With the Fourth of July falling on a Friday, Americans are taking advantage of the long weekend. AAA estimates 72 million people are traveling at least 50 miles for the holiday, which is 1.7 million more than last year.

Many people in and around Central Illinois are hitting the highways for the Fourth of July weekend, so IDOT and AAA are pushing for safety on the busy streets.

This Independence Day is a record-setting year for travel.According to AAA over 72.2 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles this holiday weeken