AAA Predicts Record Travel For July 4th Holiday
BALTIMORE (WZ)-- Families across Maryland and the U.S., will be packing up and hitting the road for the July 4 weekend.
Travel experts are predicting some of the highest travel volumes ever for the holiday.
AAA says July 4 is always one of the biggest travel weekends of the year. They predict that 2017 will be record-breaking. Most people will be driving.
Whether it's by rail, hitting the roads or taking the skies. If you're traveling on July 4 weekend, expect lots of company.
"It's actually record-breaking the highest travel volume on record for the Fourth of July holiday," says AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson Ragina Cooper Averella.
Cooper Averella says gas prices are the lowest they've been since February and cheaper than this time last year.
Consumer confidence in the economy is up. National unemployment is down. The perfect combination for history-making travel.
"A lot of people are going to be traveling this year because the prices are very reasonable. I'm one of them," says Ann Waithe.
AAA projects 44.2 million Americans will travel between Friday June 30 and Tuesday July 4, including 937, 000 Marylanders.
The 2017 forecast is up 2.9 percent compared to holiday travel last year.
Some drivers are bracing themselves for heavy traffic.
"A little bit crazy. People are trying to get places a little bit quicker and they're all frustrated on the road," says Alicia Kundratic.
Before you even hit the road experts suggest you make sure your vehicle is ready for the long trip ahead.
Especially important, is making sure the air pressure on your tires are at the level they need to be.
"You have your transmission fluid," says AAA Mid-Atlantic director Chris Storms.
Car centers expects an uptick in calls from stranded drivers.
"It's always less expensive to do preventive maintenance than to do repair," Storm says.
This year July 4 falls on Tuesday. That means the holiday travel is extended.
AAA says holiday travel has been consistently rising every year since the great recession.
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