Even though gas prices are the highest we’ve seen in a while, travel for this 4th of July weekend is expected to see the second highest volume on record.

AAA is expecting travel to increase by 40% compared to last year, when a lot of plans were put off because of COVID. Most of this year’s travelers are expected to be taking to the roads.

“Travel is in full swing this summer, as Americans eagerly pursue travel opportunities they’ve deferred for the last year-and-a-half,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman. “We saw strong demand for travel around Memorial Day and the kick-off of summer, and all indications now point to a busy Independence Day holiday weekend, with the Great American Road Trip the preferred mode of travel.”

Between now and July 5, AAA projects more that 47-million people will travel for the holiday, compared to 34-million people in 2020. Most people surveyed about their travel plans say they’ll be driving to their destinations, equating to 91% of respondents. AAA says that’s the highest rate for driving they’ve seen so far.

“Dead batteries, flat tires, and other engine problems requiring a tow will be among leading reasons AAA members will call us for assistance,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman. Although we are always available to help, we hate to see people spending part of their vacation stranded along the roadside. So in an effort to ensure cars are road-ready, travelers are advised to have their vehicles inspected by trusted repair shops, including AAA Approved Auto Repair centers.”

The worst days for travel are expected to be Thursday and Friday afternoon, as people head off for a long weekend, then Monday midday as people return home.

Despite rising gas prices, Kansas is currently ranked 11th cheapest in the country, with prices in Wichita sitting around $2.89 as of Thursday morning.