We are in the middle of a record breaking travel week on Texas roads, with more people than ever getting behind the wheel for the July 4th holiday.

AAA Texas said it projects 5.6 million people in the Lone Star State will travel over this Independence Day holiday travel period, from Saturday, June 29, to Sunday, July 7. That’s a 5.2% increase over last year. Over 90 percent of those traveling this year will be driving, the organization said.

Across the nation, AAA projects 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday travel period.

The heaviest travel days will be Wednesday afternoon, July 3, and again on Friday, July 5.

AAA says the worst times to travel by car before and on July 4th are between 2pm and 7pm. Drivers should hit the road in the morning, and travelers returning on Monday, July 8th should avoid rush hour traffic in the morning and afternoon. 

“Drivers in large metro areas can expect the worst traffic delays on Wednesday, July 3rd, as they leave town, and Sunday, July 7th, as they return,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, which provides transportation data for AAA. “Road trips over the holiday week could take up to 67% longer than normal. Travelers should monitor 511 services, local news stations, and traffic apps for up-to-the-minute road conditions.” 

Click here to see a chart of the best and worst times to travel by car.

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For the first time ever, AAA has expanded its forecast to nine days because of the popularity of remote work and many choosing to take summer vacations during this holiday.

“You’re going to have regular commuters mixed with holiday commuters trying to get to their Independence Day holiday destination,” said Daniel Armbruster, AAA Texas spokesperson.

Gas prices are lower than last year when the Texas regular unleaded average was $3.14. As of Wednesday morning, it is averaging at $3.09/gallon across the state. Currently, DFW is averaging around $3.23/gallon.

Pump prices will likely continue going down leading up to Independence Day. At that point, they will likely level off and remain relatively stable until after Labor Day, similar to last year. An important caveat is hurricane season – underway now – which could affect gas prices should a storm negatively impact Gulf Coast oil production and refining centers.

AAA car rental partner Hertz says Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are the cities displaying the highest rental demand during the holiday week. The busiest pick-up days are projected to be Friday, June 28, Saturday, June 29, and Wednesday, July 4.  

Here’s a checklist before you hit the road or the skies this week:

• Inspect vehicle tires, battery, and fluid levels before a long road trip. Nationwide, AAA expects to rescue more than 799,000 stranded drivers at the roadside, including more than 41,000 in Texas.
• Pack food, water, an emergency kit, first-aid kit, and mobile phone charger in case you break down.
• Reserve airport parking ahead of time to save you time on departure day.
• Get to airports at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
• Sign up for TSA PreCheck or Clear to speed up the security process.
• Download your airline’s app and use FlightAware to track your aircraft the day of departure.
• Avoid checking a bag, if possible. Carry-on luggage allows you to be more flexible in the event of a delay or cancelation.
• Book summer travel now. High demand and reduced schedules will mean fewer options.
• Work with a trusted AAA Texas travel advisor who can save you money and assist in rebooking should you need to.
• Consider travel insurance to protect your investment.