The Shadow
RICHMOND?— A record breaking 1.3 million Virginians and nearly 49 million Americans, are making plans to celebrate the Independence Holiday with a getaway this year.
Nationwide, that is a 4.1 percent increase from last year’s travel volume, AAA?says, and a 4.6 percent increase for travelers in Virginia.
Most travelers, nine out of 10, will choose to travel by taking a road trip and they will face the busiest travel volume on Wednesday, July 3, according to INRIX, a global mobility analytics company.
In Virginia, gas prices are on average 20 cents per gallon cheaper than this same time last year and at $2.40 per gallon, Virginia is the 10th lowest in the country to buy gasoline.
In addition to lower gas prices compared with last summer, broader economic fundamentals remain strong.
Low unemployment, robust consumer spending, and rising disposable incomes are all encouraging more consumers to invest their money in travel this summer.
“This is the highest number of travelers we have ever seen in the Commonwealth of Virginia for the Independence Holiday,” said Tammy Arnette, senior public affairs specialist for AAA. “As more than a million Virginians will drive to celebrate the holiday, AAA is reminding everyone to put safety first, buckle up and drive distraction free.”
With so many drivers hitting the roads for the holiday, AAA is reminding motorists to focus on the task of driving and put safety first.
In April, AAA launched its “Don’t Drive Intoxicated — Don’t Drive Intexticated” campaign. The campaign was created with the goal of making distracted driving socially unacceptable — just as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving.
AAA’s sobering “intexticated” message makes clear that the consequences of both alcohol-impaired driving and texting while driving are often the same: deaths and injuries among drivers, passengers and pedestrians.
Every day, distracted driving kills an average of nine people and injures 1,000, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is the third-leading driver-related cause of crash fatalities, only surpassed by speeding and driving under the influence.
Some of the savings travelers are enjoying from lower gas prices will go toward other travel costs this holiday, which are trending higher.
AAA expects to rescue nearly 367,000 motorists nationwide at the roadside this Independence Day holiday and more than 6,700 in Virginia. Dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble.
AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit, a London-based business information provider.
The Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as the five-day period from Wednesday, July 3, to Sunday, July 7.
