Gas prices drop into July 4th Weekend

Kentucky State Police upping checkpoints

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – AAA predicts that 48-million people will travel this Independence Day Weekend. This aligns with gas prices lowering slowly, but significantly through the month of June.

AAA East Central Media Spokesperson and Safety Advisor Lynda Lambert said, “Looking at the Kentucky prices, today we’re at $4.57, and a week ago we were at $4.68.”

Lambert attributes this in part to the price of crude oil recently dropping and staying unwavering.

However, “Even though prices are coming down for gasoline right now, they’re still $1.80 more than they were this time last year,” Lambert notes.

Lambert says the best thing you can do to save on gasoline is leave bright and early or late at nighttime.

“As you leave during rush hour… that’s when it’s going to be busier, and you could be sitting in traffic for a significant amount of time burning more gasoline,” she suggests.

To those who are willing to brave the traffic for their optimal Independence Day Weekend, Kentucky State Police says they’re stepping up the security checkpoints this year.

Kentucky State Police Post 3 Trooper Daniel Priddy said, “Anything we can do to help try to keep the highways safer in the Commonwealth, we’re going to do it this weekend.”

KSP says during any holiday, especially around summertime, more vehicles on the roadway mean more collisions.

“We have more enforcement action in our post district,” Priddy said of this weekend. “We’ll have more units on the roadway looking for impaired drivers. Looking for drivers that are driving recklessly, [even distracted driving].”

Trooper Priddy encourages people to use rideshare apps like Uber of Lyft if you plan to drink this holiday.

“Have a game plan together and make sure everyone arrives to their homes safely,” Priddy instructed.

So while you’re packing your bags for the weekend, plan ahead: What time will you leave? What’s your best route? If you plan on drinking, who can you call to have your back?