The traffic chaos, with snow-covered and icy roads, has become something of a Swedish Christmas tradition.
But this year, Christmas will be gray and rainy in many parts of the country – and that could open up a more favorable traffic situation for everyone who is going out on the roads.
The finger of warning
But the Swedish Transport Administration's press communicator Felicia Danielsson still wants to raise a warning finger to Christmas drivers.
From a traffic point of view, it is of course better if it is not slippery or there is a lot of snow. But what we see is that people drive less carefully when it is bare ground. Many people probably think that it is just a matter of honk and drive, she tells TT.
Increasing speed increases the risk that any accidents will have more serious outcomes.
Christmas Eve is on a Wednesday this year, which is good from a traffic perspective.
"Since Christmas is the way it is, travel will be more spread out this year, some will probably travel already for the weekend. But even if travel is more spread out, you won't be alone on the road. There will be a lot of traffic every day," says Danielsson.
Choose the European Routes
So what should you keep in mind as a driver if you're going out this Christmas? Felicia Danielsson has a few tips.
You should choose the major European roads, even if that's where most people drive. Because they are the safest, they have median separation. You should of course follow the speed limits. You should also think about planning breaks if you are driving long distances, because a tired driver is not a good driver, and so you should have plenty of patience, she says.
According to Felicia Danielsson, a lot of traffic is expected on the major European roads. And on the roads leading up to the mountains.
There will also be a lot of traffic out of the big cities, as residents often go home over Christmas, she says.
The Christmas and New Year holidays are a period with a high risk of accidents. According to statistics from the Swedish Transport Agency, an average of 13–14 people die each year.
Number of deaths and injuries in Christmas traffic in recent years:
2019–2020: 11 dead, 32 injured (average per day)
2020–2021: 8 dead, 35 injured
2021–2022: 15 dead, 37 injured
2022–2023: 11 dead, 31 injured
2023–2024: 5 dead, 36 injured
Last year's figures are preliminary.
Source: Police/Swedish Transport Agency
