Community Corner

Fourth of July Travel Trends

AAA estimates nearly a 5 percent increase in this year's July Fourth holiday travel.

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Virginia State Police issued more than 11,000 speeding and reckless driving tickets during the 2012 July 4th holiday, Fredericksburg area traffic attorney Andrew Flusche said.

Flusche has complied information on travel trends for the Fourth of July holiday weekend for his blog and infographic.  He reports, for example:

  • AAA projects 42.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this holiday weekend. This number is up 4.9 percent from 2012.
  • The number of people who will travel by car is estimated at 35.5 million, marking a ten year peak.
  • The largest share of travelers (32 percent) will depart on Wednesday, July 3 and return (38 percent) Sunday, July 7.
  • Two of the most common traffic citations issued by Virginia State Police during the holiday are speeding and reckless driving tickets.
“Motorists should be vigilant about speed limits as they travel for the holiday weekend,” Flusche said.  “In a 70 mile-per-hour zone, going just 11 miles above the speed limit can result in a misdemeanor reckless driving charge,” he said.

Flusche also reminds drivers about the revised texting while driving law, which went into effect on July 1. "Under the new version of Virginia Code 46.2-1078.1, drivers can be pulled over solely if an officer has reasonable suspicion they are texting while driving," Flusche’s said. “Put your phone in a hands-free mount and don’t touch it while driving.”

Editor's Note:  Thanks to Andrew for allowing us to share his research.  http://www.andrewflusche.com/

For more information about the Fourth of July 2013, see:
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