Traffic is already backed up 10km in some parts of NSW as motorists begin heading away for the Easter long weekend.
Major roads in the north and south of the state are already experiencing delays at 2pm on Thursday, the Transport Management Centre said.
Northbound traffic on the Pacific Motorway at Beresfield near Newcastle is queued about 4km, while further north in Macksville it's backed up by about 10km, adding half an hour to travel times.
South of Sydney, there are 4.5km queues on the Princes Motorway at both Albion Park Rail and Berry.
Police are pleading with drivers to take it 'slow and steady' this Easter weekend, 20 years after the introduction of double-demerit enforcement on public holidays.
One person died in Clarence Town in the NSW Hunter region when his car crashed with a ute at about 6am on Thursday.
His death brings the national Easter road toll to two after a fatal crash in Victoria, and the NSW road toll this year to 95.