Even though the date falls in the middle of the week, AAA predicts a record number of people will travel during the July 4 holiday week.
AAA projects that 70.9 million travelers will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day travel period. For the first time, AAA looked at the entire week of July 4, as well as the Saturday before and Sunday after the holiday. This year’s projected traveler count for that period represents a 5% increase from 2023 and an 8% increase from 2019, according to a written statement.
“With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. “We expect this July 4th week to be our busiest ever, with 5.7 million more people traveling than in 2019.”
AAA predicts that a record 60.6 million people will travel by car during the week of Independence Day, an increase of 2.8 million travelers over last year. This year’s figure also exceeds that of 2019, when 55.3 million people traveled by car during the week of July 4.
People also read…
That includes more than 2 million Virginia residents and 1.4 million Tennesseans, according to AAA.
“Travelers should expect busy roads and airports when they go on vacation,” said Morgan Dean, a spokeswoman for AAA Mid-Atlantic in Virginia.
Nearly 89% of holidaymakers, or 1.86 million people, will hit the road in search of fireworks and summer entertainment for the holidays, a 5% increase from last year.
INRIX, a transportation data and insights provider, predicts that the worst times to travel by car before and on July 4 will be between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Drivers are advised to travel in the morning, and anyone returning on Monday, July 8, should try to avoid morning and afternoon rush hour traffic.
Gasoline prices in Tennessee are up about 10 cents per gallon from last week, to $3.10 per gallon, but comparable to $3.08 per gallon on July 1.
Prices are around $3.05 per gallon in the Bristol-Kingsport area and $3.08 in Johnson City.
In Virginia, the statewide average is $3.32 with prices in southwest Virginia ranging from about $3.18 along the Tennessee border to $3.45 per gallon in Buchanan County.
The average price of gasoline in the United States is $3.49 per gallon.
AAA reminds drivers to make sure they have a fully stocked summer emergency kit. It should include:
- Fully charged cell phone and car charger
- First aid kit
- Basic Tool Kit
- Blanket
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Flashlight with extra new batteries
- Rags, paper towels or pre-moistened wipes
- Emergency warning devices such as flares or reflectors
- Jumper cables or jumper box
- Drinking water and snacks for all passengers in the car, including pets
Parents are also encouraged to have items such as tablets loaded with downloaded shows and movies, portable DVD players, coloring books and crayons, and games to help entertain little ones.
“You never know what can happen on the roads. Having a few things in your car to improve breakdowns, slowdowns and traffic jams can make all the difference,” Dean said.
