We are examining this year’s July 4th traffic predictions, which will reportedly see close to 50 million Americans travel at some point during the holiday and holiday period, according to data from AAA.
For this year’s Independence Day, AAA predicts that 48.9 million Americans will travel, which includes a record of 41.4 million people who will drive to their holiday destinations. This means that overall travel volume is expected to increase about 4.1% when compared to last year, thanks to an additional 1.9 million people announcing road trips and other vacations.
“As Independence Day approaches, it’s time for the much loved family road trip, and this year will be one for the record books, with more Americans than ever planning vacations,” said Paula Twidale, vice president, AAA Travel. “This holiday builds on the strong travel demand seen for Memorial Day, and with schools now out of session across the country, families coast to coast are eager to travel.”
Global mobility analytics company INRIX predicts that July 3 will be the busiest day for those hitting the road. We will also likely see thunderstorms in places such as eastern Texas and all the way up to the Midwest, mostly between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Even if this type of weather doesn’t hit your area, drivers could experience delays of up to four times the normal commute that holiday travelers experience during rush hour commute times. Delays are slated to rise by roughly 9% on average nationwide–this figure may be higher if bad weather heads your way.
