Holiday Travel Expected to Increase This Holiday Weekend
By: Eric Deabill
Updated: July 4, 2012
Scranton, Lackawanna County - Millions of Americans have hit the road for the July 4th holiday weekend.
According to AAA officials, the number of drivers out-and-about could be the highest in five years.
Experts say more than 42 million people are expected to travel this extended holiday weekend. In the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, that number is expected to be up by more than four percent.
Traffic was moving smoothly Wednesday morning along Interstate 81 in the Scranton area.
Drivers say the problems have been minimal.
"Surprisingly, the traffic is not bad as far as I'm concerned," Tom Shane of Hazleton said.
At the Tompkinsville rest area, many drivers were taking advantage of special coffee breaks and stretching their legs.
"The roads are not as bad as I expected but the people who are out should pay more attention to their driving," Joe Graham of New Jersey said.
Police say until the end of the weekend, July 8th, they're going to increase their roving patrols, looking for drunk and aggressive drivers.
Eileen Miller lost her son in a crash in Monroe County on July 5, 2010.
"Believe me, you don't wnat to be that parent that has a knock on the door telling that their loved one because your life is changed forever," Miller said.
Miller is now an advocate, urging people to be safe on the roads, especially after a long day of partying.
"People think it's never going to happen to them. I'm telling you, it happens. It happens to you," Miller said.
With the July 4th holiday falling in the middle of the week, extra drivers will be on the roads through at least Sunday night.
For those already travelling, they say the mood seems better than normal.
"I feel like it because maybe it's the traffic conditions are condusive to get to wherever you want to without too much hassle," Mario Orozco of Virginia said. "They're not as angry. They're not frustrated. You can tell. People are waving at each other."
According to PennDOT statistics, last year, between July 1 and July 4 there were 897 crashes and 14 deaths on Pennsylvania roadways.
