For those taking a road trip this July 4th weekend, please make sure to schedule your departure times carefully; because you’re going to have serious company on the highways this year since AAA says 91% of all holiday travel is expected to take place by car.
AAA says the times to avoid getting on the road are Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m., Friday from 4 to 5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Monday from 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday is expected to be a light traffic day.
Overall, just 2.5% fewer Americans are expected to travel this year compared to Independence Day in 2019. This represents an increase of nearly 40% compared to last year, when total travel fell to 34.2 million. “Travel is in full swing this summer, as Americans eagerly pursue travel opportunities they’ve deferred for the last year-and-a-half,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel.
With a mass migration of leisure travelers set to take advantage of the long weekend in re-opened America, industry experts predict — or perhaps warn — that the July 4th holiday will look more like Thanksgiving.