You'll see fewer cars on the road before noon and after 7 p.m. ?? Home for the weekend. And last but not feast, try to avoid the roads between 3-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Typically the best times to leave are around 7 or 8 p.m. local time.

The best time to drive on a Sunday in 2026 to avoid heavy traffic is usually before 10:00 AM or after 8:00 PM. Sunday traffic patterns are unique because they are driven by "leisure and return" travel rather than a morning commute. Most people start their day late on Sundays, so the roads are remarkably quiet in the early morning hours, making it the ideal time for long-distance trips. Conversely, the "Sunday Afternoon Peak"—which typically runs from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM—is often the busiest time of the entire week on major highways as weekend travelers and day-trippers all return home simultaneously. This is often referred to as the "Sunday Scaries" for motorists, as congestion near major cities can be intense. If you cannot leave early, waiting until later in the evening when the majority of families have settled in for the night can save you significant time and stress. By checking real-time data on apps like Google Maps or Waze, you can often find a "sweet spot" in the early evening, but for guaranteed clear roads, a "sunrise start" on a Sunday remains the undisputed champion for road-trippers.