Each holiday season, AAA provides estimates on the number of people expected to travel over that particular holiday period.

In regards to the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, which will start Wednesday, AAA is expecting the number to reach record levels.

In a release this week, AAA projected 49 million Americans will travel over the long, holiday weekend. Overall travel volume for the holiday is expected to rise 4.1 percent over last year, with an additional 1.9 million people planning trips or other vacations over the holiday weekend.

Of those traveling, it is expected that 41.4 million Americans will travel by car, with Wednesday, July 3 being the worst day on the roads in terms of congestion.

AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000.

“In addition to lower gas prices compared with last summer, broader economic fundamentals remain strong. Low unemployment, robust consumer spending, and rising disposable incomes are all encouraging more consumers to invest their hard-earned money in travel this summer,” AAA said in its release.

Mississippi’s average gas price of $2.26 per gallon is 28 cents cheaper than this time last year.

This, AAA said, is motivating record numbers of travelers to take road trips for the holiday weekend.

AAA expects to rescue nearly 367,000 motorists at the roadside this Independence Day holiday.