San Antonio braces for record-breaking Independence Day travel and traffic

SAN ANTONIO - With Texans eager to kick off their Independence Day weekend, roadways are already filling up as travelers rush to reach their destinations for the long weekend.

This year has proven to be one of the busiest for travel in Texas, and experts anticipate high volumes of traffic to persist over the coming days.

Daniel Arbruster of AAA Insurance noted the trend, citing record-breaking numbers for Memorial Day travel and projecting similar figures for Independence Day.

"It's been a record year for Independence Day travel. We saw record Memorial Day travel. We're seeing that again this Independence Day," Arbruster said.

AAA forecasts a significant increase in the number of vehicles on the road compared to typical Independence Day periods, attributing the rise to a robust economy and pent-up demand for travel.

"So really a busy summer as it comes," Arbruster added.

Texas roadways are expected to accommodate up to 4.8 billion travelers this year, marking an 8% increase over figures from five years ago.

San Antonio, renowned for its attractions, is poised to welcome a substantial share of these travelers, cementing its position as one of Texas' top destinations for the Fourth of July.

"There's certainly attractions there that are bringing people to San Antonio. It's one of the top destinations we usually see for Fourth of July in Texas," Arbruster noted.

Despite the excitement, concerns linger about what could make this year particularly challenging for drivers.

"The economy has reportedly been a little bit stronger...But certainly we see a strong desire for travel, and many people wanting to travel. Some people booked trips for 2024 back in 2021, 2022 so there is that revenge travel still playing out a little bit," Arbruster explained.

AAA reminds drivers to remain vigilant on the roadways, emphasizing the importance of obeying traffic laws and avoiding impaired driving.

"Well, one thing is the move over slowdown law...one other thing is making sure people don't drink and drive. We see a lot of impaired driving crashes over the holidays. 25% of the fatal crashes in Texas are caused by drunk drivers," Arbruster cautioned.

Nationwide, AAA estimates about 71 million people will travel at some point over the weekend, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers.