Truckers who are not lucky enough to be home for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday should expect to encounter busier than normal traffic on their travels. It’s forecasted that 61.6 million people will hit the highways for the Independence Day celebration.
The organization also projects 61.6 million people will travel by car, a 2.2% increase over last year, and the highest volume on record. This Independence Day holiday period is expected to see an additional 1.3 million road travelers compared to 2024. AAA’s Independence Day forecast includes two weekends instead of one to better reflect the flow of holiday travelers.
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, expects Wednesday, July 2 and Sunday, July 6 to be the busiest days on the road. Afternoon hours will be the most congested. Drivers should hit the road in the morning to avoid the worst traffic.
“Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “Following Memorial Day’s record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends.”
Drivers are seeing some increases at the pump, but summer gas prices are still the lowest they’ve been since 2021. This year, the price of crude oil has kept gas prices on the lower side. The Israel Iran conflict has driven up the price of oil in recent days but not dramatically. Escalation and duration of the conflict are two factors to watch.
Weather is also a wild card. The Atlantic hurricane season is underway, and NOAA predicts a 60% chance of an above-normal season. Storms along the Gulf Coast can affect oil refineries and disrupt fuel deliveries, leading to a temporary increase in gas prices.
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