TAMPA, Fla — As drivers across the Tampa Bay area hit the roads for the Fourth of July holiday travel period, so will millions of others across the country.
AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Independence Day, surpassing last year's record of 71.8 million travelers.
Watch report from Blake Phillips
The nine-day holiday travel period runs from Saturday, June 27, through Sunday, July 5.
Of those 72.2 million, 61.3 million are driving.
In Florida, AAA projects 4.6 million Floridians will travel, with 4 million expected to hit the roads.
During higher travel periods and in the Summer heat, the number of breakdowns can skyrocket.
Ahead of this, Tampa Bay 28 reporter Blake Phillips spent 20 minutes at a local auto repair shop, checking some of the easiest but leading causes of your car breaking down
Those include checking your battery, oil levels, tire pressure, air filter, and engine coolant.
"That's so important. It keeps the engine cool and keeps everything running fine. If it gets too hot, the engine's going to shut off. You're going to cause a lot of damage to it. It also helps with air conditioning," says Chris Wallin, the chief technician at Brazzeal Automotive in Tampa
Checks like oil and tire pressure can be done easily. But checking a battery may require you to book an appointment at your nearest repair shop.
But spending 20 minutes at an auto shop can save you hours of time waiting on the side of the road for a tow truck.
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Tourism and the environment are backbones to our way of life in Florida, and Blake Phillips is dedicated to covering those topics. Use the form below to reach out to Blake and start a conversation.
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