Hoke County Residents Should Expect Crowded July 4 Roads

AAA estimates 61.6 million people will drive more than 50 miles during the July 4 holiday. Many will be low on blinker fluid, patience and decency.

That’s an additional 1.3 million people on the highways this year, a new record. Add airlines, and the volume on the move for 2025 comes to 72.2 million. Too many will be nosed down in their smartphones and hangry.

Part of the attraction is the price at the pump. According to AAA it’s the lowest it has been for the July 4 Holiday since 2021.

“Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “Following Memorial Day’s record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends.”

Road Trip Tips

Hoke County residents are painfully familiar with delays on I-95 and routes into and out of Myrtle Beach and Wilmington. INRIX—a firm that specializes in transportation research—has a few tips to help drivers avoid headaches this holiday.

The company predicts July 2 (Wednesday) and July 6 (Sunday) will have the heaviest traffic. It advises avoiding those days, if possible, and getting behind the wheel in the morning rather than afternoon.

Plan the route before leaving to avoid construction. Monitor weather reports.

Other Considerations

Continents drift, but your destination will still be there even if you’re an hour late. Pull over for first responders—the life of someone, with a family, may depend on it.

Don’t run your gas tank close to empty. If you get stuck in a lengthy traffic jam, and it goes dry, you could be without air conditioning for hours. Then, of course, you’ll be waiting for a tow truck once things clear.