Experts give best, worst times to hit road on July 4 during busiest ever holiday rush
With record numbers of people expected to drive and fly during the week surrounding Independence Day, those traveling for the holiday should prepare for heavy traffic and delays.Nearly 71 million people are expected to travel between June 29 and July 7 around the Fourth of July, according to AAA estimates — that’s 5% more people than last year and 8% more than 2019.“With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement.“We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019.”The motor club predicts that 70.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more during that period — 60.6 million are expected to travel by car, an increase of 2.8 million from the same period in 2023.The worst times to hit the road will be between 2 and 7 p.m.
on Wednesday and Sunday, according to a transportation data analyst at INRIX. Based on the data they’ve collected, INRIX recommends that those traveling by car on July 3 and July 4 should try to leave home before noon, while road-trippers traveling on July 6 and July 7 should leave before 10 a.m.“Drivers in large metro areas can expect the worst traffic delays on Wednesday, July 3rd, as they leave town, and Sunday, July 7th, as they return,” Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, told Newsweek.Pishue said that on busy holiday weekends, car trips can take up to 67% longer than typical travel times, so he recommends starting drives on those days in the morning, if possible.If you can’t leave first thing in the morning, experts recommend waiting until after the evening rush to travel.Following New Year’s Day, Independence Day is among the most dangerous holidays for driving in the U.S., Omega Law told Newsweek. “Holidays also often go hand-in-hand with breaks from school or work, w...