Fourth of July is around the corner. Here’s what to know for your holiday travels

BOISE – According to a forecast from AAA, record Fourth of July travel is expected this year, with a projected 400,000 Idahoans traveling for the holiday.

According to AAA’s press release on Independence Day travel, the best times to travel by car “are by mid-morning each day or after 7 p.m. for most days of the holiday travel period.” The worst time to drive will be the “afternoon of July 3.”

Forecasts project this year’s travel period will be uniquely busy, with national travel volume 8% higher than “pre-pandemic levels.” AAA’s Public and Government Affairs Director Matthew Conde said that this year was the highest on record for the company, which Conde said has been tracking major holiday travel since around 2000.

With a high number of travelers expected across the country, there are a number of precautions that can be taken to ensure getting to your destination doesn’t get in the way of your holiday celebrations.

ROAD TRAVEL TIPS

Conde said that drivers need to take steps to avoid drowsy driving by not driving when they wouldn’t otherwise be awake and by not pushing oneself too hard to get to a travel destination or back home.

“A lot of times on the holiday weekend, people are trying to get an early jump, travel late at night to get somewhere,” Conde said. “That’s where we come across some issues with drowsy driving.”

Conde said that AAA has been researching the issue of drowsy driving. According to their findings, the number of deaths on the roads that involved a drowsy driver was about 10 times higher than had been believed using traditional data.

“What we’re seeing is a fairly pervasive situation where people just push themselves a little too far,” Conde said.

For safe holiday travels, Conde recommended that drivers always get adequate rest and stay properly hydrated in the summer heat. Those who plan to drink alcohol should do so responsibly and make a plan with a designated driver.

If traveling to a more remote area, drivers are encouraged to share their travel plans with a friend or loved one who could call for help if a traveler found themself in trouble and unable to use cell service, Conde said.

In terms of road safety, there is a positive aspect to the Fourth of July falling on a Thursday.

“That’s good news in the sense that people will be traveling back Friday, Saturday or Sunday,” Conde said. “There won’t be nearly the compression on the roads that you might see for people heading out.”

According to AAA’s forecast, the best returning travel times will be before 10 a.m. on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6, and before 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 7.

AIR TRAVEL TIPS

Those traveling by plane over the holiday can also expect significant traffic.

A Monday press release from the Transportation Security Administration said that across the country, the TSA “expects to screen more than 32 million individuals” from June 27 to July 8, a “5.4% increase over 2023.” The release also noted that, on Sunday, June 23, a single-day record was broken “for the most passengers screened nationwide” at almost 3 million.

“Passengers can expect the airport to be busy,” Jennifer Kronberg, communications and marketing manager for the Boise Airport, stated.

Though the airport didn’t have travel predictions for the holiday, Kronberg said that “July tends to be our top travel month out of the year.”

The airport recommends that summer travelers arrive 1.5 to two hours prior to their flight to ensure they have enough time to get through security, Kronberg said.

Those driving themselves to the airport can use the Boise Airport’s curbside valet parking, facilitated by The Car Park. The cheapest parking rate for BOI is $10 per day at the Economy Parking Lot at Victory and Orchard. A free shuttle between the lot and the airport runs every 15 minutes, Kronberg said.