BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A warm Valentine’s weekend is bringing more drivers onto Alabama roadways, and in Birmingham, that mild stretch could quietly shift traffic behavior across the metro.
After weeks of cooler mornings and lighter winter traffic, the first warm spell in February often creates a subtle sense of ease. Roads look dry. Highways feel open. Drivers begin accelerating sooner and leaving less space between vehicles without realizing it.
This weekend, movement increases.
Traffic builds along I-65, I-20, and I-59 as couples head toward dinner reservations downtown. Congestion tightens near UAB and along University Boulevard. Parking fills quickly around Five Points South and Uptown. Evening activity increases near Railroad Park and Regions Field as people take advantage of the comfortable air before nighttime plans.
Warmer weather also brings more pedestrians into crosswalks that have been quieter in recent weeks.
It’s not severe weather that creates the greatest risk during weekends like this.
It’s comfort.
When pavement appears predictable, reaction times can soften. Drivers assume braking will be smooth. They assume other vehicles are fully attentive. They assume seasonal caution isn’t as necessary.
Add Valentine’s anticipation — tight schedules, emotional distraction, unfamiliar parking — and the margin for error narrows quickly.
The combination of mild temperatures and increased travel across Birmingham roadways Saturday and Sunday evening can quietly elevate crash risk, even without hazardous conditions.
If you’re driving anywhere in the city this weekend, especially after dark, stay alert.
Because sometimes the most dangerous driving conditions are the ones that feel completely safe.
