The number of Californians with holiday plans that will take them more than 50 miles from home is down compared to last year by 2.7 percent, according to a survey by AAA Northern California.
Planned travel by motor vehicles is down 3.2 percent, with boat or train transportation down by 1.7 percent.
"Many Americans remain cautious about the outlook for their personal finances, and those attitudes are reflected in the slight decline in travel we are forecasting for the upcoming holiday weekend," said Cynthia Harris, a spokeswoman for AAA.
Air travel is expected to be up by 1.9 percent. Airfare over the weekend was expected to decrease by as much as 16 percent from last year.
Even with people staying closer to home, 3.7 million Californians will still be on local roads, and the California Highway Patrol has set the weekend as a maximum enforcement period. All available officers will patrol the roadways during the MEP, which begins at 6 p.m. Friday, July 3 and extends until midnight on Sunday, July 5.
"Plan ahead and allow extra time for travel on busy roads, buckle up before you head out and don't speed," said Joe Farrow, CHP commissioner, in a press release. "Speeding reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or react to hazards in the roadway."
Last year over the three-day, Fourth of July weekend, 41 people died on California's roadways; nearly half of those killed in CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and one motorcyclist who died was without a helmet.
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