drivers to be patient and to practice safe driving habits.
“When traffic becomes congested, it is important to leave a sufficient stopping distance, as that is the only way to prevent rear-end collisions and multiple-vehicle collisions. At the same time, it allows the entire queue to move forward smoothly without unnecessary starts and stops or accordion effects. Drivers will therefore have more time to anticipate the situation up ahead, and the drive itself will also be smoother and more economical,” says Sanna Piilinen, the Head of Finntraffic’s Road Traffic Management Centre.
There are also many different types of vehicles and more inexperienced drivers on the roads, which makes co-operation even more important.
“In addition to cars, there are more motorcyclists, caravan drivers and cyclists on the roads during summer. The summer is also the prime season for farm vehicles and antique cars. Anyone going out on the road should take this into account before even starting their journey,” continues Rainer Kinisjärvi, Regional Manager at the Finnish Road Safety Council.
Check the condition of your vehicle's fire extinguisher and first aid equipment and review how to act at the site of an accident
Before starting their Midsummer journey, drivers are encouraged to check the condition of their vehicle's fire extinguisher and first aid equipment. At the same time, it is also a good idea to review the correct actions to take at the site of an accident.
“If you notice a traffic accident, stop in a safe place and turn on your vehicle's hazard lights. Move along the edge of the road to the site of the accident. Try to prevent additional damage by turning off the vehicle involved in the accident and by warning other traffic. You should also remember to keep yourself safe and, for example, wear a high-visibility vest after dark to ensure that you are seen. Place the warning triangle a sufficient distance away from the accident site, contact emergency services and help the injured as much as you can. If professional aid is already present at the accident site, focus on passing the accident site safely, reduce your driving speed by a sufficient amount and do not film the accident site,” concludes Tommi Luhtaniemi, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of the Interior Department for Rescue Services.
During Midsummer traffic, it is a good idea for each road user to install the 112 Suomi application on their phone for emergencies and other problem situations. From the application, people can contact e.g. the Road User’s Line, where they can report road conditions and traffic issues.
When an emergency call is made through the application, the emergency response centre receives location data automatically and aid can be dispatched to the scene faster. Kimmo Kuusisto, a Head of Department at the Emergency Response Centre, also advises anyone reporting an accident to have their phone within reach and, if possible, keep the phone line free, in case the authorities need to contact the caller for additional information to resolve the situation. Any call from the authorities will come from an unknown number.
Service your car and pack carefully
Many of us are headed to our summer cottages for Midsummer, and the distances travelled can be very long. This also highlights the importance of summer maintenance and checking your vehicle’s condition. If the car is going to loaded with heavy items, it is a good idea to also check that there is enough air in the tyres and that the vehicle's lights are aligned correctly. You should also remember to pack your luggage safely, which means placing the heaviest items at the bottom of the car’s boot and right next to the backrests, so that any load placed on the backrests is distributed as evenly as possible.
“It is a good idea to check the condition of your vehicle before starting your journey. The condition of your tyres and having enough oil are basics that everyone should keep in mind. As the sun will hopefully be shining, drivers should remember to clean the windscreen inside and outside and to add liquid to the windscreen washer, so that insects do not get the glass dirty. When packing your luggage, a good rule of thumb is that luggage belongs in the car’s boot and that passenger seats should be used by passengers,” Traficom’s Chief Adviser Inkeri Parkkari concludes.
Check Midsummer traffic forecasts
Outbound traffic: According to the forecasts of Fintraffic's road traffic centre, outbound Midsummer traffic will begin to pick up already on Wednesday 21 June, when road traffic volumes will gradually start to rise towards the evening. However, on Wednesday evening, traffic volumes will be only slightly higher than they would be during normal evening traffic.
The busiest day for outbound traffic is Thursday 22 June. In Southern Finland, traffic will start to increase after 11 a.m. The amount of traffic will be at its peak between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., and traffic will continue to be busy until 7 p.m. In Northern Finland, outbound traffic may continue until late in the evening.
- Queues may form during the busiest part of the day, and on the busiest stretches of road, speeds can momentarily drop by as much as 20–30 km/h.
- The biggest reductions in speed will occur on highway 4 between Helsinki and Lusi, highway 5 between Lusi and Mikkeli, highway 6 between Loviisa and Utti, highway 9 between Tampere and Orivesi, highway 20 between Oulu and Pudasjärvi and highway 22 between Oulu and Muhos.
Outbound traffic will continue in the morning of 23 June and will be at its busiest between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. However, on the whole, the amount of traffic on Friday will be lower than it would be on a normal Friday.
Please note that there may be momentary queues for the Turku Archipelago ferries.
Return traffic: According to the forecasts of Fintraffic’s road traffic centre, return traffic will begin to pick up in the morning of Sunday 25 June and continue until the evening in Southern Finland. Traffic will be at its peak between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.
- Return traffic volumes will be about one third smaller than outbound traffic volumes. However, momentary queues and speed reductions are still possible in return traffic as well.
- In the case of return traffic, the biggest reductions in speed will occur on highway 4 between Hartola and Lusi, highway 6 near Kouvola and highway 9 between Orivesi and Tampere.
Check roadworks in advance and avoid traffic jams
The aim is to minimise the impact of roadworks on Midsummer traffic. However, roadworks can cause lowered speed limits and restrictions in the number of available lanes, which will slow down traffic.
Roadworks on main roads that might hinder traffic include:
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Highway 3: Hämeenlinna, bridge construction site Highway 4: Äänekoski, bridge construction site (Masonjoki bridge) Highway 4: Keminmaa, bridge construction site Highway 4: Kemi, bridge construction site Highway 4: Kirri road access Vehniä bridge construction Highway 5: Iisalmi, resurfacing work (traffic lights) Highway 5: Hirvensalmi road construction site Highway 8: Eurajoki, lane and junction rearrangement Highway 8: Kristiinankaupunki, bridge construction site Highway 9: Joensuu, bridge construction site Highway 10: Forssa, bridge construction work Highway 10: Lieto-Ypäjä, resurfacing work Highway 11: Nokia, bridge construction site Highway 12: Sastamala, bridge construction site |
Highway 16: Alajärvi, powerline construction Highway 27: Iisalmi, bridge construction work Highway 40: Kaarina – Lieto, road construction site Highway 50: Helsinki, bridge construction sites Road 101: Pakila, bridge construction site Road 101: Kontula, bridge construction site Road 170: Porvoo, road and bridge construction sites Road 181: Sauvo, road construction site Road 196: Uusikaupunki bridge construction site
Others: Road 180 from Kaarina to Pargas, Kirjalansalmi bridge construction site Road 180 Pargas, Hessundinsalmi bridge construction site |
For real-time information on ongoing roadworks and other disruptions, check Fintraffic’s Traffic Situation service. A new overview of the busiest stretches of road has also been compiled for drivers and is now available in the service.
You should check the current weather information and warnings at ilmatieteenlaitos.fi or through the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s weather app well before your departure. In particular, taking note of the increased risk of wildfires is encouraged during Midsummer journeys.
