AAA projects 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday travel period, which spans a full week this year. The majority of travelers will take road trips—AAA projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car over Independence Day week—that’s an additional 2.8 million travelers compared to last year. This year’s number also surpasses 2019 when 55.3 million people traveled by car over July 4th week.

Drivers have gas prices on their side this year. Pump prices are lower than last year. As of June 25, the national average is now $3.47 compared to $3.57 one year ago. The New York state average is $3.58, compared to $3.70 one year ago.

AAA encourages drivers to have their vehicles checked over by a certified mechanic before a road trip to avoid a breakdown. This year, AAA expects anywhere from nearly 760,000 to almost 800,000 emergency road service calls across the country over the Independence Day travel period – that’s an increase of five percent compared to last year. Last year, AAA crews in New York responded to more than 25,000 calls over the holiday period with these top requests:

1. Tow
2. Flat Tires
3. Battery Replacement
4. Jump Start
5. Lockout

While millions of travelers are flying around the globe this summer, here are the top destinations for road trips based on requests to AAA Western and Central New York from local travelers: 

• Myrtle Beach, SC
• Outer Banks, SC
• Orlando theme parks, notably Walt Disney World
• Las Vegas, NV
• Western National Parks (Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Badlands) – expected to be busy all summer
• Camping trips within NY
• Adirondacks and the Thousand Islands
• Finger Lakes region with wine tour requests 
• Letchworth/Allegany camping information
• Catskill Region

AAA reminds drivers to map routes in advance, avoid peak traffic times like rush hour, and use cruise control for the best gas mileage. Drivers should also make sure tire pressure is at the vehicle’s recommended level. Motorists can place a road service request and compare pump prices before filling up with the AAA Mobile App for iPhone, iPad, and Android.