Fewer Tickets, Safer Roads: Promising Trends for Independence Day Travel Week

As we get ready for fireworks, beach time, and barbecues, it’s important to talk about something less festive for the July 4th holiday, but incredibly important: road safety.

The good news? Last year’s Independence Day travel weekend was noticeably safer than the year before!

Verra Mobility’s proprietary traffic safety data—gathered from hundreds of communities across the country—shows an impressive drop in speeding and red-light running violations during the July 4th, 2024 travel window.

These numbers suggest that more drivers are getting the message: traffic tickets aren’t just costly, they are a warning sign of dangerous driving behavior. Tools like automated enforcement and safety education are helping change habits before they lead to crashes.

While that’s momentum worth celebrating, there’s still more to do. Even with this improvement, hundreds of thousands of violations were recorded in less than one week—proving the road to safer travel is ongoing.

Independence Day Week by the Numbers (July 4 – July 7, 2024)

• 168,494 total violations recorded, a 25.9% decrease from 2023
• Speeding tickets dropped 24%
• Red-light running violations fell 31%
• Violations per camera were down slightly on the 4th but all other days showed substantial declines
• Thursday, July 4th had the fewest red-light violations, but continued to be the worst day for speeding, with 33,213 citations. In some major cities, drivers were clocked going 12–25 mph over the limit—well above safe speeds, especially during high-traffic holidays.
• The riskiest driving times during Thursday, July 4 were consistent with past years:

• Red-light violations peaked between 12 PM and 4 PM
• Speeding was most common between 4 PM and 8 PM

Keeping the Momentum

With a shared focus, we can make this year’s July 4th travel week even safer.

For drivers, remember to:

• Avoid peak travel hours or be extra cautious during them
• Stick to the speed limit even if you’re running late or others around you are speeding
• Pay attention to intersections to minimize risk of red-light running

For cities and agencies, this data is a reminder that:

• Awareness campaigns matter, especially in the days leading up to holidays
• Enforcement works best when targeted at high-risk days and times
• Automated enforcement remains a powerful tool for consistent, equitable safety

This data aligns with the latest research from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that shows a 4.3% decrease in motor vehicle fatalities in 2023 and expected decline from early 2024 estimates.