(Radio Iowa) – Travel during the upcoming 4th of July holiday is expected to set records both in Iowa and nationwide. AAA-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says the motor club is projecting more than 72-million people will be traveling over the Independence Day weekend. That’s up by nearly two-million travelers from last year and more than seven-million from 2019.

“People are going everywhere by car, by plane, by train, by boat,” Ortner says. “Nationally, we’re seeing numbers increase over 2.4% over last year. Bringing it closer to home, driving, we’re going to see about four-million folks take a road trip of 50 miles or more, that’s 50,000 more from last year in our region.”

One thing that’s a bit of a surprise in the forecast, Ortner says the number of people in Iowa and the Midwest who are expected to be traveling by plane during the holiday fell slightly. “We’re still seeing good numbers, but our region has dropped a little bit from last year,” Ortner says. “We’re seeing about 203,000 forecasted to take to the airways for their holiday travel plans, a decrease from last year of about 1,000 or so, or 0.6%.”

Other modes of transportation, including buses, trains, and cruise ships, are expected to pick up any slack from air travel, with a projected nine-percent increase compared to the holiday last year. In addition to sunscreen and your swimsuit, Ortner says there’s something else that will be important to pack for the long weekend.

“However you’re traveling, bring your patience with you,” Ortner says. “With record numbers, there’ll be more people on the road. There’ll be more people in the airports. Plan ahead. Take your time. Get your vehicles checked. Get that routine maintenance done. Most importantly, be safe on the roads. Keep a safe distance from those who are working to get themselves back on the road.”

It’s the law for Iowa motorists to move over if there’s a stopped vehicle with its emergency flashers on, or, if a lane change isn’t possible, to at least slow down and prepare to stop. Ignoring the law could bring a $200 fine and suspension of the driver’s license for up to a year.