Summer and road trips just go together. When the weather’s nice and the kids are out of school, it’s a perfect time to pack up the car and head to your favorite destination for some outdoor fun. Even as gas prices are expected to rise to record heights and make this year’s driving season one of the most expensive in years, it seems drivers aren’t deterred. According to new data released by AAA, Americans could are expected to set a new travel day this Independence Day holiday season. Where are you driving to celebrate the Fourth of July?
Based on AAA’s data, likely somewhere 50 miles or more away from your home. AAA estimates that 46.9 million Americans are planning long-distance road trips for Independence Day this year, up more than 5% from 2017 and the highest number since AAA began collecting data on Americans’ Fourth of July travel habits in 2000.
“This Independence Day will be one for the record books, as more Americans take to the nation’s roads, skies, rails and waterways than ever before,” says Bill Sutherland, senior vice president of AAA Travel and Publishing. “Confident consumers with additional disposable income will look to spend on travel this holiday, building on an already busy summer travel season.”
With all of that record-breaking travel comes the inevitable traffic and delays. Because Independence Day falls on a Wednesday this year, the afternoon and evening of Tuesday, July 3rd are expected to be one of the worst days of the year for traffic. If possible, try to leave early and avoid joining the rest of the holiday traffic on what AAA is calling “Terrible Tuesday.” On the other end of the trip, Sunday, July 8 will likewise be a day for sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic as everyone rushes home to make it back to work on Monday. Plan your Fourth of July trip accordingly.
