California Department of Transportation

07/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/03/2026 16:53

Caltrans Reminds Motorists To Drive Safely This 4th Of July Weekend

Caltrans Reminds Motorists To Drive Safely This 4th Of July Weekend

Published: Jul 03, 2026

High Traffic Volumes Require Heightened Driver Awareness

San Joaquin County - The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) wants everyone to have a safe and happy Independence Day holiday. With a lot of celebrating and record-breaking traffic this 4th of July weekend, Caltrans has some driving tips for everyone with travel plans

  • Don't celebrate until you reach your destination. Make sure whomever is driving is sober.
  • Eliminate all distractions when behind the wheel so that you can devote 100% of your attention to driving safely.
  • Adhere to the posted speed limit. Slow down!
  • Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. High traffic volumes will likely cause delays on highways.
  • Pay close attention to your surroundings, including other vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

Traffic volumes this weekend are expected to reach 70% above normal with as many as nine million vehicles on California roadways.

The worst times to travel are:

  • Friday, July 3 from 12 noon - 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, July 4 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 5 from 12 noon - 6 p.m.

Motorists should expect 5-to-10-minute delays and use alternate routes whenever possible. All work is scheduled to occur as listed but is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment/materials, and construction-related issues.

For the safety of workers and other motorists, please Be Work Zone Alert. Caltrans also reminds motorists to #KnowBeforeYouGo by checking QuickMaps on your mobile device or visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov for real-time highway conditions.

California Department of Transportation published this content on July 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 03, 2026 at 22:53 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]