Traffic congestion on Highway 4 south of Ring Road III in Helsinki on 19 June 2025 due to outbound Juhannus holiday travel. Photo: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva
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Traffic congestion on Finnish roads eased by Friday afternoon after a busy start to the Midsummer holiday. Authorities confirmed two fatalities in separate accidents during the peak travel period.
According to Fintraffic’s traffic control centre in Tampere, road activity calmed around 2 p.m. on Friday. Earlier in the day, traffic levels remained high, approaching the volumes seen on Thursday evening.
“Many drivers may have postponed their departure until Friday because of Thursday’s poor weather,” said Pertti Törni, a traffic operator at Fintraffic’s Helsinki centre. “Today’s improved conditions likely encouraged more travel.”
The heaviest traffic was observed on the familiar routes linking southern and central Finland. These included Highway 4 between Helsinki and Jyväskylä, Highway 5 between Lusi and Juva, and Highway 9 between Tampere and Orivesi. Delays were also reported on Highway 6 between Loviisa and Luumäki and on ferry routes in the Turku archipelago.
Despite improved conditions on Friday, the travel period was marked by tragedy. Police reported two fatal accidents.
The first occurred in Sotkamo, Kainuu, on Thursday evening. A car veered off Parkuantie at approximately 5:30 p.m. Three people were inside the vehicle. One passenger died and two others were injured.
The second fatal crash happened in Lahti on Ahtialantie in the early hours between Thursday night and Friday morning. A single-vehicle accident led to the death of the driver. There were no other passengers in the vehicle.
The Finnish police continue to monitor roads during the remainder of the Juhannus weekend, which is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
