Expect a Record Number of Drivers on the Road This Independence Day

This July 4 is expected to see a record number of Americans behind the wheel.

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Lower-than-average gas prices and the fact Independence Day falls on a Friday, making for a long weekend, AAA says this will create a perfect storm for New York's roads.

A whopping 72.2 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, which is 1.7 million more than what we saw last year.

It's also a mind-blowing 7 million more than 2019.

Of that number, 61.6 million people will choose to drive, which is a 2.2% jump from 2024.  This also marks a new record, which is increasing estimates for bottlenecks and traffic jams on our major highways.

AAA adds New York is expected to be the third most popular domestic destination over the long holiday weekend.

The Worst Times to Travel on the July 4 Weekend

Traffic is expected to start getting hairy on Saturday, June 28, with AAA saying many American families are planning to turn the holiday into a week-long vacation.

Times to avoid on the roads are typically around the mid to late-afternoon into the early evening hours.

Here's the worst times to travel during the break:

• June 28 - 12PM to 5PM
• June 29 - 2PM to 4PM
• June 30 - 2PM to 6PM
• June 31 - 3PM to 6PM
• July 1 - 3PM to 6PM
• July 2 - 12PM to 9PM
• July 3 - 2PM to 6PM
• July 4 - 12PM to 7PM
• July 5 - 11AM to 5PM
• July 6 - 12PM to 6PM

It's highly encouraged to hit the road before 10 and 11 in the morning on these days.

The worst traffic in New York is expected to be on the Garden State Parkway 2 around the Jersey Shore and also in Albany on I-87 South.

That being said, if you're expected to hit the road for the holiday - you might want to plan ahead because way more people are expected to be on the road this year.