Summer is here, and that means it is road trip season. This summer will be a busy one on highways as AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Independence Day between Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, July 5. The vast majority of travelers, 85 percent, will travel by car. With 61.4 million people driving, the trend is nearly the same as last year when 61.3 million travelers took road trips. The holiday will kick off a busy season for travel by car.

For local travelers from Western and Central New York, here are the top destinations for summer road trips within the state based on AAA Route Production requests for maps and TripTiks:

• Finger Lakes
• Thousand Islands
• State Parks such as Letchworth and Watkins Glen

For longer summer drive trips:

• Washington D.C.
• Williamsburg, VA
• The Blue Ridge Mountains
• New England States and Beaches

Drivers preparing to take road trips should prioritize car maintenance and stay on top of routine oil changes, plus check battery condition and tire pressure. Last year during Independence Day week, AAA responded to more than 687,000 roadside assistance calls. Half of those required towing services, and nearly 30% of those calls were for battery replacement and flat tires. Drivers should always have vehicles looked over by certified mechanics before road trips.

Summer can be especially dangerous on the road with more teen drivers behind the wheel and a rise in impaired driving due to holiday festivities. That’s why AAA is urging drivers to commit to 100 Days of Safe Driving this summer. According to AAA crash data analysis, nearly one in three summertime traffic deaths involves an impaired driver. AAA, in partnership with MADD, reminds anyone who plans to drink or use impairing substances to arrange a sober ride before going out.

Once on the road, AAA urges drivers to Slow Down, Move Over whenever there are emergency responders and stranded motorists on the side of the road. By reducing speed and changing lanes, drivers allow roadside workers to do their jobs safely and help prevent tragedies.

Motorists can place a road service request and compare pump prices before filling up with the AAA Mobile App for iPhone, iPad, and Android.