Travel expected to ramp up ahead of July 4th holiday

June 25, 2024

Walker Simmons, Terry Allison,

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — Officials at AAA are predicting a busy travel period starting as early as June 29th, with more than 810,000 Kentuckians expected to travel for the Fourth of July. This means 91% of Kentucky travelers will be on the roadways, contributing to record-breaking numbers both in the state and nationwide.

Lori Weaver Hawkins, Public Affairs Manager with AAA Bluegrass, stated that a total of 71 million people will be traveling across the country for the holiday.

To help travelers navigate this busy period, AAA has shared some expert tips:

Travel Dates: The busiest travel days will be from June 29th to July 7th.
Timing: For those planning to drive long distances, it’s advisable to leave earlier in the day to avoid rush hour traffic.
Peak Hours: On the Fourth of July, the period from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. is expected to be the busiest.

Weaver Hawkins emphasized the importance of patience during this high-traffic period. “We all need to pack our patience,” she said. “We don’t want anyone to feel aggressive or frustrated behind the wheel, which can lead to some bad driving behaviors. With high temperatures, we don’t need tempers getting hot as well.”

Lastly, experts recommend packing emergency supplies in case your car gets stranded, especially given the hot summer weather.